Expandable fairing of weathervaning riser joint

Abstract

Techniques and systems to reduce deflection of a riser extending from an offshore vessel. A device may include a fairing assembly having a body segment configured to at least partially circumferentially surround a main tube of a riser joint of the riser, and a tail segment. The tail segment is configured to retract into a collapsed position and extend into an expanded position along an expansion direction. An expanded width of the fairing assembly in the expanded position is between 20 to 200 percent greater than a collapsed width of the fairing assembly. In some embodiments, the collapsed width of the fairing assembly is less than 1.5 times a length across the main tube, and an expanded width of the fairing assembly is greater than 1.5 times the length of the main tube.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device, comprising:
 a fairing assembly, comprising:
 a body segment configured to at least partially circumferentially surround a main tube of a riser joint; and 
 a tail segment configured to retract into a collapsed position and extend into an expanded position along an expansion direction, wherein an expanded width of the fairing assembly with the tail segment in the expanded position is greater than a collapsed width of the fairing assembly with the tail segment in the collapsed position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the fairing assembly is configured to rotate about the main tube of the riser joint in a circumferential direction. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the tail segment and the body segment of the fairing assembly have a teardrop shape when the tail segment is in the expanded position. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the tail segment comprises a plurality of plates coupled together via a plurality of rails and a plurality of channels, wherein the plurality of plates are configured to slide relative to one another between the collapsed position and the expanded position via the plurality of rails and the plurality of channels. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of rails comprises a plurality of backstops configured to interface with a rear surface of an adjacent plate of the plurality of plates when the tail segment is in the collapsed position. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein each plate of the plurality of plates is formed from a neutrally buoyant material. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the fairing assembly comprises one or more retaining features configured to maintain the plurality of plates in the expanded position, wherein the one or more retaining features is configured to be manually adjusted when the plurality of plates are disposed in the expanded position. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 4 , comprising one or more storage features coupled to the tail segment, wherein the one or more storage features is configured to maintain the plurality of plates in the collapsed position, wherein the one or more storage features is configured to be manually adjusted when the plurality of plates are disposed in the collapsed position. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the expanded width of the fairing assembly with the tail segment in the expanded position is between 20 to 200 percent greater than the collapsed width of the fairing assembly with the tail segment in the collapsed position. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the main tube of the riser joint comprises a length as a distance across the main tube, and the expanded width of the fairing assembly with the tail segment in the expanded position is greater than 1.5 times the length across the main tube. 
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 a fairing assembly configured to couple to a riser joint, wherein the fairing assembly comprises a first tail segment comprising:
 a first set of plates coupled together via a plurality of first rails and a plurality of first channels, wherein the first set of plates is configured to telescope between a first collapsed position and a first expanded position via the plurality of first rails and the plurality of first channels, and the first expanded position extends away from the riser joint; and 
 a second set of plates coupled together via a plurality of second rails and a plurality of second channels, wherein the second set of plates is configured to telescope between a second collapsed position and a second expanded position via the plurality of second rails and the plurality of second channels, and the second expanded position extends away from the riser joint and towards the first set of plates. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the fairing assembly comprises a body segment configured to at least partially surround a main tube of the riser joint, the first tail segment is coupled to the body segment, and the fairing assembly has a teardrop shape when the first set of plates is in the first expanded position and the second set of plates is in the second expanded position. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the fairing assembly comprises a second tail segment comprising:
 a third set of plates coupled together via a plurality of third rails and a plurality of third channels, wherein the third set of plates is configured to telescope between a third collapsed position and a third expanded position via the plurality of third rails and the plurality of third channels, and the third expanded position extends away from the riser joint; and   a fourth set of plates coupled together via a plurality of fourth rails and a plurality of fourth channels, wherein the fourth set of plates is configured to telescope between a fourth collapsed position and a fourth expanded position via the plurality of fourth rails and the plurality of fourth channels, and the fourth expanded position extends away from the riser joint and towards the third set of plates.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , comprising the riser joint, wherein the fairing assembly is configured to rotate about the riser joint in a circumferential direction. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the riser joint comprises a first flange configured to couple with a second flange of a second riser joint to form a riser string, wherein the second riser joint comprises an elongated riser joint or a standard riser joint with a cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the riser joint comprises a length as a distance across an axis of a main tube of the riser joint, a collapsed width of the fairing assembly with the first set of plates in the first collapsed position and the second set of plates in the second collapsed position as less than 1.5 times the distance across the axis of the main tube of the riser joint, and an expanded width of the fairing assembly with the first set of plates in the first expanded position and the second set of plates in the second expanded position as greater than 1.5 times the distance across the axis of the main tube of the riser joint. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first set of plates and the second set of plates comprise a plurality of modular plates, wherein each modular plate of the plurality of modular plates comprises:
 a first face comprising a plurality of rails spaced a modular distance apart; and   a second face opposite the first face, comprising a plurality of channels spaced the modular distance apart.   
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 coupling a set of plates together via a plurality of rails and a plurality of channels;   coupling the set of plates to an fairing assembly, wherein the set of plates is configured to retract into a collapsed position of the fairing assembly and extend into an expanded position of the fairing assembly along an expansion direction;   coupling the fairing assembly in the collapsed position to a riser joint; and   extending the set of plates of the fairing assembly from the collapsed position to the expanded position, wherein an expanded width of the fairing assembly in the expanded position is greater than a collapsed width of the fairing assembly in the collapsed position.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising:
 coupling the riser joint to a riser string prior to extending the set of plates of the fairing assembly to the expanded position; and   routing the riser joint with the fairing assembly in the collapsed position through a component of an offshore vessel prior to extending the set of plates of the fairing assembly to the expanded position, wherein the component of the offshore vessel is sized to allow passage of the fairing assembly when in the collapsed positon and restrict passage of the fairing assembly when in the expanded position.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the expanded width of the fairing assembly in the expanded position is between 20 to 200 percent greater than the collapsed width of the fairing assembly in the collapsed position.