LORD® flexible joints can be deployed with Intervention Workover Control Systems (IWOCS) and the associated riser system to accommodate the motion of the intervention/workover vessel relative to the subsea wellhead. A flexible joint can replace a stress joint in this application, supporting the tension in the riser and containing pressure, yet offering a much lower bending stiffness. When used to replace a traditional bottom stress joint, the significantly lower moment imparted to the wellhead allows the operator to perform more workovers per well, thereby extending the life of the field.
Flexible joints can also be deployed at the surface in an IWOCS system. The entire flexible joint is just over five feet in height, enabling smaller intervention vessels to operate a top-tensioned riser without a stress joint or a telescopic joint. This lowers costs compared to performing high-pressure interventions with a drilling rig.
Specification |
Parker Lord 10K Workover Riser Flexible Joint |
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Operating pressure, max | 10,000 psi (69 MPa) |
Hydrotest Pressure | 15,000 psi (103 MPa) |
Operating Temperature | 160°F (70°C) |
Maximum Temperature Range | 14°F (-10°C) to 200°F (90°C) |
Internal Diameter | 7.22" (18.3 cm) |
Maximum Cocking Angle | 10° |
Axial Load | 880 kips (400 tonne) |
Axial Stiffness | 32,000 kips/in (5,600 kN/mm) |
Cocking Stiffness @ 160°F (70°C) | 20 ft-kip/deg (27 kN/mm) |
Cocking Stiffness @ 77°F (25°C) | 23 ft-kip/deg (31 kN/mm) |
Torsional Stiffness | 23 ft-kip/deg (31 kN/mm) |
Maintaining subsea equipment can be a complex and expensive endeavor, particularly in deepwater operations. Riser-based well interventions and workovers are necessary operations that while significantly improving production, can also induce considerable fatigue on the wellhead. Learn more.