초록 ▼

A spool piece termination structure to be mounted to a spool piece so as to support a spool piece hub during the connection of the spool piece hub to a corresponding pipeline hub. The termination structure includes a clamping device for clamping together the spool piece hub and pipeline hub, and a b

A spool piece termination structure to be mounted to a spool piece so as to support a spool piece hub during the connection of the spool piece hub to a corresponding pipeline hub. The termination structure includes a clamping device for clamping together the spool piece hub and pipeline hub, and a base frame openly shaped downwards so as to allow the termination structure to receive a pipeline end section provided with the pipeline hub by lowering the termination structure downwards onto the pipeline end section. A connection arrangement includes such a spool piece termination structure and a method for subsea connection of a pipeline to a spool piece.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A connection arrangement for subsea connection of a pipeline to a spool piece by clamping together a pipeline hub secured to an end section of the pipeline and a spool piece hub secured to an end section of the spool piece, the connection arrangement comprising: a spool

The invention claimed is: 1. A connection arrangement for subsea connection of a pipeline to a spool piece by clamping together a pipeline hub secured to an end section of the pipeline and a spool piece hub secured to an end section of the spool piece, the connection arrangement comprising: a spool piece termination structure comprising a clamping device for clamping together said spool piece hub and pipeline hub, and a base frame openly shaped downwards so as to allow the termination structure to receive a pipeline end section provided with said pipeline hub by lowering the termination structure downwards onto said pipeline end section; an alignment structure designed to be connectable to a pipeline end section received in the termination structure by being lowered downwards onto said pipeline end section so as to come to bear against it, the alignment structure being designed to receive, when it is lowered downwards onto said pipeline end section, at least a part of a flange of the pipeline end section, the alignment structure comprising an alignment device for properly aligning said flange and thereby the pipeline hub in relation to the alignment structure when received therein; and wherein the alignment structure and clamping device are designed to be displaceable in relation to each other when the alignment structure has come to bear against said pipeline end section and the pipeline end section flange has been received in the alignment structure so as to allow the pipeline hub and the spool piece hub to be mutually displaced into contact with each other. 2. The connection arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the spool piece termination structure further comprises a guiding device for engaging the pipeline end section when received in the termination structure so as to ensure that the pipeline end section and the associated pipeline hub are properly received and positioned in the termination structure. 3. The connection arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the spool piece termination structure further comprises landing means designed to allow the termination structure to rest on the seabed or on a fabricated subsea foundation. 4. The connection arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the spool piece termination structure further comprises a lifting appliance for lifting a pipeline end section received in the termination structure upwards in relation to the base frame. 5. The connection arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the clamping device is fixedly secured in relation to the base frame so as to be displaceable together with the base frame. 6. The connection arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the alignment structure is designed to receive at least a part of a rotationally symmetric flange of a pipeline end section. 7. The connection arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the termination structure and alignment structure comprise corresponding alignment members which are designed to allow contact with each other when the alignment structure and the clamping device are displaced towards each other for the purpose of alignment of the alignment structure in relation to the clamping device. 8. The connection arrangement according to claim 7, wherein one of the alignment structure and termination structure comprises at least one male-like alignment member, preferably in the form of a spear, which is designed to fit into a corresponding female-like alignment member, preferably in the form of a spear funnel, arranged on the other of said structures. 9. The connection arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the respective male-like alignment member is displaceably mounted in the associated structure so as to allow the alignment member to be retracted out of the corresponding female-like alignment member without having to displace the entire alignment structure in relation to the termination structure. 10. The connection arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the respective male-like alignment member is displaceable by means of a hydraulic cylinder arranged in the associated structure. 11. The connection arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the alignment structure comprises at least two alignment members, which are arranged in the alignment structure so as to be located below and on either side of the center line of a pipeline end section onto which the alignment structure has been lowered. 12. The connection arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the alignment structure comprises at least two stop members, which are arranged in the alignment structure so as to be located above and on either side of the center line of a pipeline end section onto which the alignment structure has been lowered, the respective stop member being designed to abut against a corresponding stop member of the termination structure in the purpose of aligning the hub mating faces at displacement prior to their mutual contact for final alignment. 13. The connection arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the respective alignment member of the alignment structure is designed to abut against the corresponding alignment member of the termination structure for the purpose of aligning the hub mating faces at displacement prior to their mutual contact for final alignment. 14. The connection arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the alignment device of the alignment structure comprises at least one force applying member for forcing a received pipeline end section flange against an abutment of the alignment structure. 15. The connection arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the alignment device of the alignment structure comprises at least three force applying members spaced apart in the circumferential direction of a received pipeline end section flange for forcing said pipeline end section flange against said abutment. 16. The connection arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the termination structure is designed to receive a remotely operated connecting tool comprising force applying means for displacing the clamping device and the alignment structure in relation to each other. 17. The connection arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the termination structure further comprises guiding means designed to co-operate with corresponding guiding means on the connecting tool so as to guide the connecting tool into a correct position in relation to the termination structure when the connecting tool is lowered downwards into contact with the termination structure. 18. The connection arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the clamping device is displaceable in relation to the alignment structure by being displaceable together with the other parts of the termination structure in relation to the alignment structure. 19. A method for subsea connection of a pipeline to a spool piece by clamping together a pipeline hub secured to an end section of the pipeline and a spool piece hub secured to an end section of the spool piece, the method comprising: mounting a spool piece hub on a spool piece termination structure comprising a clamping device, receiving with the spool piece termination structure the pipeline end section and the associated pipeline hub by lowering the termination structure downwards onto said pipeline end section, connecting an alignment structure to the pipeline end section received in the termination structure by lowering the alignment structure downwards onto said pipeline end section so as to come to bear against the pipeline end section, receiving with the alignment structure at least a part of a flange of the pipeline end section received in the termination structure when the alignment structure is lowered downwards onto the pipeline end section, arranging an alignment device in the alignment structure, activating the alignment device so as to properly align said flange and thereby the pipeline hub in relation to the alignment structure, displacing the alignment structure and the clamping device towards each other so as to bring the pipeline hub and the spool piece hub with the clamping device into contact with each other, activating the clamping device so as to clamp together the pipeline hub and the spool piece hub. 20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising: receiving with the alignment structure at least a part of a rotationally symmetric flange of the pipeline end section. 21. The method according to claim 19, further comprising: bringing into contact with each other corresponding alignment members of the termination structure and the alignment structure when the clamping device and the alignment structure are displaced towards each other so as to properly align the pipeline hub in relation to the spool piece hub. 22. The method according to claim 19, further comprising: displacing the alignment structure and clamping device in relation to each other by means of a remotely operated connecting tool provided with force applying means for displacing the clamping device and the alignment structure towards each other. 23. The method according to claim 19, further comprising: bringing the pipeline hub and the clamping device into position to each other by displacing the clamping device together with the other parts of the termination structure in relation to the pipeline hub.