Method and apparatus for controlling a conduit during a laying operation

Claim 1

A method of laying a length of flexible conduit positioned substantially in an S-shaped configuration during its movement between a conduit-carrying vessel and the underwater surface comprising a. connecting to the conduit-carrying vessel an elongated stinger formed of tandemly arranged sections which stinger has an effective length such that both the convex portion of the S-shaped conduit configuration which is closer to the vessel and the concave portion of the conduit which is farther from the vessel are supportable by the stinger, b. moving the vessel forward to tow the stinger through the water, c. supporting the conduit at a plurality of positions along the stinger in such a manner that the conduit is supported at one or more positions on both the convex portion of its S-shaped curvature and at one or more positions on the concave portion, and d. controlling the stinger using both tensioning means mounted on the vessel and buoyancy means mounted on the stinger to maintain S-shaped curvature of the conduit during its movement between the vessel and the underwater surface.

Claim 2

A method of laying a length of flexible conduit positioned substantially in an S-shaped configuration during its movement between a conduit-carrying vessel and the underwater surface comprising a. connecting to the conduit-carrying vessel an elongated stinger formed of tandemly arranged sections which stinger has an effective length such that both the convex portion of the S-shaped conduit configuration which is closer to the vessel and the concave portion of the conduit which is farther from the vessel are supportable by the stinger, b. moving the vessel forward to tow the stinger through the water, c. supporting the conduit at a plurality of positions along the stinger in such a manner that the conduit is supported at one or more positions on both the convex portion of its S-shaped curvature and at one or more positions on the concave portion, and d. controlling the stinger using both tensioning means mounted on the vessel and buoyancy means mounted on the stinger to maintain S-shaped curvature of the conduit during its movement between the vessel and the underwater surface.

Claim 3

An apparatus for guiding a flexible continuous conduit in a S-shaped configuration during its delivery from a marine vessel to an underwater surface of varying depth, comprising a. an elongated conduit support member connected to the vessel and spaced from the underwater surface for supporting both the convex portion of the S-shaped configuration of the conduit which portion is near the vessel and the concave portion of the S-shaped configuration of the conduit which portion is farther from the vessel, the support member in turn comprising a plurality of tandemly arranged elongated sections having a first section pivotably connected to the vessel and a second section pivotably joined end-to-end to the first section in such a manner that the joined sections are capable of being oriented with respect to one another and with respect to the vessel to form a support member selectively positionable in different orientations including orientations in which the angle of descent of the first section is less than the angle of descent of another section; b. support means on the support member for supporting the conduit at spaced-apart positions to permit the conduit to be formed and maintained in a generally S-shaped configuration when said support member sections are selectively oriented, said support means in turn comprising, l. convex reduced-frictional slide means extending along a substantial length of and secured to the said first support member section to support the conduit in a convex configuration as it moves between the said vessel and said first section;

Claim 4

An apparatus for guiding a flexible continuous conduit in a S-shaped configuration during its delivery from a marine vessel to an underwater surface of varying depth, comprising a. an elongated conduit support member connected to the vessel and spaced from the underwater surface for supporting both the convex portion of the S-shaped configuration of the conduit which portion is near the vessel and the concave portion of the S-shaped configuration of the conduit which portion is farther from the vessel, the support member in turn comprising a plurality of tandemly arranged elongated sections having a first section pivotably connected to the vessel and a second section pivotably joined end-to-end to the first section in such a manner that the joined sections are capable of being oriented with respect to one another and with respect to the vessel to form a support member selectively positionable in different orientations including orientations in which the angle of descent of the first section is less than the angle of descent of another section; b. support means on the support member for supporting the conduit at spaced-apart positions to permit the conduit to be formed and maintained in a generally S-shaped configuration when said support member sections are selectively oriented, said support means in turn comprising, l. convex reduced-frictional slide means extending along a substantial length of and secured to the said first support member section to support the conduit in a convex configuration as it moves between the said vessel and said first section;

Claim 9

A method of laying a length of flexible conduit positioned substantially in an S-shaped configuration during its movement between a conduit-carrying vessel and the underwater surface comprising a. connecting to the conduit-carrying vessel an elongated stinger formed of a first and second tandemly arranged sections which stinger has an effective length such that both the convex portion of the S-shaped conduit configuration which is closer to the vessel and the concave portion of the conduit which is farther from the vessel are supportable by the stinger; b. moving the vessel forward to tow the stinger through the water; c. supporting the conduit through the stinger sections at a plurality of positions along the stinger in such a manner that the conduit is supported at one or more positions at both the convex portion of its S-shaped curvature and at one or more positions on the concave portion, and d. controlling the stinger using cable tensioning means mounted on the vessel for raising and lowering the first stinger section and buoyancy means mounted on the second stinger section to raise and lower the stinger and to rotate the second stinger section to maintain S-shaped curvatUre of the conduit during its movement between the vessel and the underwater surface.

Claim 10

A method of laying a length of flexible conduit positioned substantially in an S-shaped configuration during its movement between a conduit-carrying vessel and the underwater surface comprising a. connecting to the conduit-carrying vessel an elongated stinger formed of a first and second tandemly arranged sections which stinger has an effective length such that both the convex portion of the S-shaped conduit configuration which is closer to the vessel and the concave portion of the conduit which is farther from the vessel are supportable by the stinger; b. moving the vessel forward to tow the stinger through the water; c. supporting the conduit through the stinger sections at a plurality of positions along the stinger in such a manner that the conduit is supported at one or more positions at both the convex portion of its S-shaped curvature and at one or more positions on the concave portion, and d. controlling the stinger using cable tensioning means mounted on the vessel for raising and lowering the first stinger section and buoyancy means mounted on the second stinger section to raise and lower the stinger and to rotate the second stinger section to maintain S-shaped curvatUre of the conduit during its movement between the vessel and the underwater surface.