The invention concerns a kit and a method for modification of a horizontal valve tree to facilitate pulling the horizontal valve tree without having to first pull a connected upper well completion that comprises an original tubing hanger that is fastened in a centre passage in the horizontal valve tree. More specifically, the invention concerns a kit and a method for changing a tubing hanger arrangement of a horizontal valve tree (HXT) from being hung off in the valve tree to the tubing hanger being hung off in a wellhead or in an adapt er unit under the valve tree.

Within the field of oil and gas production from subsea structures, arranging a valve tree on the wellhead of a subsea well is known. Distinguishing between conventional, vertical valve trees (Vertical Christmas Tree - VXT) on one hand and horizontal trees (Horizontal Christmas Tree - HXT) on the other hand is known. The valve tree is provided with well barrier valves that have different tasks in production, maintenance and security during well operations and in the production phase, where a hydrocarbon fluid flow from the well is guided up through the valve tree to a side outlet, connected to a pipe system and with a further connection to a pipeline for transport of the produced fluids.

A valve tree on an injection well controls the medium being injected into the well. In the upper part of the valve tree there are couplings that provide access to the well from a sur face vessel during well completion and other work operations, and where the couplings are blocked during production.

A valve tree also has several functions related to process and monitoring, such as chemi cal injection, pressure reduction, monitoring of pressure, temperature, corrosion, erosion, sand detection and flow rate, composition of fluid flow, feedback about the status of shut off and choke valves, as well as connections to the underside of the tubing hanger, i.e. to the well's production tubing, production tubing annulus and downhole valves and sensors.

P30252PC01 Until the early 1990s, so-called conventional valve trees, also known as vertical valve trees (VXT), were used exclusively. These valve trees have well barrier valves in the ver tical bores and are usually provided with a 5" main passage, known as a production or injection bore. A second, 2" bore in the valve tree is called the annulus bore. This bore communicates via the tubing hanger in the wellhead with the annulus between the produc tion tubing and the well casing. The production tubing annulus is also called annulus A. There is also an annulus B that constitutes the space between the inner casing (outside the production tubing) and the next casing.

During the 1990s, the so-called horizontal valve trees (HXT) took over the subsea market. In this solution, the valves are not placed in the vertical passage, but are rather arranged in and on the side of the main body of the valve tree. The tubing hanger is hung off in a centre passage in the main body of the horizontal valve tree, and communication with the production tubing annulus of the well goes through a bore in the horizontal valve tree to the underside of the tubing hanger in the horizontal valve tree.

In the following, a vertical valve tree will also be referred to using the abbreviation VXT, and a horizontal valve tree will also be referred to using the abbreviation HXT.

In recent years, an improved type of vertical valve trees has been used. These are known in the industry as monobore VXT. They have a central production passage, preferably of a larger dimension, usually 7", which is also typical of a HXT, and this embodiment com bines most of the advantages of horizontal and vertical valve trees.

The method for installation of the production tubing in the well is fundamentally different for VXT and HXT in that for VXT, the tubing hanger is installed in the wellhead under the valve tree. For both VXT and HXT, the production tubing is made up of pipe joints in a stepwise manner and lowered into the well through a liquid-filled marine riser that hangs from a surface vessel and that at the lower end is coupled to a subsea blowout preventer (BOP) on the seabed. In the last phase of the tubing installation in the well, the upper end of the production tubing is screwed together with a connection on the underside of a tub ing hanger (TH) that on its upper end is coupled to a tubing hanger running tool (THRT). Hydraulic lines and signal communication lines for downhole safety valves, other down hole functions and downhole instrumentation, respectively, are clamped to the production tubing as it is being lowered from the rig floor through the marine riser. When the produc tion tubing is coupled to the tubing hanger, these lines are also coupled to the underside of the tubing hanger, which is provided with line leadthroughs. The tubing hanger, the tub-

P30252PC01 ing hanger running tool and the production tubing thus hang in a work string that is used during the final part of the installation, where the tubing hanger is lowered through the marine riser and is landed and locked either in the wellhead, an intermediate adapter unit, or in the horizontal valve tree, depending on the valve tree solution that applies for the subsea production system in question. When successful locking of the tubing hanger is confirmed, the tubing hanger running tool is released from the tubing hanger and pulled to the surface using the work string.

In connection with well completion for a conventional VXT, the BOP is initially locked to the wellhead after the well operation is completed, and the tubing hanger is installed and hung off in the wellhead. After installation, the production and annulus bores in the tubing hanger are isolated by the respective bores being plugged. This is a conventional method for isolating an abandoned well. The BOP and the marine riser are then pulled up to the surface vessel, and the valve tree is installed on the wellhead. A double-passaged well work-over system is used for the finalising VXT well completion operations. The riser, which forms the connection to the surface vessel, has two parallel passages to the sur face, one connected to the production bore and a second to the annulus bore, which for this VXT type extend down through the well intervention equipment and the valve tree to the tubing hanger. The plugs in the tubing hanger are pulled via the well work-over system before the finalising operations of perforating and cleaning up the well are carried out.

Before any pulling of the valve tree during the well's service life or at the end of the service life, the annulus bore and the production bore in the tubing hanger must be plugged again. This is done either from a surface vessel using well intervention equipment corresponding to the equipment that was used during the completion, or using an alternative system op erated from a surface vessel.

During well completion with HXT, the valve tree is first locked to the wellhead. In this case, the BOP is locked to the top of the valve tree, and it is possible to carry out finalising drill ing operations through HXT before the production tubing is installed in the well and the tubing hanger is finally landed and locked to a profile internally in the valve tree. It is cur rently common to use a so-called simplified landing string with a tubing hanger running tool when installing a tubing hanger in a HXT. In this case, the work string will consist of drill pipe joints. The work string can also be a single-passaged riser (work-over riser) if the tubing hanger running tool forms part of a lower part of a complete landing string, which in addition to a pipe joint with internal threads (slick joint) and a pipe joint that can be sheared using the BOP's shearing device (shear ram), is an assembly of well barrier

P30252PC01 valves (Lower Landing String Assembly - LLSA). This tool system can be used if the well is to be flowed to a test separator aboard the surface vessel in connection with cleaning of the well after perforation of the production tubing in the well.

Several of the characteristics of the HXT concept made this solution the preferred alterna tive from the mid-1990s, and the previous double-passaged VXT concept was considered outdated. An important characteristic of the HXT solution is that the diameter of the verti cal passage and the production tubing in the well became larger, typically 7". The in creased dimension allowed for a greater production rate than VXT with a passage of 5" and associated production tubing. The method of HXT well completion was also seen as more effective compared to the traditional VXT operations. This perception has changed over the years. An important aspect of the philosophy behind the introduction of the HXT concept was also that it was assumed that it would be necessary to pull the completion during the service life of the wells. Under these conditions, the HXT configuration ap peared advantageous. Over the years, it became evident that the need to pull the comple tion has been much lesser than expected. Gradually, different well work-over systems were also developed to complete simpler well operations without BOP, marine riser and landing string, possibly from a surface vessel. Some of these were based on the use of a riser, but solutions for well operations without a riser have also been developed.

Any defects on the HXT that cause the valve tree to have to be pulled to the surface for reparation and work-over, involves the well completion having to first be pulled to be able to retrieve the valve tree. This must be done from a drill rig, which entails very large costs. In later years, operators have moved away from the HXT concept due to new risk as sessments and because techniques and capacities for well intervention from a boat have evolved since the 1990s. A VXT can be pulled and installed using a boat operation at a fraction of the cost of a rig operation for pulling and installing HXT.

The development is now heading in the direction of the operator companies specifying monobore VXT, which combines most of the advantages of horizontal and vertical valve trees. A single-passaged VXT is installed either on the wellhead or on top of an intermedi ate adapter unit that is locked to the wellhead (Tubing Hanger Spool - THS). The tubing hanger is then either installed and locked in the wellhead or in a profile in the through- going centre opening of a THS, which functions in a manner corresponding to a HXT main body, but has no production outlet.

P30252PC01 In connection with pulling of a VXT, the annulus bore and the production bore in the tubing hanger must be blocked. For a monobore VXT, the production bore in the tubing hanger is plugged via the central production passage of the valve tree, but there is no through-going annulus passage in the valve tree through which a plug can be installed. This is solved in different ways depending on whether the tubing hanger is installed in the wellhead or in a THS. If the VXT tubing hanger is installed in the wellhead, the annulus bore of the tubing hanger is closed using a barrier valve that forms part of the tubing hanger. If the tubing hanger is placed in a THS, it is provided with annulus isolation valves.

Since the production passage in the valve tree is centrically arranged and typically has the same dimension as a HXT, usually 7", it will be compatible with tools developed for the HXT system, for example a landing string for a BOP or a marine riser. It will also be com patible with simpler well work-over systems developed for HXT.

A subsea wellhead completion system that facilitates independent pulling of a production string or a valve tree is known from GB 2397312 A, wherein a tubing hanger is arranged to be able to be landed in a wellhead housing through a valve tree with a provisional, full vertical opening, i.e. 18 ¾" (as for a BOP), through the entire valve tree. A valve tree cen tre element provided with a vertical production passage and a side outlet can thereafter be landed and locked in the vertical opening of the valve tree. The centre element includes passages that provide an interface between passages in the tubing hanger and bores in the valve tree with connection to external service lines. The upper part of the production bore is plugged in the vertical bore of the centre element. The tubing hanger and the pro duction string can thus be pulled through the valve tree when the centre element has been removed, or the valve tree with the centre element can be disconnected from the wellhead independently of the tubing hanger in the wellhead.

The purpose of the invention is to provide an equipment and a method for upgrading exist ing horizontal valve trees (HXT) for reuse upon reconfiguration of the tubing hanger ar rangement, so that it is not necessary to pull the upper well completion in the well to re trieve the horizontal valve tree to the surface.

The purpose is fulfilled by features specified in the description below and subsequent pa tent claims.

A HXT tubing hanger being oriented during installation in the horizontal valve tree, so that an opening in the side of the tubing hanger corresponds to the production outlet of the horizontal valve tree, is prior art. A number of hydraulic and electric communication paths

P30252PC01 in the tubing hanger for downhole functions will thus also correspond to coupling leadthroughs in the valve tree. After the tubing hanger has been landed and locked in po sition in the inner annulus in the main body of the horizontal valve tree, the connections between the control system of the valve tree and downhole installations are made by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) screwing coupling devices from the outside of the valve tree into their respective points of contact in the tubing hanger.

Reusing a horizontal valve tree (HXT) that is upgraded for installation of a tubing hanger in the wellhead or in an adapter unit (THS) as for the monobore VXT concept, requires a modified tubing hanger configuration in the valve tree. A tubing hanger top, which can be made new or by reconstructing the original tubing hanger, is installed in the horizontal valve tree to maintain an established interface between the tubing hanger to be hung off in the wellhead, the horizontal valve tree, a control system and well work-over systems. However, a new interface must be established on the lower end of the tubing hanger top to create communication paths to a new, second tubing hanger that is hung off in the wellhead for re-establishing the production bore, the annulus bore and the downhole func tions.

For this purpose, a tubing hanger adapter is installed on the lower end of the tubing hang er top that is installed in the horizontal valve tree. The tubing hanger adapter is oriented so that it corresponds to couplings on the upper end of the second tubing hanger that is hung off in the wellhead, when the horizontal valve tree is landed and locked on the well head. The tubing hanger adapter is provided with a central, sealing production bore, po tentially a bore for the annulus interface, and flexibly installed hydraulic and electric cou plings for communication paths for downhole installations through the second tubing hanger that is hung off in the wellhead. The second tubing hanger is preferably provided with an isolation valve for the well annulus if this tubing hanger is installed directly in the wellhead. If said second tubing hanger is installed in a so-called adapter unit (THS), the isolation valve for the annulus will typically be placed on this unit.

The tubing hanger top and the tubing hanger adapter can alternatively be produced as a new, combined part.

The invention is defined by the independent patent claims. The dependent claims define advantageous embodiments of the invention.

In a first aspect, the invention concerns more specifically a kit for modification of a hori zontal valve tree to facilitate pulling of the horizontal valve tree without first having to pull a

P30252PC01 connected upper well completion that comprises an original, first tubing hanger that is fastened in a centre passage in the horizontal valve tree, characterised in that the kit comprises a tubing hanger top, a second tubing hanger, and a tubing hanger adapter, wherein the tubing hanger top is provided with communication paths that correspond to communication paths in systems arranged downstream in or by the horizontal valve tree, the second tubing hanger is provided with communication paths for communicating with downhole installations in a well, the tubing hanger adapter comprises devices that are arranged for coupling the tubing hanger adapter with the tubing hanger top and the second tubing hanger, as well as communication paths arranged for coupling the communication paths of the tubing hanger top with the corresponding communication paths of the second tubing hanger.

The second tubing hanger may be provided with a fluid communication bore arranged for fluid communication with a downhole annulus. An effect of this is that the modified, hori zontal valve tree maintains the possibility for complete monitoring of the conditions in the connected well.

The second tubing hanger may be provided with a valve arranged for closing the fluid communication bore. An effect of this is that the communication with said annulus can be closed when necessary, for example when the horizontal valve tree is pulled.

In a second aspect, the invention concerns more specifically a method for modifying and reusing a horizontal valve tree that has been connected to an upper well completion with an original, first tubing hanger that has been fastened in a centre passage in the horizon tal valve tree, characterised in that the method comprises the steps of: a) providing a modification kit according to the first aspect of the invention; b) hanging off the second tubing hanger in the wellhead; c) coupling the tubing hanger adapter with the tubing hanger top; and either d1 ) coupling the horizontal valve tree (1 ) with the wellhead (2), and d2) inserting the assembly of the tubing hanger adapter and the tubing hanger top into the horizontal valve tree to coupling of the tubing hanger adapter with the second tubing hanger, or e1 ) inserting the assembly of the tubing hanger adapter and the tubing hanger top into the horizontal valve tree, and then

P30252PC01 e2) coupling the horizontal valve tree and the installed assembly of the tubing hanger adapter and the tubing hanger top with the wellhead so as to couple the tubing hanger adapter and the second tubing hanger; and f) establishing communication paths from the tubing hanger top via the tubing hanger adapter and the first tubing hanger to systems connected downstream in or by the hori zontal valve tree.

In the following, an example is described of a preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows in an axial section a horizontal valve tree (HXT) arrangement ac cording to prior art, wherein a first tubing hanger is hung off in the horizon tal valve tree;

Fig. 2 shows in an axial section a horizontal valve tree upgraded in that it is pro vided with a modification kit comprising a tubing hanger top, a tubing hang er adapter and a second tubing hanger hung off in a wellhead; Fig. 3 shows an axial section of a detail of figure 2 in a larger scale;

Fig. 4 shows in a smaller scale, a side sketch of the tubing hanger adapter for communication with the tubing hanger in the wellhead;

Fig. 5 shows an end sketch of the tubing hanger adapter seen from above; and

Fig. 6 shows an end sketch of the tubing hanger adapter seen from below. All position indicators refer to the position shown on the figures.

The same or corresponding elements are indicated with the same reference number on the figures. For the sake of clarity some elements may not have reference numbers on some of the figures.

A person skilled in the art will understand that the figures are only principle drawings. The relative ratio between individual elements may also be distorted.

Reference is first made to figure 1 , wherein the reference number 1 denotes a horizontal valve tree according to prior art coupled to a wellhead 2. The horizontal valve tree 1 is constructed of a main body 4 with a production swing block 5, an annulus swing block 6 and a wellhead connector 7. An upper end of the main body 4 of the horizontal valve tree

P30252PC01 1 is designed with a wellhead profile 8 for coupling of a BOP (not shown) or a well work- over system (not shown). Internally in the wellhead profile 8, a valve tree cap 9 is dis posed. An original, first tubing hanger 10 is installed in a centre passage in the main body 4 of the horizontal valve tree 1 , and forms a fluid communication between the well and the production swing block 5. Before production start, the centre passage of the horizontal valve tree 1 is plugged with crown plugs 11 installed in the valve tree cap 9 and in the first tubing hanger 10 respectively in a per se known manner.

Reference is then made to figure 2. Here, the horizontal valve tree 1 is shown in an up graded embodiment. A second tubing hanger 3 is hung off in the wellhead 2 and is there by hung off independently of the horizontal valve tree 1.

When a horizontal valve tree 1 is to be modified, a modification kit is provided that com prises a tubing hanger top 10a, a tubing hanger adapter 12 as well as a second tubing hanger 3.

Installation of the tubing hanger 3 with upper completion and installation of the horizontal valve tree 1 with the tubing hanger top 10a and the tubing hanger adapter 12 are separate operations that may not be carried out of from the same vessel.

The second tubing hanger 3 is inserted down into the wellhead 2 and hung off there in connection with well completion after drilling of the well is completed and before the hori zontal valve tree 1 is installed. An assembly of the tubing hanger top 10 and the tubing hanger adapter 12, where the tubing hanger adapter 12 is fastened to the underside of the tubing hanger top 10a, is inserted into the horizontal valve tree 1 , the tubing hanger adapter 12 being arranged to provide communication lines 16 and 17 (see figures 3, 4, 5 and 6) between the tubing hanger top 10a and the second tubing hanger 3 after the hori zontal valve tree 1 has been coupled to the wellhead 2. An orientation device (not shown) orients the assembly of the tubing hanger top 10a and the tubing hanger adapter 12 in relation to the second tubing hanger 3 in connection with the installation of the horizontal valve tree 1. The assembly of the tubing hanger top 10a and the tubing hanger adapter 12 can be installed in the horizontal valve tree 1 before the horizontal valve tree 1 is coupled to the wellhead 2, or the assembly of the tubing hanger top 10a and the tubing hanger adapter 12 can be installed in the horizontal valve tree 1 when the horizontal valve tree 1 has been landed and locked to the wellhead 2.

Since the original tubing hanger 10 (see figure 1) has been replaced by the tubing hanger top 10a, which is designed identically to the upper portions of the original, first tubing

P30252PC01 hanger 10, the tubing hanger top 10a is also called a «false tubing hanger», since this tubing hanger top 10a only provides the upper portions of the communication paths that the original, first tubing hanger 10 exhibited through the horizontal valve tree 1 , including the fluid communication to the production swing block 5.

Reference is then made to figure 3 for further details. The tubing hanger adapter 12 is fastened on the lower end of the tubing hanger top 10a. The tubing hanger top 10a can be a modified, existing tubing hanger for a horizontal valve tree. On the drawings, the tubing hanger top 10a and the tubing hanger adapter 12 are shown as separate, coupled parts. If a new tubing hanger top 10a is to be provided, it would be advantageous for it to be com bined with the tubing hanger adapter 12, so that they form a unit. This will reduce the complexity of the equipment.

There are two alternatives for installation of the tubing hanger top 10a and the tubing hanger adapter 12: a) the tubing hanger top 10a and the tubing hanger adapter 12 are installed in the valve tree 1 before being installed on the wellhead 2, or; b) the tubing hanger top 10a and the tubing hanger adapter 12 are installed in the valve tree 1 when the valve tree 1 has been landed and locked to the wellhead 2. This necessitates an extra operational step, but can ease orientation of the lower end of the tubing hanger adapter 12 in relation to the couplings on the upper end of the second tub ing hanger 3 in the wellhead 2.

On the top side, the tubing hanger adapter 12 communicates with corresponding commu nication paths in the tubing hanger top 10a. Before or in connection with the valve tree installation, the tubing hanger top 10a and the tubing hanger adapter 12 will be inserted into the main body 4 of the horizontal valve tree 1 , so that fluid communication is created between the production bore of the tubing hanger adapter 12 and the fluid path of the pro duction swing block 5 via the centre passage of the tubing hanger top 10a. In connection with valve tree installation, after well completion is carried out, the tubing hanger adapter 12 is also oriented in relation to the tubing hanger 3 in the wellhead 2, so that the tubing hanger adapter 12 on the underside corresponds to couplings on the upper end of the second tubing hanger 3.

For installation in the wellhead as shown by figures 2 and 3, the second tubing hanger 3 is provided with the fluid communication line 13, which can be closed using an isolation valve 13a for closing off a well annulus. If the second tubing hanger 3 is to be installed in

P30252PC01 a so-called adapter unit (THS) (not shown), the isolation valve 13a for the annulus com munication can be excluded, a corresponding shut-off valve preferably being placed on said adapter unit. After well completion and pending installation of the valve tree 1 , the isolation valve 13a is closed, and the production passage in the tubing hanger 2 is plugged. The plug is removed when the valve tree 1 is in place by means of a well inter vention system (not shown).

Reference is then made to figures 4, 5 and 6. The tubing hanger 12 is provided with a central production bore 15, a fluid communication line 16 for communication with the un derlying annulus, and flexibly installed hydraulic and electric couplings 17 for providing communication with downhole installations via the tubing hanger top 10a and the second tubing hanger 3. Fastening and coupling details between the tubing hanger adapter 12 and the lower part of the tubing hanger top 10a are not shown, except for a sealing cou pling sleeve 14 in the central production bore 15, in the interface between the parts.

The second tubing hanger 3 is oriented so that the communication paths in the second tubing hanger 3 will correspond to the communication paths 16, 17 of the tubing hanger adapter 12 in the subsequent installation of the horizontal valve tree 1 . An orientation de vice (not shown) between the second tubing hanger 3 and the tubing hanger adapter 12 ensures these are oriented correctly, the lower end of the tubing hanger adapter 12 enter ing the upper part of the second tubing hanger 3, whether the tubing hanger top 10a and the tubing hanger adapter 12 are installed together with the valve tree 1 or as a subse quent operation.

It should be noted that all embodiments mentioned above illustrate the invention, but do not delimit it, and experts on the subject will be able to design many alternative embodi ments without deviating from the scope of the attached claims. In the claims, the refer ence numbers in parenthesis shall not be considered delimiting.

The use of the verb “to comprise” and its different forms does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not mentioned in the claims. The indefinite articles “a” or “an” before an element do not exclude the presence of more such elements.

P30252PC01