Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a subsea control module used in the oil and gas industry.

Background

A subsea control module (SCM) is the interface between control lines, supplying hydraulic and electric power and signals from a host facility, and the subsea equipment, typically arranged within a X-mas tree, to be monitored and controlled. The SCM contains electronics, instrumentation, and hydraulics for safe and efficient operation of various valves. The A typical SCM has a housing containing control valves, sensors and electronic components that are used for control, communications and data-gathering. Existing SCMs have dedicated connectors at the top side of the housing for connection with incoming control lines Connectors at the bottom side of the housing are for outgoing connection to the various valves of the X-mas tree. The connectors at the bottom side are typically configured so as to connect automatically with the outgoing lines once the SCM housing is installed on a base place of a X-mas tree. This type of connection is reliable, but repair or replacement is difficult.

It is an object of the present invention to alleviate or mitigate the above disadvantages. It is desirable that any solution is simple, not expensive to produce, and is reliable. It is further a technical problem to avoid cumbersome arrangements that are expensive to manufacture or assemble.

Summary of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a subsea control module. This object can be achieved by the features as defined by the independent claims. Further enhancements are characterized by the dependent claims. The invention is defined by the claims.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a subsea control module for controlling one or more subsea devices, the subsea control module comprising: a housing having top and bottom sides, the housing comprising a first connection interface with one or more connectors for connection to one or more supply lines outside the housing; a second connection interface with one or more connectors for connection to a respective subsea device outside the housing; at least one backup connector in a third connection interface for connection to a respective subsea device outside the housing; and one or more controllers inside the housing for controlling the respective subsea device outside the housing, the one or more controllers being connectable to the respective subsea device via one or each of the connectors in the second connection interface; the backup connector in the third connection interface.

The one or more controllers preferably comprise a plurality of controllers, the plurality of controllers comprising at least one first controller connectable to the respective subsea device solely via the connector in the second connection interface; and at least one second controller connectable to the respective subsea device solely via the backup connector in the third connection interface.

The one or more controllers preferably comprise at least one controller connectable to the respective subsea device via one of: the connector in the second connection interface or the backup connector in the third connection interface; and a switch arrangement is provided for disconnecting said controller from the connector in the second connection interface and connecting said controller to the backup connector.

The first connection interface may be located at the top side of the housing.

The second connection interface may be located at the bottom side of the housing.

The first connection interface and second connection interface are located preferably spaced apart from each other.

The third connection interface is preferably spaced apart from first connection interface and second connection interface.

The third connection interface may be located at the top side of the housing or at the bottom side of the housing or at any other suitable location on the housing.

The one or more controllers may be an electric controller or a hydraulic controller.

Preferably, the electric controller comprises an electric motor controller. The electric motor controller preferably comprises a motor driver board.

Preferably, the hydraulic controller comprises a hydraulic control valve.

The one or more connectors in the second connection interface are preferably connectable to one or more first subsea devices and the backup connector is connectable to a second subsea device.

Preferably, the second subsea device is a replacement for the first subsea device.

Preferably, the subsea device is an actuator.

The actuator may be an electrical actuator or a hydraulic actuator.

The backup connector may be an ROV operated electrical connector or a hydraulic connector.

The electrical connector in the second connection interface and the backup connector may be wet mate electrical connectors.

The connectors second connection interface may be of stab plate type so as to connect automatically with mating connectors when the module is secured to a mounting base.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of controlling one or more subsea devices, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a subsea control module comprising a housing having top and bottom sides, the housing comprising: a first connection interface with one or more connectors for connection to one or more supply lines outside the housing; a second connection interface with one or more connectors for connection to a respective subsea device outside the housing; at least one backup connector in a third connection interface for connection to a respective subsea device outside the housing; and one or more controllers inside the housing for controlling the respective subsea device outside the housing, the one or more controllers being connectable to the respective subsea device via one or each of: the connectors in the second connection interface; the backup connector in the third connection interface; b) connecting the one or more connectors in the first connection interface to one or more supply lines outside the housing; c) connecting the one or more connectors in second connection interface to a respective subsea device outside the housing; d) connecting the at least one backup connector in the third connection interface to a respective subsea device outside the housing; e) connecting the one or more controllers to the respective subsea device via one or each of; the connectors in the second connection interface; the backup connector in the third connection interface; and f) using the one or more controllers inside the housing to control the respective subsea device outside the housing.

The method preferably further comprises the step of: g) connecting the one or more controllers inside the housing to a first subsea device via the connector in the second connection interface; h) installing a second subsea device; i) connecting the one or more controllers inside the housing to a second subsea device via the backup connector in the third connection interface.

Preferably, the second subsea device is a replacement for the first subsea device.

The present invention is advantageous over existing arrangements. Existing subsea control modules only have dedicated connectors at the top side of the housing for incoming connection with one or more external supply lines, such as power, communication etc. Connectors at the bottom side of the housing are for outgoing connection to various actuators of the X-mas tree. It is less costly and more reliable to have outgoing connectors at the bottom side, but repair is difficult. Advantageously, in the subsea control module of the present invention, if an actuator or the connector between the subsea control module and the actuator should fail, the subsea control module is equipped with a backup connector, preferably ROV operated, to be used if replacement actuators or connectors have to be installed. The backup connector is an outgoing connector for connecting to actuators of the X- mas tree. The backup connector may interface a dedicated spare controller in the housing. Alternatively the backup connector may interface a common controller which has switches to isolate the existing connector and engage the backup connector.

At least one of the above embodiments provides one or more solutions to the problems and disadvantages with the background art. Other technical advantages of the present disclosure will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following description and claims. Various embodiments of the present application obtain only a subset of the advantages set forth. No one advantage is critical to the embodiments. Any claimed embodiment may be technically combined with any other claimed embodiment or embodiments.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The accompanying drawings illustrate presently exemplary embodiments of the invention and serve to explain, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

Fig 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of subsea control module according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; and

Fig 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a subsea control module according to another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

Detailed Description

In the drawings, a subsea control unit in accordance with the invention is indicated generally using reference numerals 100, 200. Common features have been indicated using the same reference numeral for brevity.

The subsea control module 100, 200 comprises a housing 10 having a top side 12 and a bottom side 14. The housing 10 comprises a first connection interface

16 at the top side 12 of the housing 10 with connectors 18 for connection to one or more supply lines 20 outside the housing 10. The housing 10 comprises a second connection interface 22 at the bottom side 14 of the housing 10 with connectors 24 for connection to a respective subsea device 26, 46 outside the housing 10.

At least one backup connector 28 is provided in a third connection interface

17 for connection to a respective subsea device 26, 46 outside the housing 10. In the drawings, the third connection interface 17 is shown provided in the top side 12 of the housing 10. It will be appreciated that in other variations, the third connection interface 17 can be provided at the bottom side 14 of the housing 10 or at any other suitable location on the housing 10. Likewise, the first connection interface 16 and the second connection interface 22 are not limited to a particular position and can be provided at any other suitable location on the housing 10.

Controllers 30, 32, 34 are arranged inside the housing 10 for controlling the respective subsea device 26, 46 outside the housing 10. The controllers 30, 32, 34 are connectable to the respective subsea device 26, 46 via one or each of the connectors 24 in the second connection interface 22 or the backup connector 28 in the first connection interface 16 as will be described in more detail below. In the subsea control unit 100 of Figure 1 , first controllers 30 are connectable to the respective subsea device 26 solely via the connectors 24 in the second connection interface 22; A second controller 32 is connectable to the respective subsea device 46 solely via the backup connector 28 in the third connection interface 17.

In the subsea control unit 200 of Figure 2, each controller 34 is connectable to the respective subsea device 26, 46 via the respective connector 24 in the second connection interface 22 or via the backup connector 28 in the third connection interface 17. A switch arrangement 36 is provided for disconnecting each controller 34 from the connector 24 in the second connection interface 22 and connecting said controller 34 to the backup connector 28.

The controllers 30, 32, 34 may comprise electric motor controllers.

The connectors 24 in the second connection interface 22 are connectable to respective first subsea devices 26 and the backup connector 28 is connectable to a second subsea device 46. The second subsea device 46 is used as a replacement for one of the first subsea devices 26 should any of the first subsea devices 26 fail.

In the arrangement of Figure 1 , in case any of the first subsea devices 26 fails, the controller 32 is used to operate the replacement subsea device 46 via the backup connector 28.

In the arrangement of Figure 2, the controller 34 is common for the connector 24 and the backup connector 28. In case any of the first subsea devices 26 fails, the switch arrangement 36 is used to disconnect the relevant controller 34 from the connector 24 and connect it with the replacement subsea device 46 via the backup connector 28.

The subsea device 26, 46 may comprise an actuator which may be an electrical actuator.

The backup connector 28 may be an ROV operated electrical connector.

The connectors 24, 28 may be wet mate electrical connectors.

Although the drawings show electrical actuators 26, 46 with electric motor controllers 30, 32, 34 in the subsea control unit 100, 200, the principle is valid for hydraulics as well, with a hydraulic cylinder in the actuators and hydraulic control valves instead of electric motor controllers. The connectors 24, 28 may be hydraulic connectors.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using the subsea control modules and performing the methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.