Hydraulic and earth engineering – Subterranean or submarine pipe or cable laying – retrieving,... – Submerging – raising – or manipulating line of pipe or cable...
Patent
1998-02-19
2000-02-15
Bagnell, David
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Subterranean or submarine pipe or cable laying, retrieving,...
Submerging, raising, or manipulating line of pipe or cable...
166343, F16L 126
Patent
active
06024514&
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main object for the present invention is to develop a simpler, more compact system for carrying out such operations. A further object has been to develop solutions which are time-saving and more dependable in use.
A further important object of the invention has been to develop solutions which reduce the need for permanent installation of complicated equipment on the sea bottom to be used in connection with the installation and maintenance, such that the installation and the maintenance for a great part can be carried out by means of submersible tools which may be mounted on a ROV.
A further aspect of the invention relates to development of a special submersible tool, preferably to be mounted on a ROV, to accomplish coupling of subsea pipelines, such as a first pipeline which initially is located on a sea bottom or in submerged position in the sea, and a second pipeline with a terminator, which may be installed on a bottom based frame, template or the like, which tool is provided with means for catching and holding said first pipeline for transport to the second pipeline mounted on the bottom based frame, the tool being generally characterised in that it is provided with two or more couples of pivotable, brace-like arms which are pivotable from an outer position where the brace arms may grip around an intermediately positioned pipeline, and an inner position wherein the pipeline is being kept in a directionally immobile position in the brace arms, means mounted in the tool in conjunction with the brace arms for imparting a pipeline held by the brace arms an axial movement relative to the tool, which tool at the fore end is provided with a ring-shaped anchoring head concentrically positioned relative to the longitudinal axis through the pipeline, which anchoring head is adapted to be mounted on the bottom frame.
An important advantage of the tool in accordance with the invention, is that the tool may accomplish both the transport and the necessary forced forward displacement of the end section on the first pipeline to a coupling position when the second pipeline has been installed on the bottom frame. Thereby, the need for mechanical equipment on the bottom frame may be reduced.
A further aspect of the invention concerns a submersible tool system which in addition to a tool as above described, includes special implements for positioning and anchoring of the tool with the pipeline on the bottom frame, including special coupling equipment.
The submersible tool system in accordance with the invention thus includes equipment to catch, hold and transport the first pipeline from its initial position to a position adjacent to the second pipeline mounted on the bottom frame, which tool for gripping and transport of the first pipeline includes means for holding the tool on the bottom frame in connection with the intercoupling of the respective pipelines, and the system is characterised in that the tool for holding and transport of the first pipeline includes means for axial movement of the first pipeline in mounted position in the tool, said means for holding the tool on the bottom frame comprises a ringshaped anchoring head positioned axially in front of the tool, such that the first pipeline can be moved through the anchoring head to position on the bottom frame in front of the second pipeline mounted thereon, and in that the means on the bottom frame for receipt of the anchoring head on the tool is devised as a ringshaped seat adapted to circumscribe the first pipeline in mounted position, which ringshaped seat is provided with cooperating implements for holding and anchoring of the anchoring head in mounted position.
An operative embodiment of the tool system will suitably include equipment for transporting the tool with the first pipeline from the initial position to the bottom frame. In conventional manner, a pulling line connected to a winch is suitably used, which line suitably extends from a point on the bottom frame to the tool.
A further aspect of the invention implies a
REFERENCES:
patent: Re29364 (1977-08-01), Robley
patent: 4091514 (1978-05-01), Motes-Conners et al.
patent: 4116015 (1978-09-01), Duncan
patent: 4218158 (1980-08-01), Tesson
patent: 4832530 (1989-05-01), Andersen et al.
patent: 4906136 (1990-03-01), Norbom et al.
patent: 5501549 (1996-03-01), Breda et al.
patent: 5593249 (1997-01-01), Cox et al.
Translation of claim 1 of NO 149254.
ABB Offshore Technology A/S
Bagnell David
Mayo Tara L.
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