US3911690A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Offshore pipeline laying
Assignee: Brown and Root Inc
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Filing: 1974-07-26
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Granted: 1975-10-14
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Expires: 1994-07-26
Abstract
Abstract A pipeline assembly is laid from a vessel into a body of water by passing the pipeline through the water in a substantially vertical path for a substantial portion of its descending travel. Near the end of its descent, as it approaches contact with the bed of the body of water, the pipeline assumes a curved transition profile. The pipeline is formed initially on the vessel by connecting a plurality of rigid pipe sections in endto-end fashion, for relative pivotal movement. The pivotal connection between the pipe sections allows the pipeline to pass from a fore-to-aft feed path on the vessel into its substantially vertical descent path, and from the substantially vertical descent path into a curved transition profile, without the generation of unduly high stresses in the pipeline.
Inventors
- 👤 Bert E Gracia
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 23:05
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L27/00; F16L27/02; F16L27/04; F16L1/00; F16L1/12; F16L1/16; F16L1/161
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
357 words
A method for the offshore laying of pipeline supported at its upper end on a floating vessel and at its lower end on the bed of a body of water comprising the steps of: assembling individual rigid sections of pipe connected in endto-end fashion for relative pivotal movement on said floating vessel to define an articulated pipeline assembly on said vessel; said articulated pipeline assembly comprising rigid sections of pipe shorter in length than the depth of said body of water, and pivot joints interconnecting said lengths and operable to provide a plurality of pivoted, stress relieving joints in said assembly between said floating vessel and said bed of said water body when said assembLy is suspended therebetween; feeding said articulated pipeline assembly in a generally foreto-aft direction relative to said vessel toward a pipeline discharge zone of said vessel; guiding said articulated pipeline assembly at said discharge zone from its fore-to-aft direction of feed through a progressive direction changing zone into at least a substantially vertical path of descent in said body of water; said articulated pipeline assembly, when in said progressive direction changing zone, including plural rigid lengths and pivot joints articulated in a generally curved configuration extending generally tangentially downward into said substantially vertical path; said articulated pipeline assembly, when within said vertical path, being articulated and free of significant bending force acting thereon, with said rigid sections depending generally vertically downwardly from said pivot joint, being spaced from said bed of said body of water, and being substantially free of significant bending forces acting thereon; and applying restraining forces to the upper end of said articulated pipeline assembly while regulating the descent of said articulated pipeline assembly to maintain said pipeline assembly in its substantially vertical descent path during a substantial portion of its descent through said body of water prior to assuming a generally curved transitional profile as it approaches contact with the bed of the body of water; said articulated pipeline assembly, when within said generally curved transitional profile including plural rigid lengths and pivot joints articulated in a generally curved configuration extending generally tangentially downwardly from said substantially vertical path.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
357 words
A method for the offshore laying of pipeline supported at its upper end on a floating vessel and at its lower end on the bed of a body of water comprising the steps of: assembling individual rigid sections of pipe connected in endto-end fashion for relative pivotal movement on said floating vessel to define an articulated pipeline assembly on said vessel; said articulated pipeline assembly comprising rigid sections of pipe shorter in length than the depth of said body of water, and pivot joints interconnecting said lengths and operable to provide a plurality of pivoted, stress relieving joints in said assembly between said floating vessel and said bed of said water body when said assembLy is suspended therebetween; feeding said articulated pipeline assembly in a generally foreto-aft direction relative to said vessel toward a pipeline discharge zone of said vessel; guiding said articulated pipeline assembly at said discharge zone from its fore-to-aft direction of feed through a progressive direction changing zone into at least a substantially vertical path of descent in said body of water; said articulated pipeline assembly, when in said progressive direction changing zone, including plural rigid lengths and pivot joints articulated in a generally curved configuration extending generally tangentially downward into said substantially vertical path; said articulated pipeline assembly, when within said vertical path, being articulated and free of significant bending force acting thereon, with said rigid sections depending generally vertically downwardly from said pivot joint, being spaced from said bed of said body of water, and being substantially free of significant bending forces acting thereon; and applying restraining forces to the upper end of said articulated pipeline assembly while regulating the descent of said articulated pipeline assembly to maintain said pipeline assembly in its substantially vertical descent path during a substantial portion of its descent through said body of water prior to assuming a generally curved transitional profile as it approaches contact with the bed of the body of water; said articulated pipeline assembly, when within said generally curved transitional profile including plural rigid lengths and pivot joints articulated in a generally curved configuration extending generally tangentially downwardly from said substantially vertical path.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A mehtod according to claim 1 wherein said step of guiding said pipeline assembly comprises passing said pipeline assembly onto a movable endless support means attached to said vessel at said discharge zone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein said step of guiding said pipeline assembly further comprises passing said pipeline assembly onto a mutually inclined segment of said endless guide means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of guiding said pipeline assembly comprises passing said pipeline assembly onto the mutually inclined circumferential support segments of a rotatable guide wheel located at said discharge zone such that said wheel rotates as said pipeline is being payed out.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of guiding said pipeline assembly comprises passing said pipeline assembly onto the mutually inclined support flights of an endless conveyor belt located at said discharge zone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of attaching pipe sections for pivotal movement occurs after an initial section of the pipeline has been laid by directly welding together rigid pipe sections and paying-out such directly welded sections in generally sloping fashion from said vessel to said waterbed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
355 words
Apparatus for the offshore laying of pipeline comprising: a vessel floating on a body of water; pipeline means operable to extend between the vessel and the bed of said body of water; means on said vessel for connecting individual rigid sections of said pipeline means in end-to-end fashion for relative pivotal movement to define an articulated pipeline assembly on said vessel; said articulated pipeline assembly comprising rigid sections of pipe shorter in length than the depth of said body of water, and pivot joints interconnecting said lengths and operable to provide a plurality of pivoted, stress relieving joints in said assembly between said floating vessel and said bed of said water body when said assembly is suspended therebetween; means for feeding said articulated pipeline assembly in a generally fore-to-aft direction relative to said vessel toward a pipeline discharge zone of said vessel; means at said discharge zone for guidiNg said articulated pipeline assembly from its generally fore-to-aft feed path through a progressive direction changing zone into at least a substantially vertical path of descent in said body of water; said articulated pipeline assembly, when in said progressive direction changing zone, including plural rigid lengths and pivot joints articulated in a generally curved configuration extending generally tangentially downward into said substantially vertical path; said articulated pipeline assembly, when within said vertical path, being articulated and free of significant bending force acting thereon, with said rigid sections depending generally vertically downwardly from said pivot joint, being spaced from said bed of said body of water, and being substantially free of significant bending forces acting thereon; and means applying restraining forces to said articulated pipeline assembly to regulate the descent of said articulate pipeline assembly so as to maintain said pipeline assembly in its substantially vertical descent path during a substantial portion of its descent through said body of water prior to assuming a generally curved transition profile as it approaches contact with said waterbed; said articulated pipeline assembly, when within said generally curved transitional profile including plural rigid lengths and pivot joints articulated in a generally curved configuration extending generally tangentially downwardly from said substantially vertical path.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
355 words
Apparatus for the offshore laying of pipeline comprising: a vessel floating on a body of water; pipeline means operable to extend between the vessel and the bed of said body of water; means on said vessel for connecting individual rigid sections of said pipeline means in end-to-end fashion for relative pivotal movement to define an articulated pipeline assembly on said vessel; said articulated pipeline assembly comprising rigid sections of pipe shorter in length than the depth of said body of water, and pivot joints interconnecting said lengths and operable to provide a plurality of pivoted, stress relieving joints in said assembly between said floating vessel and said bed of said water body when said assembly is suspended therebetween; means for feeding said articulated pipeline assembly in a generally fore-to-aft direction relative to said vessel toward a pipeline discharge zone of said vessel; means at said discharge zone for guidiNg said articulated pipeline assembly from its generally fore-to-aft feed path through a progressive direction changing zone into at least a substantially vertical path of descent in said body of water; said articulated pipeline assembly, when in said progressive direction changing zone, including plural rigid lengths and pivot joints articulated in a generally curved configuration extending generally tangentially downward into said substantially vertical path; said articulated pipeline assembly, when within said vertical path, being articulated and free of significant bending force acting thereon, with said rigid sections depending generally vertically downwardly from said pivot joint, being spaced from said bed of said body of water, and being substantially free of significant bending forces acting thereon; and means applying restraining forces to said articulated pipeline assembly to regulate the descent of said articulate pipeline assembly so as to maintain said pipeline assembly in its substantially vertical descent path during a substantial portion of its descent through said body of water prior to assuming a generally curved transition profile as it approaches contact with said waterbed; said articulated pipeline assembly, when within said generally curved transitional profile including plural rigid lengths and pivot joints articulated in a generally curved configuration extending generally tangentially downwardly from said substantially vertical path.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said guiding means comprises a movable endless support means attached to said vessel at said discharge zone.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said support means includes mutually inclined support segments.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said guiding means comprises a rotatable wheel secured to said vessel at said discharge zone; said wheel including mutually inclined circumferential support segments.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said guiding means comprises an endless conveyor belt secured to said vessel at said discharge zone; said belt being arranged to define a plurality of mutually inclined support flights.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-10-13 | 1979-04-14 | 1979-10-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-10-13 | 1983-04-14 | 1983-10-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-10-13 | 1987-04-14 | 1987-10-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |