Hydraulic and earth engineering – Subterranean or submarine pipe or cable laying – retrieving,... – Submerging – raising – or manipulating line of pipe or cable...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-03
2003-04-29
Lagman, Frederick L. (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Subterranean or submarine pipe or cable laying, retrieving,...
Submerging, raising, or manipulating line of pipe or cable...
C405S166000, C405S168400, C405S170000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06554538
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable
REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX”
Not applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the placement of pipelines in a marine environment. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for laying a pipeline in a marine environment, wherein a specially configured pipeline laying ship provides a hull with a deck having a pair of reels independently rotatable during use, and wherein a pipeline fabricating “firing line” fabricates a pipeline that is then wound upon one of the selected reels. The pipeline “firing line” can be moved laterally in order to align with either of the reels as selected. Additionally, the pipeline can be payed out from either of the selected reels after it has been fabricated. A tower is provided for directing the pipeline from the reel through bend control and straightening stations and then to the seabed.
2. General Background of the Invention
For many years, pipelines have been fabricated at sea and lowered to the seabed at a desired location. For example, early patents to Tesson include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,237,438 and 3,337,469 that are directed to a pipeline laying barge and method of operation. In the Tesson patents, the joints of pipe are welded on deck and then spooled or wound upon a reel. At a desired location, the pipeline is then placed on the seabed by unwinding the pipe from the reel and straightening it before it is lowered to the seabed.
A tilting tower has also been used to lower a pipeline to the seabed as the pipeline is being unwound from a reel. An example of such a titling tower and reel pipeline laying arrangement can be seen in the Uyeda U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,855 as an example. A similar arrangement is seen in the Springett U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,322. The Uyeda U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,855 and the Springett U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,322 are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Another method of laying a pipeline is through the use of a stinger. A stinger is simply an elongated boom structure that extends from usually one end of a hull or barge. The stinger supports the pipeline as it is being lowered to the seabed. Examples of the use of stingers can be seen us U.S. Pat. Nos. RE28,922, RE29,591 and 5,533,834.
Reel type pipeline laying systems are typically employed in deep water situations. While it is known to weld the pipeline joints on the deck of a vessel and wind them upon a reel (for example, see the above discussed Tesson patents), it is also known to weld the pipeline on shore and then wind it upon the reel before the ship leaves port.
The following table provides an exemplary listing of patents that are known to applicant and that relate to pipeline laying vessels and methods of operation:
MARINE PIPE LAYING PATENTS
PAT. NO.
TITLE
INVENTOR
3,237,438
Pipe Line Laying Barge
Tesson
3,372,461
Method of Laying Pipeline
Tesson
Re.28,922
Column Stabilized Stinger
Lloyd, III
3,982,402
Submarine Pipeline Laying Vessel
Lang et al.
Re.29,591
Column Stabilized Stinger Transition
Lloyd
Segment And Pipeline Supporting
Apparatus
4,112,695
Sea Sled For Entrenching Pipe
Chang et al.
4,165,571
Sea Sled With Jet Pump For Under-
Chang et al.
water Trenching And Slurry Removal
4,218,158
Pipe Handling Method And Apparatus
Tesson
4,230,421
Self Propelled Dynamically Positioned
Springett
Reel Pipe Laying Ship
et al.
4,260,287
Portable Reel Pipelaying Method
Uyeda et al.
4,268,190
Pipe Handling Method And Apparatus
Tesson
4,269,540
Self Propelled Dynamically Positioned
Uyeda et al.
Reel Pipe Laying Ship
4,297,054
Method of Laying Offshore Pipeline
Yenzer et al.
From a Reel Carrying Vessel
30,846
Submarine Pipeline Laying Vessel
Lang et al.
4,340,322
Self Propelled Dynamically Positioned
Springett
Reel Pipe Laying Ship
et al.
4,345,855
Self Propelled Dynamically Positioned
Uyeda et al.
Reel Pipe Laying Ship
4,486,123
Underwater Pipe Laying Vessel
Koch et al.
4,687,376
Multi-Reel Operational Lines Laying
Recalde
Vessel
4,721,411
Multi-Reel Operational Lines Laying
Recalde
Vessel
4,723,874
Multi-Reel Operational Lines Laying
Recalde
Vessel
4,765,776
Convertible Barge
Howson
4,789,108
Multi-Reel Operational Lines Laying
Recalde
Vessel
4,820,082
Pipeline Laying System And Vessel
Recalde
4,917,540
Pipeline Laying System And Vessel
Recalde
With Pipeline Straightening And
Tensioning Device
4,961,671
Method of Converting a Pipeline Laying
Recalde
Vessel From a Pivotal Ramp Type
To An Arcuate Type
4,984,934
Pipeline Laying System And Vessel
Recalde
And Method of Spooling Lines
Onto The Vessel
5,044,825
Method And Installation For Laying
Kaldenbach
a Pipeline
5,413,434
Method And Installation For Laying
Stenfert
a Pipeline
et al.
5,527,134
Pipelaying Vessel
Recalde
5,533,834
Pipelay Stinger
Recalde
5,836,719
Pipe Laying Vessel and Method
Martin et al.
5,971,666
Pipe Laying Vessel
Martin et al.
5,975,802
Pipeline Laying Apparatus
Willis
6,004,071
Methods of Installing Elongate
Broeder
Underwater Structures
et al.
PATENT
TITLE
ISSUED
WO9525238A1
Pipe Laying Vessel and Method
Sept. 21, 1995
WO9525237A1
Pipe Laying Vessel and Method
Sept. 21, 1995
AU1898395A1
Pipe Laying Vessel and Method
Oct. 03, 1995
AU1898295A1
Pipe Laying Vessel and Method
Oct. 03, 1995
AU4088796A1
Pipeline Laying
Jul. 25, 1996
AU676431B2
Pipe Laying Vessel and Method
Mar. 06, 1997
AU681014B2
Pipe Laying Vessel and Method
Aug. 14, 1997
AU696337B2
Pipeline Laying
Sept. 10, 1998
BR9507088A
Processo Para Assentar Uma
Sept. 16, 1997
Tubulacao Submarina E Embarcacao
Para Ser Utilizada No
Assentamento De Uma Tubulacao
Submarina
BR9507064A
Processo Para Assentar Uma
Oct. 14, 1997
Tabulacao Submarina E Embarcacao
Para Ser Utilizada No
AssentamentoDe Uma Tubulacao
Submarina
BR9600055A
Sistema De Colocacao De Tubos
Jan. 21, 1998
Navio Conduzindo Um Sistema De
Colocacao De Tubos E Processo
Colocacao De Uma Tubulacao
De Um Navio
GB2287518B
Pipe Laying Vessel and Method
Mar. 12, 1997
GB2287518A
Pipe Laying
Sept. 20, 1995
GB2296956B2
Mar. 10, 1999
GB2296956B
Pipeline
Mar. 10, 1999
GB2296956A1
Jul. 17, 1996
GB2296956A
Pipeline Laying with Bending
Jul. 17, 1996
and Straightening
GB2302157B
Pipe Laying Vessel and Method
Nov. 12, 1997
GB2302157A
Pipe Laying Vessel and Method
Jan. 08, 1997
GB9411702A0
Aug. 03, 1994
GB9500664A0
Mar. 8, 1995
GB9505344A
Pipe Laying Vessel and Method
May 03, 1995
GB9600005A0
Mar. 06, 1996
GB9600005A
Pipeline Laying
Mar. 06, 1996
GB9619167A
Pipe Laying Vessel and Method
Oct. 23, 1996
NO960135A0
Roerlednings-leggesystem
Jan. 11, 1996
NO960135A
Roerlednings-leggesystem
Jul. 15, 1996
NO963858A0
Roerleggingsfartoey Og
Sept. 13, 1996
Fremgangsmaate
NO963858A
Roerleggingsfartoey Og
Nov. 11, 1996
Fremgangsmaate
NO963857A0
Roerleggingsfartoey Og
Sept. 13, 1996
Fremgangsmaate
NO963857A
Roerleggingsfartoey Og
Nov. 11, 1996
Fremgangsmaate
GENERAL DISCUSSION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved pipeline laying vessel and its method of operation. The method employs a dynamically positioned barge or self-propelled dynamically positioned reel ship that has two independently rotatable reels or drums. The ship has a deck area that enables pipe joints to be welded together to form a pipeline. Joints of pipe are placed in a storage area on the deck of a vessel in suitable pipe racks. Welding stations near this storage area are arranged to receive multiple joints of pipe that have been internally cleaned and prepared for welding. Part of this preparation can include for example end bevels that are applied to the pipeline.
As pipeline fabrication proceeds, pipe joints are moved from the rack storage areas to the pipeline fabrication area, also referred to herein as the “firing line.”
This fabrication area or “firing line” can comprise essentially a set of rollers supporting the pipeline along the center line of the fabrication area. Welding equipment (manual or automatic) can be provided together with known weld preparation tools.
The incoming pipe joints are aligne
Doody Stephen R.
Garvey, Smith, Nehrbass & Doody, L.L.C.
Lagman Frederick L.
North Brett A.
Torch Offshore, Inc.
LandOfFree
Reel type pipeline laying ship and method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Reel type pipeline laying ship and method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Reel type pipeline laying ship and method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3098879