This paper discusses the Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) Interfaces with the Mensa Project Subsea System. The main focus centers around the design criteria, fabrication, and testing of two new ROV tools, the Seal Removal and Replacement tool (SRRT) and the Auxiliary High Pressure HPU (AHPU). The paper also provides a brief description of the operational philosophy that allows the ROV to perform multiple tasks during standard and critical path operations. Introduction The ROV is the "subsea presence" of all deepwater subsea projects. This tool provided a method of interfacing with the subsea equipment. All of the Mensa subsea equipment was designed for ROV (diverless) intervention. The Mensa satellite subsea equipment (tubing head, tree, tree cap and jumpers) was installed from the drilling rig in 5,300 ft. of water using an ROV. General ROV Configuration A 100 horsepower workclass "ROV of opportunity", rated for 8,200 ft., was used to support the Mensa Project from the drilling rig. It has two manipulators to handle the ROV tools and perform all of the intervention tasks. Fiber optics were used to support five cameras, sonar, and vehicle communications. The vehicle was launched through its own moonpool on the drill rig about 40 ft. from the center of the rotary table. Planning The need for an ROV interface register was identified early in the project. The register was used to capture all of the ROV's tasks from simple observation to complicated interventions. As each task was identified it was reviewed for ROV feasibility, tooling, and risk; it was then developed into an operational procedure. The ROV intervention register proved useful early on where it identified subsea tasks that were very difficult or impossible to perform without mission-specific or special tools. The register was beneficial offshore. It helped in vehicle task sequencing to keep the vehicle off of the critical path, ensuring that the vehicle was configured properly for each task, and providing a means for continuity throughout the project. Special Tooling Early in the project, two specific ROV interfaces were identified that could not be accomplished with existing tools. The Seal Removal and Replacement Tool (SRRT) was designed and built to remove and replace unserviceable seal assemblies without recovering the subsea equipment. The Auxiliary Hydraulic Power Unit (AHPU) was built to accommodate a multiple of incompatible fluids at higher pressures without contaminating the ROV's main HPU. SRRT The SRRT consists of a family of tools. (Table 1 - Fig. 1) They were designed and specifically built to remove and replace seals in both the Mensa manifold and trees where ROV accessibility is extremely limited. The tool set consists of three horizontal and two vertical tools designed to carry both flowline and multiport seal assemblies. The tools are intended to be deployed, powered, and operated by any standard work class ROV. Function. The SRRT consists of three major components, the tool alignment frame assembly (Fig. 2), the seal head assembly (Fig 3.), and the lock down pin. The tool is operated by functioning the three hydraulic valves on the tool's ROV panel. The up/down function lowers the seal head between the mandrel and connector.
This paper discusses the Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) Interface with the Popeye Project Subsea System. It describes the ROV-related plans, design philosophies, intervention tasks, tooling equipment requirements, testing activities, and offshore installation experiences. Early identification and continuous consideration of the ROV interfaces significantly improved the overall efficiency of equipment designs and offshore operations. The Popeye Project helped advance the technology and standardization of ROV interfaces for deep water subsea production systems. Introduction During the early conceptual design and system selectionphase of Popeye, it was recognized that the ROV Interface with the subsea system would be critical to the success of the project. The use and reliance upon ROV systems for support of deep water drilling and installation operations had significantly increased during the previous 10 years. Shell Offshore Inc's (SOI) confidence in this increased capability was an important factor in many of the design decisions which characterized the innovative Popeye subsea system. Proper application of the ROV Interface was considered essential to the development's cost-effectiveness, installation flexibility, and risk management. The ROV interfaces were a major focus of the Popeye Project from conceptual design through the final offshore installation and in-situ testing of the subsea References and Figures follow paper equipment. An ROV interface plan was developed and used as a basic design and execution guide. The plan was monitored and updated as the project equipment designs and requirements progressed through the natural evolution of project change, Numerous ROV operations were successfully carried out offshore during installation and completion, including some first-of-it's-kind activities. Interface Plan Prior to design of the subsea equipment, an ROV interface plan was developed to provide early project identification and consideration of ROV intervention philosophies, design details and preparation activities. The intent was to improve the overall efficiency of the offshore operations. The plan emphasized [he need for managing the intervention interfaces and associated ROV tools required throughout the subsea system execution. A technical specialist was included on the Project Team for this purpose, This effort involved providing assistance to other team members on all ROV-related issues, providing testing, installation and maintenance procedures, and providing organization and monitoring of ROV-related interface tests. The effort also provided for the evaluation of alternate methods and proof-of-concept tests on major ROV tasks. System-level ROV accessibility analyses were performed on all major subsea equipment to that the ROV could satisfactorily perform all intended functions and to identify any significant access or functional limitations related to the OV. The intent of this work was to check existing quipment and ROV tooling designs, and to recommend odification of these designs only if ROV accessibility or tool unctionality was impossible, highly impractical or highly estrictive
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