B.

Subsea Christmas Trees

Functions of Subsea Trees
A subsea Christmas tree is basically a stack of valves installed on a subsea wellhead to
provide a controllable interface between the well and the production facilities. Some specific
functions of a subsea Christmas tree include the following:

• Sealing the wellhead from the environment by means of the tree connector.
• Sealing the production bore and annulus from the environment.
• Providing a controlled flow path from the production tubing, through the tree to the
production flow line. Well flow control can be provided by means of tree valves and/or
a tree-mounted choke.
• Providing access to the well bore via tree caps and/or swab valves.
• Providing access to the annulus for well control, pressure monitoring, gas lift, etc.
• Providing a hydraulic interface for the down hole safety valve.
• Providing an electrical interface for down hole instrumentation, electric submersible pumps, etc.
• Providing structural support for flow line and control umbilical interface.
Types of Subsea Trees

1. Dual Bore Tree or Conventional Tree

These trees have a production and annulus bore passing
vertically through the tree body with production and annulus master valves and
swab valves oriented vertically in the main block of the tree. They are designed to
allow vertical access to the main production bore and to the annulus bore during
installation and workover operations.

When a dual bore subsea Christmas tree is connected to a subsea wellhead it

must interface with the tubing hanger previously installed in the wellhead. The
tubing hanger and tree must be correctly orientated so they mate properly with one
another and the production and annulus bores are properly aligned and sealed.

Alignment of the tubing hanger in the wellhead is generally accomplished by

interaction of a pin and helix between the tubing hanger running tool and the BOP
or a pre-machined vertical orientation slot in the BOP connector upper body. The
reaction between the pin and the helix causes the tubing hanger assembly to rotate
into the correct position. Alternatively, the tubing hanger is rotated until
the alignment slot lines up with a spring-loaded alignment key on the running tool.
The tree is subsequently aligned by the permanent guidebase.
On a conventional style tree, the annulus port is typically sealed with a wire line plug run
and retrieved through a multi-bore completion riser or a riser with a diverter mechanism.
This riser is generally expensive and dedicated to the tree system. Refer to descriptions
of riser systems elsewhere in this document for detailed descriptions.
2. Mono Bore Tree
A typical mono bore tree is similar to a conventional dual bore tree but differs in that
it utilizes a simpler riser system to install the tree and tubing hanger. Additionally
simpler styles of mono bore tree exist which are generally used on mud line
completions in shallow water.
When producing a well, the annulus between the production tubing and the well
casing must be accessible to relieve thermally induced pressure build up. In order to
accomplish this, tubing hanger and tree systems must enable access to the annulus
under the tubing hanger.
Both conventional and mono-bore trees (except the basic mudline style trees) utilize
a port through the tubing hanger. This port, as well as the production bore, must be
closed before removing the BOP or the subsea tree. In the mono bore tree system
the tubing hanger is run on drill pipe or tubing and the annulus is accessed through a
hose bundle. Opening and closing of the annulus is accomplished by means of a
“shiftable” plug or valve in the annulus bore.
The disadvantage to this, as compared to the dual bore system, is the requirement
for moving parts within the tubing hanger that must be left subsea for the life of the
completion. Some designs incorporate a second plug or valve, ported in series with
the primary plug, which can be actuated as a backup to close the annulus if more
redundancy is desired.
The mono bore tree obviates the need for a true vertical annulus bore through the
tree.
 3. Horizontal Tree

Another type of subsea Christmas tree that has gained popularity since its
introduction in 1992 is the “horizontal” tree. Its most obvious distinction from the dual
bore tree is that the production and annulus bores branch horizontally out of the side
of the tree body and the valves are oriented on a horizontal axis.
The horizontal tree has no production or annulus swab valves. Access
to the well bore is gained by removing the internal tree cap, or a wireline plug within
the internal tree cap, and a wireline plug in the tubing hanger. The horizontal subsea
Christmas tree is sometimes referred to as a “side valve tree” or SpoolTree™. Other
distinguishing features of the horizontal tree, in addition to the valve arrangement
from which it gets its name, are: 1) the tubing hanger is installed in the tree itself,
rather than in the wellhead and 2) the top of the tree is designed so the BOP may be
landed onto the tree. This arrangement allows the tubing string to be recovered
without first retrieving the tree.
Horizontal Tree technology was conceived and developed to run and retrieve well
bore tubing through an installed tree providing a simple and efficient work-over
capability. Originally, this type of technology seemed ideally suited for Electric
Submersible Pump (ESP) applications, where frequent pump maintenance or
replacement may be required. Well interventions were most commonly caused by
the need to repair downhole problems as opposed to subsea tree equipment
problems.
The concept was extended to include standard production and injection wells in
the belief that horizontal technology offered much greater benefit over
conventional technology, at least in some applications.
The benefits and drawbacks of both horizontal and conventional tree technologies
have been the subject of many debates for several years. The newer horizontal
tree technology has been shown to have significant merit in order to have acquired
at least 50 % of the market in less than six years. It is probable that both
completion technologies will have a vital part to play in future oil and gas
developments and the possibility of a winner for all applications is unlikely.
4. Other Types of Trees

There are other specialized variations of subsea trees as well. These include TFL
trees designed for use with special “through flowline” (TFL) workover equipment;
“Single-Bore™” or “mono-bore” trees with a vertical production bore and a side valve
for annulus access; “through-bore” trees with the tubing hanger in the tree body and
“concentric” trees, used with a concentric tubing hanger and not requiring orientation
between the tree and tubing hanger.