Method and apparatus for working on submerged pipeline means

Claim 1

A method of working on conduits in a submerged location, said method comprising: manipulating frame means relative to an underwater pipeline so as to selectively locate said frame means relative to said pipeline; from said frame means, independently exerting a series of longitudinally spaced, independent, and transversely directed forces on at least two disconnected sections of said pipeline to adjust the alignment thereof; on at least one of said two sections of said pipeline, exerting at least one restraining force on one portion of said one pipeline section to provide fulcrum means reacting transversely on said one pipeline section, and exerting at least one other aligning force on another portion of said one pipeline section, said aligning force being exerted on said other portion of said one pipeline section to tend to move said other portion of said one pipeline section generally transversely of the one portion of said one pipeline section against which said fulcrum means is reacting; isolating disconnected ends of said first and second pipeline sections in a gaseous environment which is contained relative to said frame means; and within said gaseous environment, effecting a joinder of said disconnected ends of said pipeline sections.

Claim 2

A method of working on conduits in a submerged location, said method comprising: manipulating frame means relative to an underwater pipeline so as to selectively locate said frame means relative to said pipeline; from said frame means, independently exerting a series of longitudinally spaced, independent, and transversely directed forces on at least two disconnected sections of said pipeline to adjust the alignment thereof; on at least one of said two sections of said pipeline, exerting at least one restraining force on one portion of said one pipeline section to provide fulcrum means reacting transversely on said one pipeline section, and exerting at least one other aligning force on another portion of said one pipeline section, said aligning force being exerted on said other portion of said one pipeline section to tend to move said other portion of said one pipeline section generally transversely of the one portion of said one pipeline section against which said fulcrum means is reacting; isolating disconnected ends of said first and second pipeline sections in a gaseous environment which is contained relative to said frame means; and within said gaseous environment, effecting a joinder of said disconnected ends of said pipeline sections.

Claim 3

A method to facilitate working on submerged conduit means, said method comprising: providing frame means operable to be lowered from floating vessel means; effecting selective manipulation of said frame means so as to selectively position said frame means relative to at least one of said first and second sections of said pipeline; providing a first plurality of independently operable clamp means carried by at least one portion of said frame means, and spaced longitudinally of a first section of a submerged pipeline and clampingly engaged therewith; providing a second plurality of independently operable clamp means carried by at least another portion of said frame means, and spaced longitudinally of a second section of said submerged pipeline, and clampingly engaged therewith, with said second pipeline section being disconnected from said first pipeline section; defining a gaseous environment enclosing disconnected ends of said first and second sections of said pipeline; causing each clamp of said first plurality of clamp means to independently and selectively exert independent force on said first section of said submerged pipeline directed generally transversely of said first section; causing each clamp of said second plurality of clamp means to independently and selectively exert independent force on said second section of said submerged pipeline directed generally transversely of said second section.

Claim 4

A method to facilitate working on submerged conduit means, said method comprising: providing frame means operable to be lowered from floating vessel means; effecting selective manipulation of said frame means so as to selectively position said frame means relative to at least one of said first and second sections of said pipeline; providing a first plurality of independently operable clamp means carried by at least one portion of said frame means, and spaced longitudinally of a first section of a submerged pipeline and clampingly engaged therewith; providing a second plurality of independently operable clamp means carried by at least another portion of said frame means, and spaced longitudinally of a second section of said submerged pipeline, and clampingly engaged therewith, with said second pipeline section being disconnected from said first pipeline section; defining a gaseous environment enclosing disconnected ends of said first and second sections of said pipeline; causing each clamp of said first plurality of clamp means to independently and selectively exert independent force on said first section of said submerged pipeline directed generally transversely of said first section; causing each clamp of said second plurality of clamp means to independently and selectively exert independent force on said second section of said submerged pipeline directed generally transversely of said second section.

Claim 5

A method of laying a pipeline on a submerged location, said method comprising: enclosing disconnected ends of pipeline sections in working chamber means of enclosure means, with said working chambeR means providing a gaseous environment at an underwater location; forming a joint interconnecting said disconnected pipeline sections in said gaseous environment; displacing gas from said gaseous environment and, in said working chamber means, immersing said joint interconnecting said pipeline sections in water; transporting said working chamber means containing said gaseous environment away from said immersed joint toward an extremity of one of said pipeline sections to be joined to another pipeline section; while said enclosure means is being transported away from said immersed joint, storing said gas displaced from said gaseous environment in other chamber means included in said enclosure means and transporting said thus stored gas and other chamber means with said working chamber means toward said extremity of said one of said pipeline sections; transferring said stored gas from said other chamber means back into said working chamber means so as to displace water therefrom and reestablish a gaseous environment; and forming another joint connecting said one of said pipeline sections and said other pipeline section in said reestablished gaseous environment within said enclosure means.

Claim 6

A method of laying a pipeline on a submerged location, said method comprising: enclosing disconnected ends of pipeline sections in working chamber means of enclosure means, with said working chambeR means providing a gaseous environment at an underwater location; forming a joint interconnecting said disconnected pipeline sections in said gaseous environment; displacing gas from said gaseous environment and, in said working chamber means, immersing said joint interconnecting said pipeline sections in water; transporting said working chamber means containing said gaseous environment away from said immersed joint toward an extremity of one of said pipeline sections to be joined to another pipeline section; while said enclosure means is being transported away from said immersed joint, storing said gas displaced from said gaseous environment in other chamber means included in said enclosure means and transporting said thus stored gas and other chamber means with said working chamber means toward said extremity of said one of said pipeline sections; transferring said stored gas from said other chamber means back into said working chamber means so as to displace water therefrom and reestablish a gaseous environment; and forming another joint connecting said one of said pipeline sections and said other pipeline section in said reestablished gaseous environment within said enclosure means.

Claim 7

A method for effecting the underwater laying of a pipeline, said method comprising: providing submerged enclosure means including, a first chamber means, a second chamber means, and a third chamber means, said second chamber means being interposed longitudinally between said first and third chamber means, relative to a longitudinal axis of said enclosure means; supporting a first pipeline section extending through said first chamber means into said second chamber means; supporting a second pipeline section extending from said thrid chamber means into said second chamber means; providing first seal means between said first and second chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said first pipeline section; providing second seal means between said second and third chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said second pipeline section; operating first aligning clamp means in said second chamber means to engage and selectively manipulate said first pipeline section; operating second aligning clamp means in said second chamber means to engage and selectively manipulate said second pipeline section; controlling the environment in said enclosure means by selectively displacing water from said second chamber means to define a gaseous environment encircling disconnected ends of said first and second pipeline sections contained within said second chamber means, and transferring gas from said second chamber means to said first and third chamber means to submerge said first and second seal means.

Claim 8

A method for effecting the underwater laying of a pipeline, said method comprising: providing submerged enclosure means including, a first chamber means, a second chamber means, and a third chamber means, said second chamber means being interposed longitudinally between said first and third chamber means, relative to a longitudinal axis of said enclosure means; supporting a first pipeline section extending through said first chamber means into said second chamber means; supporting a second pipeline section extending from said thrid chamber means into said second chamber means; providing first seal means between said first and second chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said first pipeline section; providing second seal means between said second and third chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said second pipeline section; operating first aligning clamp means in said second chamber means to engage and selectively manipulate said first pipeline section; operating second aligning clamp means in said second chamber means to engage and selectively manipulate said second pipeline section; controlling the environment in said enclosure means by selectively displacing water from said second chamber means to define a gaseous environment encircling disconnected ends of said first and second pipeline sections contained within said second chamber means, and transferring gas from said second chamber means to said first and third chamber means to submerge said first and second seal means.

Claim 9

A method for effecting the underwater laying of a pipeline, said method comprising: providing submerged enclosure means including, a first chamber means, a second chamber means, and a third chamber means, said second chamber means being interposed longitudinally between said first and third chamber means relative to a longitudinal axis of said enclosure means; supporting a first pipeline section extending through said first chamber means into said second chamber means; supporting a second pipeline section extending from said third chamber means into said second chamber means; providing first seal means between said first and second chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said first pipeline section; providing second seal means between said second and third chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said second pipeline section; operating first aligning clamp means in said second chamber means to engage and selectively manipulate said first pipeline section; operating second aligning clamp means in said second chamber means to engage and selectively manipulate said second pipeline section; feeding means carried by Said third chamber means and operable to selectively advance said second pipeline section from said third chamber means toward and into said second chamber means; propulsion means carried by said enclosure means and operable to advance said enclosure means from said first pipeline section toward said second pipeline section; controlling the environment in said enclosure means by selectively displacing water from said second chamber means to define a gaseous environment encircling disconnected ends of said first and second pipeline sections contained within said second chamber means, and transferring gas from said second chamber means to said first and third chamber means to submerge said first and second seal means when said propulsion means is to be operated to advance said enclosure means from said first pipeline section toward said second pipeline section.

Claim 10

A method for effecting the underwater laying of a pipeline, said method comprising: providing submerged enclosure means including, a first chamber means, a second chamber means, and a third chamber means, said second chamber means being interposed longitudinally between said first and third chamber means relative to a longitudinal axis of said enclosure means; supporting a first pipeline section extending through said first chamber means into said second chamber means; supporting a second pipeline section extending from said third chamber means into said second chamber means; providing first seal means between said first and second chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said first pipeline section; providing second seal means between said second and third chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said second pipeline section; operating first aligning clamp means in said second chamber means to engage and selectively manipulate said first pipeline section; operating second aligning clamp means in said second chamber means to engage and selectively manipulate said second pipeline section; feeding means carried by Said third chamber means and operable to selectively advance said second pipeline section from said third chamber means toward and into said second chamber means; propulsion means carried by said enclosure means and operable to advance said enclosure means from said first pipeline section toward said second pipeline section; controlling the environment in said enclosure means by selectively displacing water from said second chamber means to define a gaseous environment encircling disconnected ends of said first and second pipeline sections contained within said second chamber means, and transferring gas from said second chamber means to said first and third chamber means to submerge said first and second seal means when said propulsion means is to be operated to advance said enclosure means from said first pipeline section toward said second pipeline section.

Claim 13

An apparatus to facilitate working on submerged conduit means, said apparatus comprising: frame means operable to be lowered from floating vessel means; a first plurality of independently operable clamp means carried by at least one portion of said frame means, and operable to be spaced longitudinally of a first section of a submerged pipeline and clampingly engageable therewith; a second plurality of independently operable clamp means carried by at least another portion of said frame means, and operable to be spaced longitudinally of a second section of said submerged pipeline and clampingly engageable therewith, with said second pipeline section being disconnected from said first pipeline section; first clamp actuating means connected with said first plurality of clamp means and operable to cause each clamp of said first plurality of clamp means to independently and selectively exert independent force on said first section of said submerged pipeline directed generally transversely of said first section; second clamp actuating means connected with said second plurality of clamp means and operable to cause each clamp of said second plurality of clamp means to independently and selectively exert independent force on said second section of said submerged pipeline directed generally transversely of said second section; means associated with said frame means and operable to define a gaseous environment enclosing disconnected ends of said first and second sections of said pipeline; and means operable to effect selective manipulation of said frame means so as to selectively position said frame means relative to at least one of said first and second seCtions of said pipeline.

Claim 14

An apparatus to facilitate working on submerged conduit means, said apparatus comprising: frame means operable to be lowered from floating vessel means; a first plurality of independently operable clamp means carried by at least one portion of said frame means, and operable to be spaced longitudinally of a first section of a submerged pipeline and clampingly engageable therewith; a second plurality of independently operable clamp means carried by at least another portion of said frame means, and operable to be spaced longitudinally of a second section of said submerged pipeline and clampingly engageable therewith, with said second pipeline section being disconnected from said first pipeline section; first clamp actuating means connected with said first plurality of clamp means and operable to cause each clamp of said first plurality of clamp means to independently and selectively exert independent force on said first section of said submerged pipeline directed generally transversely of said first section; second clamp actuating means connected with said second plurality of clamp means and operable to cause each clamp of said second plurality of clamp means to independently and selectively exert independent force on said second section of said submerged pipeline directed generally transversely of said second section; means associated with said frame means and operable to define a gaseous environment enclosing disconnected ends of said first and second sections of said pipeline; and means operable to effect selective manipulation of said frame means so as to selectively position said frame means relative to at least one of said first and second seCtions of said pipeline.

Claim 17

An apparatus for effecting the underwater laying of a pipeline, said apparatus comprising: enclosure means including, a first chamber means, a second chamber means, and a third chamber means, said second chamber means being interposed longitudinally between said first and third chamber means relative to a longitudinal axis of said enclosure means; means operable to support a first pipeline section extending through said first chamber means into said second chamber means; means operable to support a second pipeline section extending from said third chamber means into said second chamber means; first seal means between said first and second chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said first pipeline section; second seal means between said second and third chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said second pipeline section; first aligning clamp means carried in said second chamber means and operable to engage and selectively manipulate said first pipeline section; second aligning clamp means carried in said second chamber means operable to engage and selectively manipulate said second pipeline section; environment control means carried by said enclosure means and operable to selectively displace water from said second chamber means to define a gaseous environment encircling disconnected ends of said first and second pipeline sections contained within said second chamber means, and transfer gas from said second chamber means to said first and third chamber means and submerge said first and second seal means.

Claim 18

An apparatus for effecting the underwater laying of a pipeline, said apparatus comprising: enclosure means including, a first chamber means, a second chamber means, and a third chamber means, said second chamber means being interposed longitudinally between said first and third chamber means relative to a longitudinal axis of said enclosure means; means operable to support a first pipeline section extending through said first chamber means into said second chamber means; means operable to support a second pipeline section extending from said third chamber means into said second chamber means; first seal means between said first and second chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said first pipeline section; second seal means between said second and third chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said second pipeline section; first aligning clamp means carried in said second chamber means and operable to engage and selectively manipulate said first pipeline section; second aligning clamp means carried in said second chamber means operable to engage and selectively manipulate said second pipeline section; environment control means carried by said enclosure means and operable to selectively displace water from said second chamber means to define a gaseous environment encircling disconnected ends of said first and second pipeline sections contained within said second chamber means, and transfer gas from said second chamber means to said first and third chamber means and submerge said first and second seal means.

Claim 19

An apparatus for effecting the underwater laying of a pipeline, said apparatus comprising: enclosure means including, a first chamber means, a second chamber means, and a third chamber means, said second chamber means being interposed longitudinally between said first and third chamber means relative to a longitudinal axis of said enclosure means; means operable to support a first pipeline section extending through said first chamber means into said second chamber means; means operable to support a second pipeline section extending from said third chamber means into said second chamber means; first seal means between said first and second chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said first pipeline section; second seal means between said second and third chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said second pipeline section; first aligning clamp means carried in said second chamber means and operable to engage and selectively manipulate said first pipeline section; second aligning clamp means carried in said second chamber means and operable to engage and selectively manipulate said second pipeline section; feeding means carried by said third chamber means and operable to selectively advance said second pipeline section from said third chamber means toward and into said second chamber means; propulsion means carried by said enclosure means and operable to advance said enclosure means from said first pipeliNe section toward said second pipeline section; environment control means carried by said enclosure means and operable to selectively displace water from said second chamber means to define a gaseous environment encircling disconnected ends of said first and second pipeline sections contained within said second chamber means, and transfer gas from said second chamber means to said first and third chamber means and submerge said first and second seal means.

Claim 20

An apparatus for effecting the underwater laying of a pipeline, said apparatus comprising: enclosure means including, a first chamber means, a second chamber means, and a third chamber means, said second chamber means being interposed longitudinally between said first and third chamber means relative to a longitudinal axis of said enclosure means; means operable to support a first pipeline section extending through said first chamber means into said second chamber means; means operable to support a second pipeline section extending from said third chamber means into said second chamber means; first seal means between said first and second chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said first pipeline section; second seal means between said second and third chamber means operable to telescopingly receive said second pipeline section; first aligning clamp means carried in said second chamber means and operable to engage and selectively manipulate said first pipeline section; second aligning clamp means carried in said second chamber means and operable to engage and selectively manipulate said second pipeline section; feeding means carried by said third chamber means and operable to selectively advance said second pipeline section from said third chamber means toward and into said second chamber means; propulsion means carried by said enclosure means and operable to advance said enclosure means from said first pipeliNe section toward said second pipeline section; environment control means carried by said enclosure means and operable to selectively displace water from said second chamber means to define a gaseous environment encircling disconnected ends of said first and second pipeline sections contained within said second chamber means, and transfer gas from said second chamber means to said first and third chamber means and submerge said first and second seal means.

Claim 23

A method of laying a pipeline on a submerged location, said method comprising: at a submerged location, providing an enclosure means which is operable to define a gaseous environment; providing fluid communication between said gaseous environment of a water body surrounding said enclosure means; within said enclosure means, feeding one pipeline section toward another pipeline section and aligning ends of said pipeline section which are to be joined within said gaseous environment; forming a joint interconnecting said ends of said pipeline sections in said gaseous environment; and transporting said enclosure means operable to define said gaseous environment away from said joint toward an extremity of one of said pipeline sections which is to be joined to another pipeline section.

Claim 24

A method of laying a pipeline on a submerged location, said method comprising: at a submerged location, providing an enclosure means which is operable to define a gaseous environment; providing fluid communication between said gaseous environment of a water body surrounding said enclosure means; within said enclosure means, feeding one pipeline section toward another pipeline section and aligning ends of said pipeline section which are to be joined within said gaseous environment; forming a joint interconnecting said ends of said pipeline sections in said gaseous environment; and transporting said enclosure means operable to define said gaseous environment away from said joint toward an extremity of one of said pipeline sections which is to be joined to another pipeline section.