RISER CONNECTOR FOR A WELLHEAD ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR CONDUCTING OFFSHORE WELL OPERATIONS USING THE SMAE

摘要

A riser connector is provided for connecting a riser to a wellhead assembly having a bore therethrough. The connector includes a housing having a first and a second end. The first end of the housing has an opening and is adapted for mounting to the wellhead assembly with the opening in communication with the bore of the wellhead assembly. The second end has a first opening connectable to the riser having a diameter at least the same as the inner diameter of the riser, and a second opening, having a diameter at least substantially the same as the diameter o the bore of the wellhead assembly. The housing further includes a first conduit connecting the opening in the first end of the housing to the first opening in the second end of the housing, and a second conduit connecting the opening in the first end of the housing to the second opening in the second end of the housing. In use, first well operations are conducted using open water techniques and access the BOP and wellhead assembly and the well through the second conduit in the second conduit connector without the need to disconnect the riser from the connector. The riser connector is of particular use with risers having an inner diameter less than the diameter of the bore of the BOP and wellhead assembly, the second well operations being conducted using equipment which is too large to pass through the small bore riser.