Wellheads, Trees & Controls

© The Robert Gordon University 2007

 Subsea Architecture
Manifold Subsea Trees

Courtesy of Cameron

Umbilicals
With the exception of vertical jumper connections, flowlines and
umbilicals are normally laid directly on the seabed.
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 Subsea System Elements

Courtesy Norwegian Technology Standards institution

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 Subsea Wellheads

• Subsea wellheads provide structural and pressure integrity for the

casing and tubing strings that go to make up an oil and gas well.
Photo Courtesy of Shell
© The Robert Gordon University 2007
 Establishing a Subsea Well

Temporary guide base is run on RIH with conductor, LP wellhead and

guidelines and 36” hole drilled. permanent guide base, cement conductor.

Retrieve
© The Robert Gordon running
University 2007tool.
Drill 26” hole, run 20” casing with HP wellhead,
land in LP wellhead, cement 20” casing.
 HP/LP Wellhead Interface

Courtesy of Vetco Gray

Photo Courtesy of Shell
© The Robert Gordon University 2007
 Wellheads & Wellhead Connectors

Vetco H4 Connector

Showing how a collet connector

Cameron Deepwater Collet Connector attaches to the subsea wellhead
© The Robert Gordon University 2007
 Casing Hanger Seals

Vetco MS-1 Metal to Metal Seal.

• MS-1 metal to metal seal used on the Vetco MS-700 range of HP subsea wellheads.
• Washboard profiles machined on the inside surface of the wellhead housing and
external surface of the casing hanger ensure high integrity metal to metal sealing.
• The energising ring is forced down by a weight set running tool.
Photo Courtesy of Shell
© The Robert Gordon University 2007
 MS-700 Wellhead Stack-up

Photo Courtesy of Shell

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 Subsea Trees

Photo Courtesy of Shell

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 Subsea Tree Functions
• Seal off the well bore and annulus from the environment by
means of a tree connector and a system of valves.
• Provide a flow path from production tubing to flow line.
• Permit flow control using valves and tree mounted chokes.
• Provide access to the well bore and annulus by means of a
system of valves, plugs and tree caps.
• Provide access for hydraulic lines to control DHSSV.
• Provide electrical interfaces for instrumentation and electrical
submersible pumps (ESPs).
• Provide adequate structural support for flow lines, control
umbilicals and, in the case of horizontal trees, BOPs.

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 Vertical Subsea Tree Features

• Two production master valves may be provided.

• The lower production master valve is designed for ROV operation.
• There is usually only one annulus master valve.
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 Dual Bore Vertical Subsea Tree

Courtesy Vetco Gray

• This tree has a 5” production bore and 2” annulus bore.
• The tubing must be landed in the wellhead before the tree is run.
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 Features of Dual Bore Vertical Trees

• The completion tubing is landed in the wellhead housing.

• Two vertical bores exist through the tree allowing access to
the tubing and tubing/production casing annulus.
• Each bore contains a master valve and a swab valve, so
providing two independent barriers to flow.
• Workover is carried out with a dual bore lower riser
package, emergency disconnect package and riser.
• Most trees can be run and recovered with ROV intervention.

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 Flow Base for Vertical Tree

The provision of a flow base overcomes the problem of having to

disconnect flowlines from vertical trees prior retrieval in preparation
for workover operations.
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 Flow Base for Vertical Tree

• The flow base is equipped with a stab-in connection for the production
and annulus flowlines.
• This allows the tree to be retrieved without having to disconnect the
flowlines in several places in preparation for workover operations.
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 Installing a Vertical Subsea Tree

Courtesy of Shell
• A vertical monobore subsea tree for Shell’s Gyrfalcon Field being lowered
through the splash zone on a monobore riser below a semi-submersible rig.
• Note the guidelines required to position the tree precisely over the wellhead.
© The Robert Gordon University 2007
 Horizontal Subsea Trees

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 Horizontal Subsea Xmas Tree

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 Horizontal Tree Features
• Well completion tubing is landed in the tree.
• Valves are external providing a clear path to the well bore.
• An internal tree cap is run on top of the tubing hanger in
which crown plugs can be set by wireline.
• The large through-bore design of a horizontal tree allows the
installation and retrieval of downhole equipment through the
tree, including artificial lift completions, without having to
remove the tree or disconnect flowlines.
• Most trees can be run and recovered with ROV intervention.
• Horizontal trees are run on drill pipe.
• Stack up height is less than on a horizontal tree, therefore
there is less risk of damage due to trawl boards etc.
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 Horizontal Tree with ROV Docking Plate

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 Installing a Horizontal Trees
• Horizontal trees are thought of as driller friendly trees.
• The tree is run on drill pipe prior to the completion being
run and latched to the wellhead.
• The rig’s BOP and riser is run and latched onto the profile
at the top of the tree.
• Once the plugs and any downhole mechanical barriers are
removed, the completion is run and landed in the tubing
hanger profile machined in the tree body.
• No dedicated marine riser is required and the rig’s own
safety equipment is employed.
Courtesy of Shell
• A dropped BOP is a major concern since more BOP runs
are required during completion and workover operations.
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 Considerations for Tree Selection
• The cost of a horizontal tree can be 20 – 40% less than a vertical tree.
• Changing out horizontal trees is more time consuming than changing
out a vertical tree, since completions must be retrieved first.
• When completion operations immediately follow drilling operations,
two BOP trips are required to install a horizontal tree and only one to
install a vertical tree.
• For wells requiring several completion changes during the life cycle of
a well, a horizontal tree will save time since it remains in place and
flow lines need not be disconnected.
• The integrity of a horizontal tree depends on the reliability of the metal
to metal seals used at the tree/tubing hanger interface and the pipes and
valves external to the tree.
• Modern vertical trees are connected to a flow base which allows the
flowlines to remain connected when recovering the tree.

© The Robert Gordon University 2007

 Control Systems for Subsea Trees
• Subsea connectors, valves and adjustable chokes have
actuators that are powered by hydraulic fluid under pressure.
• Pressures systems are typically rated at 3,000 or 5,000 psi;
even higher pressures may be needed in very deep water.
• Accumulators on, or close to the tree, may be used to supply
power fluid to tree functions without undue delay.
• Control systems directing power fluid to the desired function
fall into three main categories:
– Direct and indirect hydraulic systems
– Electro hydraulic systems with solenoid operated pilot valves
– Multiplexed hydraulic systems with solenoid operated pilot valves
Courtesy of Shell
• Direct and indirect hydraulic systems are unsuitable for deep
water or remote satellite wells owing to long response times.
• The trend is to multiplexed and fibre optic control systems.
© The Robert Gordon University 2007
 Indirect Hydraulic Control Circuit

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 Subsea BOP Control Systems

Control Umbilical

• Indirect hydraulic systems were perfected for subsea drilling operations

and adapted to control the first generation of subsea production systems.
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 Electro Hydraulic Control Systems

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 Multiplex Control Systems
• Electric signals are encoded at the surface Master
Control Station and transmitted down a single
cable to a Subsea Electronics Control Module.
• Here signals are decoded, processed and
transmitted to operate selected BOP functions.
• Hydraulic power is obtained from subsea
accumulators re-supplied by an umbilical from
surface.
• Multiplex systems improve response times in deep
water operations.
• Multiplexed systems are complex and need
extensive in-built redundancy as a consequence.

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 Multiplexed Control Systems

Courtesy of Shell

• To open a valve, select the valve and function to be preformed at the MCS.
• The MCS transmits a coded message to the Subsea Control Module (SCM).
• This message contains the identity of the valve and function to be performed.
© The Robert Gordon University 2007
• The SCM Module confirms the message and energises the correct solenoid valve.