Systems and methods for thermal management of subsea conduits using an interconnecting conduit and valving arrangement

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for thermal management of subsea interconnecting conduit such as jumpers that provide cooling and heat retention of production fluids within the jumpers. In a jumper circuit, parallel sections of jumper are provided having differing amounts of heat transfer between surrounding seawater and production fluids flowing within. Valving is provided to control fluid flow between the parallel sections of jumper, thus controlling the amount of heat transfer between the surrounding seawater and the jumper circuit. A control system can be used to generate an alarm based on fluid temperature and/or fluid flow rate within the jumper circuit indicating the need to adjust the valving to manage the temperature of fluids within the jumper circuit. Changes may be needed particularly depending on the phase of production, e.g., early life, normal operation, shut down and late life operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for thermal management of a subsea conduit that carries oil and/or gas produced from a subsea well in a subsea production facility located on a seabed, comprising:
 a. an interconnecting conduit circuit for carrying production fluids between subsea components, wherein the interconnecting conduit circuit comprises two ends for connecting to the subsea components, a first conduit section, and a second conduit section in parallel with respect to one another, wherein the first and second conduit sections have different heat transfer with respect to the surrounding seawater; and   b. valving to direct the production fluids through the first conduit section and/or second interconnecting conduit section such that heat transfer from the production fluids to seawater surrounding the interconnecting conduit circuit can be controlled by adjusting the valving.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first conduit section is insulated and the second conduit section is uninsulated. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein each of the first conduit section and the second conduit section include multiple conduit segments changing in direction such that flow of fluid in each of the first conduit section and the second conduit section is assisted by gravity in a downward direction thereby ensuring self-draining of the fluid independent of fluid pressure. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the valving is controlled responsive to a control system based on a predetermined fluid temperature and/or flow rate, further comprising a temperature sensor for continuously monitoring an internal fluid temperature of a fluid in the interconnecting conduit and/or a flow rate sensor for continuously monitoring an internal fluid flow velocity of a fluid in the interconnecting conduit and a flying lead or umbilical for transmitting temperature and/or flow rate data to a processor. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the control system is capable of being set to automatically activate an alarm indicating a need to adjust the valving based on the fluid temperature and/or flow rate reaching the predetermined fluid temperature and/or flow rate. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the control system is capable of being set to automatically adjust the valving based on the fluid temperature and/or flow rate reaching the predetermined fluid temperature and/or flow rate. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the temperature sensor comprises a phase change thermostat for continuously monitoring the internal fluid temperature of the fluid in the interconnecting conduit. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the interconnecting conduit is positioned at an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees such that the interconnecting conduit is sloping with respect to the seabed. 
     
     
         9 . A method for thermal management of a subsea conduit that carries oil and/or gas produced from a subsea well in a subsea production facility located on a seabed, comprising:
 a. transmitting production fluids between subsea components in an interconnecting conduit circuit comprising two ends for connecting to the subsea components; a first conduit section and a second conduit section in parallel with respect to one another, wherein the first and second conduit sections have different heat transfer with respect to the surrounding seawater; and   b. controlling valving to direct the production fluids through the first conduit section and/or second conduit section such that heat transfer from the production fluids to seawater surrounding the interconnecting conduit circuit is adjusted as desired.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the first conduit section is insulated and the second conduit section is uninsulated. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein each of the first conduit section and the second conduit section include multiple conduit segments changing in direction such that flow of fluid in each of the first conduit section and the second conduit section is assisted by gravity in a downward direction thereby ensuring self-draining of the fluid independent of fluid pressure. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the valving is controlled responsive to a control system based on a predetermined fluid temperature and/or flow rate, further comprising a temperature sensor for continuously monitoring an internal fluid temperature of a fluid in the interconnecting conduit and/or a flow rate sensor for continuously monitoring an internal fluid flow velocity of a fluid in the interconnecting conduit and a flying lead or umbilical for transmitting temperature and/or flow rate data to a processor. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the control system is set to automatically activate an alarm indicating a need to adjust the valving based on the fluid temperature and/or flow rate reaching the predetermined fluid temperature and/or flow rate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the control system is set to automatically adjust the valving based on the fluid temperature and/or flow rate reaching the predetermined fluid temperature and/or flow rate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9  wherein during routine or early-life production of oil and/or gas from the subsea well, the valving directs produced fluid flow through the one of the first and second conduit sections having greater heat transfer with respect to the surrounding seawater to aid in cooling of produced fluid; and during shutdown or late-life production of oil and/or gas from the subsea well, the valving directs produced fluid flow through the one of the first and second conduit sections having less heat transfer with respect to the surrounding seawater to aid in maintaining produced fluid temperature above hydrate formation and wax formation temperatures. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the interconnecting conduit is positioned at an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees such that the interconnecting conduit is sloping with respect to the seabed.