First Full Bore Subsea Pressure Balanced Safety Breakaway Dry Coupling Connector Able To Hot Make / Hot Break Under Full Line Pressure
28 November 2008
28 November 2008
secc Oil & Gas, present the first Full Bore Subsea Pressure Balanced Safety Breakaway Coupling specifically for subsea high pressure hydraulic/chemical injection work-over operations and for Gas Lift Jumper Connectors.
The unique pressure-balanced design creates a coupling connector with no separation forces on the coupling interfaces when pressurised, so the connector will not blow apart. The SECC coupling can be ‘Made' under full line pressure of up to 15,000 psi (3000 bar) on both sides of the coupling, by a diver or ROV, on the surface or to seawater depths of over 10,000 ft (3,000 m) with no need to de-pressurise the lines.
As the SECC coupling separates there are no separation forces acting on the two halves so the shut off, (which can be actuated by a diver or ROV with a pipeline tug/pull of up to 15° from the perpendicular of the coupling,) is 100%, a dry break with zero spillage, protecting production infrastructure and the marine environment.
The secc coupling therefore gives significant protection to trailing high pressure lines from the support / intervention vessel to the subsea infrastructure in the event of loss of vessel DP or other emergency causing the vessel to “pull-away” while the high pressure lines are still connected to the vessel.
Used in a Gas Lift Connector application, the coupling gives many advantages over the existing technology, allowing a “Dry Break” disconnection and re-connection of the Gas Lift connector entirely by ROV.
The bore sizes, from 3/4” to 4 1/16” with larger pipeline application sizes available, give no pressure constraints (15,000 psi max) and there is no pressure loss across the coupling.
The SECC coupling is fully piggable and provides for the safe transfer of a variety of hazardous fluids, viscous materials such as machine grease, hydraulic fluid, drill chippings or mud for re-injection, and gases, with specific seals to suit the pipe contents. Seals are fully enclosed and the coupling sheer pin break-out strength can be easily defined. The SECC coupling can be mounted to a fixed subsea structure (Xtree & Jumper).
The SECC Coupling is designed to API 6H/API 17D, and completely scaleable as certified under DNV “Statement of Feasibility”.
