SECTION 5

RISER SYSTEMS

• Riser Construction
• Dog Type Riser
• Flange Type Riser
• Telescopic Joints

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 Riser Systems
Riser is used to extend the wellbore from the BOP stack on the subsea wellhead up to
the rig or ship. It is also used for running or pulling the BOP stack, conduct drilling
returns to surface, guide drilling tools down to the wellhead and allow circulation on
the well after a BOP is closed. Some riser also supplies operating fluid to the BOP
control system. A riser joint consists of a centre large bore tube with two or more
service lines clamped around it.

Riser tube is designed to withstand the hydrostatic pressures encountered at the depth
for which it is rated. It is not designed to contain high wellbore pressures.
Manufactured in various sizes, the most common in use is 21" OD which is used in
conjunction with an 18-3/4" BOP stack. Tube wall thickness varies with water depth
rating. For many years, 1/2" and 5/8" wall riser tube was the norm, but as the industry
moves into deeper water riser strings with 3/4", 7/8" and greater wall thickness's are
being specified. Traditionally, riser joints have been 50ft. long, with several pup joints
available to enable correct space out between the BOP and the rig. To reduce BOP
running times in deepwater, and to take advantage of the extra space available on 5th
generation vessels, longer joints, ie 75ft and 90ft are now in service.

Riser is equipped with a minimum of two service lines which are designated choke
and kill, and are high pressure lines used to convey well fluids between the BOP stack
and the rig choke manifold during a well control situation (mud can also be pumped
down these lines if required). Choke and kill lines should have a maximum working
pressure (MWP) equal or greater than the MWP of the BOP stack. Traditionally, riser
choke and kill lines have been 3” ID but for deepwater riser strings, 4” ID lines may
be specified to reduce friction losses during circulation.

The booster line (if fitted), connects the rig to the top of the BOP, entering the riser
bore either at the riser adapter, or just above in a special termination joint. Mud is
pumped down the booster line into the bottom of the riser string so that it can increase
the annular velocity of the mud in the riser and ensure cuttings are brought back to
surface. (As returns enter the BOP / riser string, their annular velocity would normally
decrease due to the increase in wellbore diameter). A booster line will typically be 4”
ID with a MWP of 5,000 psi. A check valve or gate valve is installed at the booster
line / riser interface to facilitate isolation of the booster line from the wellbore. Mud is
pumped down the booster line either via a centrifugal pump, or one of the mud
pumps. Many of the new generation deepwater rigs have a dedicated mud pump for
boosting the riser. It should be noted that although a mud pump / booster line
combination is capable of generating and containing 5,000 psi, the riser tube is not.
Safety systems should be in place to endure the riser is not overpressured if, for
example, the bore plugs off with gumbo.

A rigid conduit line is of stainless steel construction and used to convey hydraulic
fluid for the BOP control system from the rig to the BOP. Some manufacturer’s fit a
single conduit line and others install two. Bore can vary from 1" to 3" with a MWP of
5,000 psi. (Booster and Conduit lines are optional in shallow water)

At each end of the riser tube is a connector, one male and one female (one or both of
these connectors will have O rings or polypaks to provide a mud seal). When running

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the BOP, riser joints are picked up and the male / female connectors stabbed together
and "made up". Riser may be ran “pin up” or “box up” depending upon manufacturer
/ type. There are three types of riser connector:

1. Flange riser. The riser connectors are basically flanges which are bolted together.
Examples are Vetco HMF and Cameron RF.

2. Dog riser. Locking dogs are actuated in the female connector which engages a
locking profile on the male pin. Examples are Cameron RD and Vetco MR6.

3. Clip riser. A threaded collar on the female connector is made up to a

corresponding thread on the OD of the male pin. An example is Hydril HST.

When a riser connection is made up, a preload is generated in that connection. Preload
can be defined as the compressive contact force between the male and female
connectors and is the resistance to any bending moments or connector separation
forces generated by vessel motion or the environment. API (16R) has classified riser
connector load ratings as below:

a. 0.500 million pounds e. 2.000 million pounds

b. 1.000 million pounds f. 2.500 million pounds
c. 1.250 million pounds g. 3.000 million pounds
d. 1.500 million pounds h. 3.500 million pounds

Flange riser is generally capable of generating more preload than dog riser, i.e.
Cameron Loadking and Shaffer FTH rated at 3.5 million pounds, but 3 million pound
dog riser is now available i.e. Vetco MR10.

Service lines also have male pin / female box end connections, with polypak or
chevron packing in the boxes to effect a seal. The male pins have a colmonoy finish
(hard coating) which provides a hard wearing, scratch resistant sealing surface.
Service lines stabs are held together by the main riser connectors and should have a
little "float" to allow for movement in the lines caused by pressurisation (the amount
of float is specified by each manufacturer). In addition, float ensures that any stretch
of the main riser tube due to tensile loading is not transferred into the service lines.

Riser joints can weigh up to 25,000 lbs depending upon length, wall thickness etc. To
reduce the amount of top tension required to support the riser string, buoyancy
modules may be installed. Buoyancy modules are available in various densities and
water depth ratings, and are generally color coded to provide a visual indication of
rating, e.g. Blue-3,000ft, Orange-5,000ft, purple-8,000ft. etc. With buoyancy
installed, the weight of a riser joint in water should be negligible (200 to 300 lbs.) or
even positive. Syntactic foam buoyancy modules are constructed from epoxy plastic
resin incorporating glass microspheres and fibreglass macrospheres. An outer skin of
fibreglass fabric provides some protection against impact damage and water ingress.
Typically 15ft long, modules are installed in pairs around the riser tube. Two methods
are used to secure the modules, Kevlar straps around the OD of the modules, and
threaded rods through the modules. Due to the brittle nature of the buoyancy material,

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care should be taken not to overtighten straps and tie rods which may only require +/-
25 ft/lbs torque. In addition to straps or tie rods, buoyancy modules are also retained
from vertical movement by stop collars installed at each end of the riser tube. The
position of the stop collars relative to the riser connections should be identified on the
manufacturer’s drawings and may be crucial to facilitate operation of the riser spider
and torque tooling.

An “auto fill” riser joint may also be installed in the riser string, typically 200 to 300
foot below sea level. Auto fill valves enable the riser string to be free flooded with sea
water if and when required. Lost circulation while drilling or evacuation of mud from
the riser due to a kick may leave the riser susceptible to collapse from external
hydrostatic pressure. Any loss of the mud column in the riser also decreases the
hydrostatic pressure acting on the well formation and may lead to a “well control
situation” or worsen an existing one. Auto fill valves have a sliding sleeve or ports
which shift when riser internal pressure is 100 to 150 psi less than the external
pressure. (This is achieved by differential areas on the sleeve). Auto fill valves can
also be “manually” operated via override cylinders and a control umbilical from
surface. When the sliding sleeve begins to open, a signal from a sensor valve is sent to
the control panel on the rig which a) sounds an alarm to advise personnel that the
valve is open, b) directs opening pressure to the override cylinders. Only the open
function is automatic. Closure is always a manual function.

There are two types of riser running tool, manual tools and hydraulic tools. A manual
tool is basically a female riser connector with a handling sub attached suitable for drill
pipe elevators. The running tool is positioned over a riser joint pin and, depending
upon type of riser i.e. flange or dog, the bolts or actuating screws made up as per
procedure. A hydraulic tool fits inside the riser pin end and a split lock ring is
expanded to mesh with a corresponding groove in the ID of the connector. Both types
of tool generally have the facility for attaching test caps that fit over the male pins on
the riser service lines. With the running tool installed and locked correctly, it is
possible to pressure test all the service lines to their MWP simultaneously.

Some rig operators install an intermediate flex joint in the riser string directly below
the flex joint. This is generally in deepwater operations using a DP vessel. An
intermediate flex joint provides an extra “pivot point” in the riser string and allows
greater vessel offset before contact between the telescopic joint and the moonpool.

Connecting the riser string to the floating drilling vessel is the telescopic joint or slip
joint. This comprises basically of an inner and outer barrel. The outer barrel is
supported by the riser tensioners which maintain the entire riser string in tension. The
inner barrel is attached to the bottom of the diverter and is free to reciprocate in and
out of the outer barrel with vessel motion. Typically telescopic joints have a 50 - 65 ft
stroke. A packer housing at the top of the outer barrel contains one, or more usually
two, packers to seal the annulus between the inner and outer barrels.

Telescopic joint packers are generally air actuated, or alternatively, hydraulically

actuated. Some packers are split (and can be replaced in-situ) while others are solid
one piece items. During normal drilling operations the packer only has to seal against
the hydrostatic head of the mud column from the flowline to the top of the outer barrel

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(25 -30 ft.) If the packer is not badly worn, rig air pressure (up to 100 psi) is sufficient
for this purpose. However, if the well is being diverted, the mud pressure at the
telescopic joint seal may well increase, and leakage occur. If a telescopic joint has two
packers, provision is often made for the lower packer to be hydraulically actuated so
that a greater sealing force can be applied.

Syntactic Foam Buoyancy Modules

Figure 1 Typical Buoyancy Module Assembly (Cuming Corporation)

Notes:

1. Avoid Impact. Modules have limited resistance to mechanical damage.

2. Avoid over-tightening nuts on straps or tie bars. A torque of approximately 20
ft/lbs is generally sufficient (check manufacturers recommendations)

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