US 11,988,639 B2
Method and apparatus for inspecting marine risers
Fernando Castro Hernandez, Houston, TX (US); and Stefan Papenfuss, Sugarland, TX (US)
Assigned to QUEST INTEGRITY GROUP, LLC, Stafford, TX (US)
Appl. No. 17/793,598
Filed by Quest Integrity Group, LLC, Sugar Land, TX (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 20, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/014191
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 18, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/150615, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 29, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/963,705, filed on Jan. 21, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0143796 A1, May 11, 2023
Int. Cl. E21B 47/085 (2012.01); E21B 17/01 (2006.01); G01N 29/07 (2006.01); G01N 29/22 (2006.01); G01N 29/265 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 29/07 (2013.01) [E21B 17/01 (2013.01); E21B 47/085 (2020.05); G01N 29/225 (2013.01); G01N 29/265 (2013.01); G01N 2291/02854 (2013.01); G01N 2291/0289 (2013.01); G01N 2291/106 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An inspection method of a marine riser deployed from a floating unit and connected to a lower marine riser package (LMRP) and a blow-out prevention (BOP) stack, comprising:
performing a first riser inspection with an inspection tool where the marine riser is in an unconnected well configuration, wherein the inspection tool includes an ultrasonic transducer device, and the first riser inspection comprises:
conveying the inspection tool in an internal diameter of the marine riser,
detecting information on the marine riser with the inspection tool while conveying the inspection tool through the marine riser, and
collecting data with the inspection tool corresponding to the information detected by the inspection tool, and
a) after performing the first riser inspection, connecting the marine riser, LMRP, and BOP stack to a first wellhead,
b) disconnecting the marine riser, LMRP, and BOP stack from the first wellhead, and
c) performing a second riser inspection with the inspection tool with the marine riser in the unconnected well configuration, and the second riser inspection comprises:
(i) conveying the inspection tool in the internal diameter of the marine riser,
(ii) detecting information on the marine riser with the inspection tool while conveying the inspection tool through the marine riser, and
(iii) collecting data with the inspection tool corresponding to the information detected by the inspection tool.