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 bladder coupled to the body segment, wherein the bladder is configured to receive a fluid to expand from a collapsed position into an expanded position having an expanded width of the fairing assembly in the expanded position greater than a collapsed width of the fairing assembly 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 bladder and the body segment of the fairing assembly form a teardrop shape when the bladder is in the expanded position. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the bladder comprises a coupling configured to receive a fluid to expand the bladder from the collapsed position into the expanded position. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the bladder comprises a fluid release mechanism configured to vent the fluid when a pressure in the bladder exceeds a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising a strap configured to couple the bladder to the body segment. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising an appendage and slot connection to couple the bladder to the body segment. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , comprising a lock and a release configured disengage the lock to detach the bladder from the body segment. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising a hinge configured to allow for movement of the bladder with respect to the body segment. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , comprising a release configured to actuate a lock to partially detach the bladder from the body segment as the movement of the bladder with respect to the body segment. 
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 a fairing assembly configured to couple to a riser joint, wherein the fairing assembly comprises a bladder comprising:
 an elastic material configured to allow the bladder 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 bladder in the expanded position is greater than a collapsed width of the fairing assembly with the bladder in the collapsed position. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the bladder comprises a protective layer as an outer layer of the elastic material. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the protective layer is coupled to the elastic material. 
     
     
         14 . 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, wherein the bladder is coupled to the body segment. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the fairing assembly has a teardrop shape when the bladder is extended into the expanded position. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the fairing assembly comprises a second bladder configured to configured to expand from a second collapsed position into a second expanded position. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first bladder comprises a first coupling configured to receive a fluid to expand the first bladder from the collapsed position into the expanded position, wherein the second bladder comprises a second coupling configured to receive the fluid to expand the second bladder from the second collapsed position into the second expanded position. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 coupling an expandable fairing to a riser joint, wherein the expandable fairing comprises a bladder configured to receive a fluid to extend into an expanded position of the expandable fairing and transmit fluid from the bladder to retract into a collapsed position of the expandable fairing.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein coupling the expandable fairing to the riser joint comprises coupling the expanding fairing in the collapsed position to the riser joint. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising:
 routing the riser joint with the fairing assembly in the collapsed position through a component of an offshore vessel;   transmitting the fluid to the bladder of the expandable fairing to extend the bladder into the expanded position of the expandable fairing subsequent to routing the riser joint.