Potted pipe fitting systems and methods

Abstract

Techniques for implementing a pipeline system including a pipe segment and a potted pipe fitting. The pipe segment includes tubing having an internal pressure sheath layer, a reinforcement strip, and an outer sheath layer. The potted pipe fitting includes an outer fitting body disposed around a portion of the reinforcement strip, an inner fitting body disposed between the portion of the reinforcement strip and the internal pressure sheath layer, in which the inner fitting body directly abuts the internal pressure sheath layer at least up to a point where the reinforcement strip begins to flare away from the internal pressure sheath layer and a potting cavity of the potted pipe fitting is defined at least between an inner surface of the outer fitting body and an outer surface of the inner fitting body, and cured potting material implemented around the portion of the reinforcement strip in the potting cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of securing a pipe fitting to pipe segment tubing, comprising:
 disposing an outer fitting body of the pipe fitting around the pipe segment tubing;   cutting back an outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing to expose a portion of a reinforcement strip in the pipe segment tubing;   inserting an inner fitting body of the pipe fitting between the portion of the reinforcement strip and an internal pressure sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing such that the inner fitting body directly abuts the internal pressure sheath layer at least up to a point where the reinforcement strip begins to flare away from the internal pressure sheath layer;   defining a potting cavity of the pipe fitting at least in part by sliding the outer fitting body of the pipe fitting over the portion of the reinforcement strip in the pipe segment tubing and the inner fitting body of the pipe fitting;   disposing potting material around the portion of the reinforcement strip in the potting cavity of the pipe fitting; and   fluidly coupling a vent valve to free space defined within an annulus of the pipe segment tubing.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 forming an opening through the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing;   disposing a seal ring and a fitting collar of the pipe fitting around the pipe segment tubing; and   securing the fitting collar to the outer fitting body of the pipe fitting to axially compress the seal ring therebetween such that the seal ring is radially compressed against the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing, wherein fluidly coupling the vent valve to the free space defined within the annulus of the pipe segment tubing comprises fluidly coupling the vent valve to the free space defined within the annulus of the pipe segment tubing via the opening formed through the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing, a first fluid path formed through the outer fitting body of the pipe fitting, and a second fluid path formed through the fitting collar of the pipe fitting.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising inserting a reinforcement sleeve between a remaining portion of the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing and a corresponding portion of the reinforcement strip, wherein:
 inserting the inner fitting body of the pipe fitting between the portion of the reinforcement strip and the internal pressure sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing comprises inserting the inner fitting body partially under the reinforcement sleeve; and   fluidly coupling the vent valve to the free space defined within the annulus of the pipe segment tubing comprises fluidly coupling the vent valve to the free space defined within the annulus of the pipe segment tubing via the opening formed through the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing, the first fluid path formed through the outer fitting body of the pipe fitting, the second fluid path formed through the fitting collar of the pipe fitting, and another opening formed through the reinforcement sleeve.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising securing a carcass ring to an outer surface of a carcass layer of the pipe segment tubing to facilitate anchoring the carcass layer in the pipe fitting, electrically isolating the carcass layer in the pipe fitting, or both. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 disposing a seal ring around the internal pressure sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing; and   securing a fitting connector of the pipe fitting to the inner fitting body of the pipe fitting to axially compress the seal ring therebetween such that the seal ring is radially compressed against the internal pressure sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein defining the potting cavity of the pipe fitting comprises securing the fitting connector to the outer fitting body such that the potting cavity is defined between a conical inner surface of the outer fitting body and a conical outer surface of the inner fitting body with a continuous uniform wedge-shaped axial cross-section profile that tapers continuously and uniformly from a closed end of the potting cavity to an open end of the potting cavity. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the conical inner surface of the outer fitting body tapers at a first angle relative to an axial extent of the pipe fitting;   the conical outer surface of the inner fitting body tapers at a second angle relative to the axial extent of the pipe fitting; and   defining the potting cavity of the pipe fitting comprises securing the fitting connector to the inner fitting body and the outer fitting body such that the conical inner surface of the outer fitting body and the conical outer surface of the inner fitting body taper toward one another.   
     
     
         8 . A pipe fitting comprising:
 an outer fitting body, wherein the outer fitting body is configured to be disposed circumferentially around an exposed portion of a reinforcement strip in pipe segment tubing;   an inner fitting body, wherein the inner fitting body is configured to be disposed circumferentially between the exposed portion of the reinforcement strip and an internal pressure sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing;   a fitting connector configured to enable the pipe fitting to be connected to another pipeline component, wherein:
 the outer fitting body and the inner fitting body are configured to be secured to the fitting connector to define a potting cavity between an inner surface of the outer fitting body and an outer surface of the inner fitting body; and 
 the pipe fitting is configured to anchor the exposed portion of the reinforcement strip in the potting cavity via cured potting material; and 
   a vent valve configured to be fluidly connected to a fluid conduit defined by the reinforcement strip in a tubing annulus of the pipe segment tubing.   
     
     
         9 . The pipe fitting of  claim 8 , wherein the vent valve is configured to be fluidly connected to the fluid conduit defined by the reinforcement strip in the tubing annulus of the pipe segment tubing via an opening formed through an outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing and a fluid path formed through the outer fitting body of the pipe fitting. 
     
     
         10 . The pipe fitting of  claim 9 , comprising a fitting collar configured to be secured to the outer fitting body, wherein the vent valve is configured to be fluidly connected to the fluid conduit defined by the reinforcement strip in the tubing annulus of the pipe segment tubing via the opening formed through the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing, the fluid path formed through the outer fitting body of the pipe fitting, and another fluid path formed through the fitting collar of the pipe fitting. 
     
     
         11 . The pipe fitting of  claim 10 , comprising a reinforcement sleeve configured to be disposed between a remaining portion of the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing and a corresponding portion of the reinforcement strip of the pipe segment tubing, wherein:
 the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing is cutback to expose the exposed portion of the reinforcement strip; and   the inner fitting body of the pipe fitting is configured to be partially disposed under the reinforcement sleeve; and   the vent valve is configured to be fluidly connected to the fluid conduit defined by the reinforcement strip in the tubing annulus of the pipe segment tubing via the opening formed through the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing, the fluid path formed through the outer fitting body of the pipe fitting, the another fluid path formed through the fitting collar of the pipe fitting, and another opening formed through the reinforcement sleeve.   
     
     
         12 . The pipe fitting of  claim 8 , wherein:
 an outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing is cutback to expose the exposed portion of the reinforcement strip; and   the inner fitting body is configured to be partially disposed under a remaining portion of the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment.   
     
     
         13 . The pipe fitting of  claim 8 , comprising a spacer ring configured to be disposed between the inner fitting body of the pipe fitting and the exposed portion of the reinforcement strip in the pipe segment tubing such that the spacer ring directly abuts a portion of the internal pressure sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing. 
     
     
         14 . The pipe fitting of  claim 8 , wherein the outer fitting body and the fitting connector are configured to not radially overlap with one another. 
     
     
         15 . The pipe fitting of  claim 8 , comprising a carcass ring configured to be secured to an outer surface of a carcass layer of the pipe segment tubing to facilitate anchoring the carcass layer in the pipe fitting, electrically isolating the carcass layer in the pipe fitting, or both. 
     
     
         16 . The pipe fitting of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the outer fitting body comprises a conical inner surface that tapers at a first angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the pipe fitting;   the inner fitting body comprises a conical outer surface that tapers at a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the pipe fitting; and   the outer fitting body and the inner fitting body are configured to be secured to the fitting connector such that the conical inner surface of the outer fitting body and the conical outer surface of the inner fitting body taper toward one another and the potting cavity has a continuous uniform wedge-shaped axial cross-section profile that tapers continuously and uniformly from a closed end of the potting cavity to an open end of the potting cavity, wherein the pipe fitting is configured to anchor the exposed portion of the reinforcement strip in the potting cavity via cured potting material.   
     
     
         17 . A pipe fitting, comprising:
 an outer fitting body having a conical inner surface that tapers at a first angle relative to an axial extent of the pipe fitting, wherein the outer fitting body is configured to be disposed circumferentially around an exposed portion of a reinforcement strip in pipe segment tubing;   an inner fitting body having a conical outer surface that tapers at a second angle relative to the axial extent of the pipe fitting, wherein the inner fitting body is configured to be disposed circumferentially between the exposed portion of the reinforcement strip and an internal pressure sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing; and   a fitting connector configured to enable the pipe fitting to be connected to another pipeline component, wherein:
 the outer fitting body and the inner fitting body are configured to be secured to the fitting connector such that the conical inner surface of the outer fitting body and the conical outer surface of the inner fitting body taper toward one another to define a potting cavity therebetween that has a continuous uniform wedge-shaped axial cross-section profile that tapers continuously and uniformly from a closed end of the potting cavity to an open end of the potting cavity; and 
 the pipe fitting is configured to anchor the exposed portion of the reinforcement strip in the potting cavity via cured potting material. 
   
     
     
         18 . The pipe fitting of  claim 17 , comprising:
 a carcass ring configured to be secured to an outer surface of a carcass layer of the pipe segment tubing to facilitate anchoring the carcass layer in the pipe fitting, electrically isolating the carcass layer in the pipe fitting, or both; and   a vent valve configured to be fluidly connected to a fluid conduit defined by the reinforcement strip in a tubing annulus of the pipe segment tubing via an opening formed through an outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing and a fluid path formed through the outer fitting body of the pipe fitting.   
     
     
         19 . The pipe fitting of  claim 18 , comprising:
 an inner seal ring configured to be disposed circumferentially around the internal pressure sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing, wherein the fitting connector and the inner fitting body are configured to be secured to one another to axially compress the inner seal ring therebetween such that inner seal ring is radially compressed against the internal pressure sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing;   an outer seal ring configured to be disposed circumferentially around the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing; and   a fitting collar, wherein:
 the fitting collar and the outer fitting body are configured to be secured to one another to axially compress the outer seal ring therebetween such that the outer seal ring is radially compressed against the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing; and 
 the vent valve is configured to be fluidly connected to the fluid conduit defined by the reinforcement strip in the tubing annulus of the pipe segment tubing via the opening formed through the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing, the fluid path formed through the outer fitting body of the pipe fitting, and another fluid path formed through the fitting collar. 
   
     
     
         20 . The pipe fitting of  claim 19 , comprising a reinforcement sleeve configured to be disposed between a remaining portion of the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing and a corresponding portion of the reinforcement strip of the pipe segment tubing, wherein:
 the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing is cutback to expose the exposed portion of the reinforcement strip; and   the inner fitting body of the pipe fitting is configured to be partially disposed under the reinforcement sleeve; and   the vent valve is configured to be fluidly connected to the fluid conduit defined by the reinforcement strip in the tubing annulus of the pipe segment tubing via the opening formed through the outer sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing, the fluid path formed through the outer fitting body of the pipe fitting, the another fluid path formed through the fitting collar of the pipe fitting, and another opening formed through the reinforcement sleeve.