US3849997A — Submarine pipelines

Claim 1

Independent Claim 243 words

A submarine pipeline comprising: lengths of pipe preassembled on shore in end-to-end relationship; the pipeline having an overall positive buoyancy and having been propelled seaward from the shore as a continuous length for laying in a desired location relative to the sea bed; variable buoyancy pipeline support means on the pipeline including at least one buoyancy chamber having been connected to a barge and connected to the leading edge of the pipeline prior to positioning of the pipeline in relation to the sea bed; anchors on the support means and anchored to the sea bed according to the contour of the sea bed having been progressively applied thereto through the use of control means located on the barge for varying the buoyancy of the support means; the pipeline progressively in engagement with the anchors and being maintained clear of the sea bed by virtue of its buoyancy; the anchors imparting a negative buoyancy to the pipeline to locate the pipeline relative to the sea bed; each anchor including an anchor weight and rollers spaced above the anchor weight; the rollers engaging the pipeline whereby the latter can be propelled seawards past the applied anchors; each buoyancy chamber adapted to have its degree of buoyancy selectively varied for interconnection with controls of the control means; and the pipeline having been moved seaward through the provision of a continuous thrust against the supporting means by propelling means located on shore and connected to the pipeline.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 243 words

A submarine pipeline comprising: lengths of pipe preassembled on shore in end-to-end relationship; the pipeline having an overall positive buoyancy and having been propelled seaward from the shore as a continuous length for laying in a desired location relative to the sea bed; variable buoyancy pipeline support means on the pipeline including at least one buoyancy chamber having been connected to a barge and connected to the leading edge of the pipeline prior to positioning of the pipeline in relation to the sea bed; anchors on the support means and anchored to the sea bed according to the contour of the sea bed having been progressively applied thereto through the use of control means located on the barge for varying the buoyancy of the support means; the pipeline progressively in engagement with the anchors and being maintained clear of the sea bed by virtue of its buoyancy; the anchors imparting a negative buoyancy to the pipeline to locate the pipeline relative to the sea bed; each anchor including an anchor weight and rollers spaced above the anchor weight; the rollers engaging the pipeline whereby the latter can be propelled seawards past the applied anchors; each buoyancy chamber adapted to have its degree of buoyancy selectively varied for interconnection with controls of the control means; and the pipeline having been moved seaward through the provision of a continuous thrust against the supporting means by propelling means located on shore and connected to the pipeline.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 180 words

A submarine pipeline in accordance with claim 1, wherein the buoyancy chamber adapted for use in forming the pipeline includes a water compartment having openings therein, a sealed air-water compartment, a first bulkhead on one end of the water compartment, a second bulkhead sealing the other end of the water compartment from one end of the air-water compartment, a third bulkhead sealing the other end of the air-water compartment, a water pipE located in the air-water compartment and mounted in a port in the first bulkhead, the water pipe communicating with the water compartment, an air pipe connected at one end through the control means to a source of pressurized air supply on the barge and having its other end projecting through a port in the third bulkhead to the air-water compartment, the control means adapted for use in forming the pipeline including depth indicating means for the buoyancy chamber whereby the depth position of the buoyancy chamber relative to the sea bed is known and can be varied by pumping air into or exhausting air from the air-water compartment.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 72 words

A submarine pipeline in accordance with claim 1, wherein a plurality of the buoyancy chambers are secured in end-to-end relationship to pipe lengths forming individual airtight compartments, the airtight compartments being located between one end of a said air-water compartment of one said buoyancy chamber and one end of the water chamber of the next said buoyancy chamber, each said air-water compartment having an air tube and a water tube projecting thereinto.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 66 words

A submarine pipeline in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control means utilized for forming the pipeline includes a sealed manometer tube for each buoyancy chamber and a depth gauge therefor, and wherein the pressurized air supply is connected through a pressure regulator and control valves to atmosphere, and through said pressure regulator and control valves to each said manometer tube and to said buoyancy chamber.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 67 words

A submarine pipeline in accordance with claim 1, wherein the anchors each comprise a yoke having the rollers mounted thereon, said rollers engaging the pipeline substantially above the horizontal centerline of the pipeline, the yoke supporting an anchor weight at a desired depth therefrom, the anchors each being connected to a mooring cable fixed at one end on shore and adapted to be reeled from a barge.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 113 words

A submarine pipeline in accordance with claim 1, wherein the pipeline propelling means adapted for use in forming the pipeline includes a piston mounted in the last on-shore pipe length of the pipeline and a first tube connected at one end to and through the piston and having its other free end projecting out of said last pipe length, a second tube connectable to the free end of the first tube, a pair of spaced-apart stops, a conveyor for at least said last pipe length of the pipeline and for a new pipe to be joined to the last pipe length, and a source of pressurized air supply selectively connectable to the tubes.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 144 words

A method of forming and laying a submarine pipeline as a continuous operation, said method comprising the steps: joining lengths of pipe on-shore in end-to-end relationship and securing variable buoyancy pipe supporting means to the leading end of the leading pipe length; connecting said pipe supporting means to depth control means supported on a barge located off shore; varying the depth of the pipe supporting means by the control means and progressively applying anchors to said pipe supporting means; applying said anchors progressively to the sea bed in desired spaced relationship by a cable fixed at one end on-shore and wound from a reel on the barge; propelling the pipe supporting means and the pipeline seawards by propelling means located on-shore, said pipeline progressively engaging the applied anchors independent of any vertical movement of the barge due to the effect of waves or swell.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 144 words

A method of forming and laying a submarine pipeline as a continuous operation, said method comprising the steps: joining lengths of pipe on-shore in end-to-end relationship and securing variable buoyancy pipe supporting means to the leading end of the leading pipe length; connecting said pipe supporting means to depth control means supported on a barge located off shore; varying the depth of the pipe supporting means by the control means and progressively applying anchors to said pipe supporting means; applying said anchors progressively to the sea bed in desired spaced relationship by a cable fixed at one end on-shore and wound from a reel on the barge; propelling the pipe supporting means and the pipeline seawards by propelling means located on-shore, said pipeline progressively engaging the applied anchors independent of any vertical movement of the barge due to the effect of waves or swell.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 132 words

A method of forming and laying a submarine pipeline as a continuous operation, said method comprising the steps: joining lengths of pipe on shore in end to end relationship and securing variable buoyancy pipe supporting means to the leading end of the leading pipe length; connecting said pipe supporting means to depth control means supporting on a barge located off shore; varying the depth of the pipe supporting means by the control means and progressively applying anchors to said pIpe supporting means; applying said anchors progressively to the sea bed in desired spaced relationship by a cable fixed at one end on shore and wound from a reel on the barge; propelling the pipe supporting means and the pipeline seawards by propelling means located onshore, said pipeline progressively engaging the applied anchors.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 132 words

A method of forming and laying a submarine pipeline as a continuous operation, said method comprising the steps: joining lengths of pipe on shore in end to end relationship and securing variable buoyancy pipe supporting means to the leading end of the leading pipe length; connecting said pipe supporting means to depth control means supporting on a barge located off shore; varying the depth of the pipe supporting means by the control means and progressively applying anchors to said pIpe supporting means; applying said anchors progressively to the sea bed in desired spaced relationship by a cable fixed at one end on shore and wound from a reel on the barge; propelling the pipe supporting means and the pipeline seawards by propelling means located onshore, said pipeline progressively engaging the applied anchors.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 63 words

A method of forming and laying a submarine pipeline as claimed in claim 8, including the steps: welding a new pipe length to the end of the last pipe length of the formed pipeline; X-raying said weld; cutting out said weld if faulty and re-welding the pipe lengths; X-raying the re-weld; encasing the formed pipeline prior to said pipeline passing from the shore.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 34 words

A method of forming and laying a submarine pipeline as claimed in claim 9, including the step: regulating the speed of the moving pipeline to perform any of said operations claimed in claim 9.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-11-25	1978-05-27	1978-11-26	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-11-25	1982-05-27	1982-11-26	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-11-25	1986-05-27	1986-11-26	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Submarine pipelines

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