THE DEVELOPMENT OF METAL-TO-METAL SEAL MECHANICAL CONNECTORS FOR USE ON PIPELINES IN ULTRA DEEPWATER

摘要

As the development of deepwater oil and gas fields increases, so has the penetration of the pipeline into these water depths. Water depths exceeding 1000 feet are beyond practical saturation diving limits and so any installation or repair attempts must be conducted by remotely operated systems. Present designs can be adapted for use by ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicle), but economics dictate that the day rates for these operations can be costly and, therefore, solutions are required which will minimize the length of time to repair the damage. The X-LOC connection system is currently being developed to provide a means for quick, cost effective and ROV friendly repair of deepwater pipelines. The following paper will discuss the X-LOC sealing system, the analysis and prototype testing of the system, subsea operation, its applications and the advantages/disadvantages of the sealing system.