초록

A system that is usable with subsea wells that extend beneath a sea floor includes a station that is located on the sea floor and an underwater vehicle. The underwater vehicle is housed in the station and is adapted to service at least one of the subsea wells.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system usable with subsea wells that extend beneath a sea floor, the system comprising:an underwater vehicle; anda station located on the sea floor, the station comprising a docking station adapted to dock to the vehicle and furnish power to the vehicle when docked to the vehicle,wherein the un

1. A system usable with subsea wells that extend beneath a sea floor, the system comprising:an underwater vehicle; anda station located on the sea floor, the station comprising a docking station adapted to dock to the vehicle and furnish power to the vehicle when docked to the vehicle,wherein the underwater vehicle is housed in the station when no tasks are to be performed by the underwater vehicle. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the underwater vehicle is adapted to move to one of the subsea wells to service said one of the subsea wells without a tethered cable connection. 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:a cable connected to furnish power to the docking station, the cable receiving power from equipment at the surface of the sea. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the docking station is adapted to dock to the vehicle to establish communication between the vehicle and an operator. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a battery to power the vehicle when the vehicle moves between the docking station and the well. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a sensor to detect a location of the well. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises a light sensor. 8. The system of claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises a sonar transducer. 9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:another docking station located near the well, said docking station adapted to dock to the vehicle and provide communication to control the vehicle when the vehicle is docked to said another docking station. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein said another docking station comprises:an emitter to furnish a signal to guide the vehicle to said another station. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the emitter comprises a laser. 12. The system of claim 10, wherein the emitter comprises an acoustic transmitter. 13. The system of claim 9, wherein the vehicle is adapted to form a tethered connection to said another docking station when docked to said another docking station. 14. The system of claim 9, wherein the station is adapted to provide power to the vehicle when the vehicle is docked to said another station. 15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:at least one track extending between at least one of the wells and the station. 16. The system of claim 1, further comprising:another docking station located near a region designated to receive parts dropped from the surface of the sea, said another docking station adapted to dock to the vehicle and provide communication to control the vehicle when the vehicle is docked to said another docking station. 17. The system of claim 1, further comprising:another docking station located near a region designated to receive parts dropped from the surface of the sea, said another docking station adapted to dock to the vehicle and provide power to the vehicle when the vehicle is docked to said another docking station. 18. The system of claim 1, further comprising:at least one additional remotely operated vehicle housed in the station. 19. The system of claim 1, further comprising:at least one package housed in the station to control a subsea well during an intervention, the package comprising equipment to control a well. 20. The system of claim 1, further comprising:at least one tool carousel module housed in the station and containing tools to be used in an intervention. 21. The system of claim 20, further comprising at least one of the following:a wireline-based delivery system;a slickline-based delivery system; anda coiled tubing-based delivery system. 22. A method usable with subsea wells that extend beneath a sea floor, comprising:positioning a station on the sea floor;using the station to power an underwater vehicle;using the station to communicate with the underwater vehicle;using the station to dock to the underwater vehicle and provided power to the underwater vehicle when docked to the underwater vehicle;using the vehicle to service at least one of the subsea wells; andhousing the underwater vehicle in the station when no tasks are to be performed by the underwater vehicle. 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:moving the vehicle from the station to said one of the subsea wells to service said one of the subsea wells; andnot communicating with the vehicle during at least most of the movement of the vehicle from the station to said one of the subsea wells. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the act of not communicating comprises:not using a tethered connection to communicate with the vehicle during at least most of the movement of the vehicle from the station to said one of the subsea wells. 25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:before the moving, undocking the vehicle from a docking station near the station; and after the moving, docking the vehicle to another docking station near said one of the subsea wells. 26. The method of claim 23, further comprising:supplying power from a surface of the sea to the vehicle before and after the movement of the vehicle; andusing a battery to provide power to the vehicle during the movement. 27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:during the movement of the vehicle, navigating the vehicle without remotely operating the vehicle. 28. The method of claim 22, further comprising:moving the vehicle from the station to a region designated to receive parts dropped from the surface of the sea; andoperating the vehicle to gather the dropped parts. 29. The method of claim 22, further comprising:operating the vehicle to attach an untethered buoyant assembly to a part to send the part to the surface of the sea. 30. The method of claim 22, further comprising:in the station, storing a part for use in the servicing of said at least one of the subsea wells. 31. The method of claim 22, further comprising:storing parts in the station; andselectively securing the parts to the vehicle for use in servicing said one of the subsea wells. 32. The method of claim 22, further comprising:using the vehicle to assemble equipment together to form an assembly to perform the service; andusing the vehicle to move the assembly to a subsea wellhead assembly and attach the assembly to the wellhead assembly. 33. The method of claim 32, wherein at least some of the equipment is housed in the station. 34. The method of claim 22, further comprising:using the station to power and communicate with at least one additional remotely operated vehicle. 35. The method of claim 22, further comprising:storing at least one well control package in the station to control a subsea well head assembly. 36. The method of claim 22, further comprising:storing at least one tool carousel module in the station, each of said at least one carousel module containing well tools. 37. The method of claim 22, further comprising:storing at least one delivery system module in the station. 38. The system of claim 37, wherein the delivery system comprises at least one of the following:a wireline-based delivery system;a slickline-based delivery system; anda coiled tubing-based delivery system. 39. An apparatus comprising:a docking station adapted to a reside on a sea floor, dock to an underwater vehicle and furnish power to the vehicle when docked to the vehicle,wherein the underwater vehicle is adapted to service at least one of multiple subsea wells and the underwater vehicle is housed in the station when no tasks are to be performed by the underwater vehicle. 40. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising:a cable connected to furnish power to the docking station, the cable receiving power from equipment at the surface of the sea. 41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the docking station is adapted to dock to the vehicle to establish communication between the vehicle and an operator. 42. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising:at least one track extending between at least one of the wells and the station. 43. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising:at least one delivery syste m module housed in the station. 44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the delivery system comprises at least one of the following:a wireline-based delivery system;a slickline-based delivery system; anda coiled tube-based delivery system.