CA2527790C - Pipeline ballast and method of use - Google Patents
Pipeline ballast and method of use Download PDFInfo
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- CA2527790C CA2527790C CA 2527790 CA2527790A CA2527790C CA 2527790 C CA2527790 C CA 2527790C CA 2527790 CA2527790 CA 2527790 CA 2527790 A CA2527790 A CA 2527790A CA 2527790 C CA2527790 C CA 2527790C
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- pipeline
- ballast
- sacks
- tension
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16L1/00—Laying or reclaiming pipes; Repairing or joining pipes on or under water
- F16L1/024—Laying or reclaiming pipes on land, e.g. above the ground
- F16L1/06—Accessories therefor, e.g. anchors
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16L1/00—Laying or reclaiming pipes; Repairing or joining pipes on or under water
- F16L1/024—Laying or reclaiming pipes on land, e.g. above the ground
- F16L1/028—Laying or reclaiming pipes on land, e.g. above the ground in the ground
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Supports For Pipes And Cables (AREA)
Abstract
A pipeline ballast has at least two sacks adapted to straddle a pipeline. Permeable sacks filled with inert high density aggregate such as barite uses less dry weight of aggregate to restrain buoyancy. Preferably a top sack and two pairs of side sacks connected to either side of the top sack, which when cinched, conform to the pipeline. Preferably each side sack is a pair of sacks which are flexibly hinged for more efficient loading onto the pipeline and for better conforming to the pipeline when cinched. Preferably a one piece cinching strap has two loops spaced thereon hook and loop type fasteners at the loose ends for securing together once cinched. The cinching strap is wrapped about the pipeline ballast and the lifting loops are positioned low on either side of the pipeline and lifted tangentially away from each other before the loose ends of the strap are secured to each other.
Description
1 "PIPELINE BALLAST AND METHOD OF USE"
2
3 FIELD OF THE INVENTION
4 Embodiments of the invention relate to a system and method of installation of ballast to pipelines and more particularly to high density ballast 6 material, arrangement of sacks and strapping systems.
9 Pipelines are typically installed in subterranean trenches although even in-ground trenches can extend through geographical areas having little or 11 no foundational support. Pipelines, particularly those carrying gaseous products 12 can become buoyant in environments such as marshy areas and when under 13 water. Hydrostatic forces and resulting movement of pipelines can cause stress 14 and fatigue which can lead to catastrophic failure.
Typically in cold areas of the world pipelines are installed in winter 16 when such unconsolidated environments are frozen. A trench is formed and the 17 installed pipelines are weighted down with ballast of some sort including 18 concrete and clamp-on weights. Once the environment thaws, the pipeline and 19 weights become subject to hydrostatic forces and the intent is that the pipeline is restrained by the weights.
21 Most recently ballast is provided in a variety of sacks which avoid 22 damage to a pipeline's protective coatings. Examples of such technology 23 include Canadian Patent 2,277,523 by Jewell implementing a particular 24 strapping embodiment and Canadian Patent 2,076,006 to Connors introducing particular forms of pipeline ballasts using ballast sacks.
1 Use of sacks, while safer for coated pipelines, are bulky and 2 difficult to secure to the pipeline. Conventional sacks are filled with gravel or 3 sand. The specific gravity of gravel or sand, while substantial, still requires a 4 great volume for providing sufficient ballast. Connors deals with the strength and forces on the sacks with strengthening means and reinforcement means to 6 restrict deformation and control the shape of the sack about the pipeline.
Jewell 7 has addressed some difficulties in properly securing gravel-filled sacks to the 8 pipeline to minimize shifting.
9 Smaller pipelines can be installed into the trench with ballast already on them. The majority of pipeline ballast is strapped to the smaller 11 pipelines before entering the ditch or trench. The weights are loaded on the 12 pipeline and as the pipeline enters the trench on a steep angle the weights could 13 slide down the pipeline and out of position in these conditions.
14 There is the possibility for shifting of the ballast along or off of the pipeline due to a variety of scenarios including: inadequate securing of the 16 ballast thereto, frost heave, and possibly due to changes the buoyancy of the 17 pipeline 18 Larger pipelines are typically placed in the trench and ballast 19 added after the fact. The underside of the installed pipeline is then virtually inaccessible which complicates conventional strapping means for securing of 21 ballast.
22 Further, the sheer bulk of gravel compounds the aforementioned 23 securing difficulties and adds to the time and expense for large excavations to 24 accommodate the gravel ballast, the expense of a multiplicity of virtually continuous side-by-side placement along a pipeline, the labor expense to install 1 so many sacks and high shipping cost to transport so many sacks to the 2 installation point. Further, current sacks require the trench to be dug wide and 3 deep due to the bulk of the sacks and as large sacks over hang below the 4 bottom level of the pipeline.
Thus there continues to be a need for pipeline weights or ballast 6 which resists shifting during hydrostatic, frost heave, steep incline installation 7 conditions and other adverse conditions. The ballast is preferably readily and 8 consistently secured to large diameter pipeline and the configuration of the 9 pipeline ballast minimizes preparation and installation expense.
12 A pipeline ballast of ballast is now available which can be secured 13 to the pipeline and will not move in any direction due to hydraulic, frost heave or 14 other effects which can cause gradual movement. The weight can be used in water or swamp conditions as well when the freeze thaw cycle is not present.
16 River and ocean crossings are also applicable. In one embodiment, high density 17 and inert ballast is used to advantage in a pipeline ballast having at least two 18 sacks. The high density ballast results in multiplication of the savings in 19 restraining buoyancy, enabling a lighter initial dry weight of ballast and much smaller volumes that compared with the sand or gravel fill. Trench width is 21 significantly reduced with savings in labor and time. Use of barite avoids 22 leaching of heavy metals associated with other high density materials. In 23 another embodiment, a pipeline ballast is provided using a top ballast sack and 24 having two side sacks to either side of the top, middle sack and hang down on each side of the pipeline. When cinched, the side sacks conform to the pipeline.
1 Preferably each side sack is a pair of sacks which are flexibly hinged for more 2 efficient loading onto the pipeline and for better conforming to the pipeline when 3 cinched. In yet another embodiment, an improved strapping system is employed 4 to secure peripheral materials to cylindrical base structures such as pipeline ballast to pipelines. In one instance, a continuous, one piece cinching strap is 6 provided which has two tightening or lifting loops and hook and loop type 7 fasteners at the loose ends for securing together once cinched. The cinching 8 strap is wrapped about the pipeline ballast and the lifting loops are positioned 9 one on either side of pipeline, preferably positioned adjacent the bottom of the sack where maximum load can be taken and the majority of tension will be on 11 bottom of pipe to ensure maximum tightening. The system can be accomplished 12 without metal components which eliminates corrosions and risk of sack 13 breakdown.
14 Thus, in one broad aspect, a pipeline ballast is provided for a longitudinally-extending pipeline comprising: a first pair of side sacks being 16 flexibly connected longitudinally therebetween and having a top and a bottom; a 17 second pair of side sacks being flexibly connected longitudinally therebetween 18 and having a top and a bottom; aggregate ballast material for filling the first and 19 second pair of side sacks, the filled first and second pairs of side sacks being deformable; a flexible connector extending between the top of the first pair of 21 side sacks and the top of the second pair of side sacks and adapted to extend 22 over a top of the pipeline with first and second pairs of side sacks adapted to 23 straddle the pipeline; and one or more circumferential cinches adapted for 24 extending about the first and second pairs of side sacks for compressing the first and second pairs of side sacks radially inwardly to the pipeline.
1 In another aspect, a strap for cinching ballast about a pipeline 2 comprises: a circumferential and continuous strap having first and second lifting 3 loops; a tension portion extending between the first and second lifting loops and 4 having a length sufficient to extend about 1.5 times a circumference of the ballast when cinched about the pipeline; first and second loose ends connected 6 to either end of the tension strap portion and having a length sufficient to overlap 7 when the ballast is cinched about the pipeline; and cooperating fasteners fit to 8 the overlapping first and second loose ends to secure the tension strap portion 9 when cinched.
The pipeline ballast and cinching strap can be applied in a method 11 for strapping pipeline ballast to a longitudinally extending pipeline comprising:
12 providing at least two ballast sacks adapted for straddling the pipeline and being 13 flexibly connected over a top of the pipeline; providing one or more 14 circumferential cinches for spacing longitudinally along the ballast sacks, each having a tension portion, first and second lifting loops spaced apart along the 16 tension strap portion, and loose ends extending from either end of the tension 17 strap; wrapping each tension strap portion more than a circumference about the 18 pipeline ballast; positioning the first and second lifting loops of each cinch at 19 about opposing sides of the pipeline; lifting the lifting loops of each cinch to pull them tangentially away from each other to tighten the tension strap portion about 21 the ballast sacks, compressing the ballast sacks radially inwardly to the pipeline;
22 and securing the loose ends of each cinch together so as to retain tension in the 23 tension strap portion.
24 Use of an inert and high density ballast material results in a low volume pipeline ballast for securing to a longitudinally extending pipeline
9 Pipelines are typically installed in subterranean trenches although even in-ground trenches can extend through geographical areas having little or 11 no foundational support. Pipelines, particularly those carrying gaseous products 12 can become buoyant in environments such as marshy areas and when under 13 water. Hydrostatic forces and resulting movement of pipelines can cause stress 14 and fatigue which can lead to catastrophic failure.
Typically in cold areas of the world pipelines are installed in winter 16 when such unconsolidated environments are frozen. A trench is formed and the 17 installed pipelines are weighted down with ballast of some sort including 18 concrete and clamp-on weights. Once the environment thaws, the pipeline and 19 weights become subject to hydrostatic forces and the intent is that the pipeline is restrained by the weights.
21 Most recently ballast is provided in a variety of sacks which avoid 22 damage to a pipeline's protective coatings. Examples of such technology 23 include Canadian Patent 2,277,523 by Jewell implementing a particular 24 strapping embodiment and Canadian Patent 2,076,006 to Connors introducing particular forms of pipeline ballasts using ballast sacks.
1 Use of sacks, while safer for coated pipelines, are bulky and 2 difficult to secure to the pipeline. Conventional sacks are filled with gravel or 3 sand. The specific gravity of gravel or sand, while substantial, still requires a 4 great volume for providing sufficient ballast. Connors deals with the strength and forces on the sacks with strengthening means and reinforcement means to 6 restrict deformation and control the shape of the sack about the pipeline.
Jewell 7 has addressed some difficulties in properly securing gravel-filled sacks to the 8 pipeline to minimize shifting.
9 Smaller pipelines can be installed into the trench with ballast already on them. The majority of pipeline ballast is strapped to the smaller 11 pipelines before entering the ditch or trench. The weights are loaded on the 12 pipeline and as the pipeline enters the trench on a steep angle the weights could 13 slide down the pipeline and out of position in these conditions.
14 There is the possibility for shifting of the ballast along or off of the pipeline due to a variety of scenarios including: inadequate securing of the 16 ballast thereto, frost heave, and possibly due to changes the buoyancy of the 17 pipeline 18 Larger pipelines are typically placed in the trench and ballast 19 added after the fact. The underside of the installed pipeline is then virtually inaccessible which complicates conventional strapping means for securing of 21 ballast.
22 Further, the sheer bulk of gravel compounds the aforementioned 23 securing difficulties and adds to the time and expense for large excavations to 24 accommodate the gravel ballast, the expense of a multiplicity of virtually continuous side-by-side placement along a pipeline, the labor expense to install 1 so many sacks and high shipping cost to transport so many sacks to the 2 installation point. Further, current sacks require the trench to be dug wide and 3 deep due to the bulk of the sacks and as large sacks over hang below the 4 bottom level of the pipeline.
Thus there continues to be a need for pipeline weights or ballast 6 which resists shifting during hydrostatic, frost heave, steep incline installation 7 conditions and other adverse conditions. The ballast is preferably readily and 8 consistently secured to large diameter pipeline and the configuration of the 9 pipeline ballast minimizes preparation and installation expense.
12 A pipeline ballast of ballast is now available which can be secured 13 to the pipeline and will not move in any direction due to hydraulic, frost heave or 14 other effects which can cause gradual movement. The weight can be used in water or swamp conditions as well when the freeze thaw cycle is not present.
16 River and ocean crossings are also applicable. In one embodiment, high density 17 and inert ballast is used to advantage in a pipeline ballast having at least two 18 sacks. The high density ballast results in multiplication of the savings in 19 restraining buoyancy, enabling a lighter initial dry weight of ballast and much smaller volumes that compared with the sand or gravel fill. Trench width is 21 significantly reduced with savings in labor and time. Use of barite avoids 22 leaching of heavy metals associated with other high density materials. In 23 another embodiment, a pipeline ballast is provided using a top ballast sack and 24 having two side sacks to either side of the top, middle sack and hang down on each side of the pipeline. When cinched, the side sacks conform to the pipeline.
1 Preferably each side sack is a pair of sacks which are flexibly hinged for more 2 efficient loading onto the pipeline and for better conforming to the pipeline when 3 cinched. In yet another embodiment, an improved strapping system is employed 4 to secure peripheral materials to cylindrical base structures such as pipeline ballast to pipelines. In one instance, a continuous, one piece cinching strap is 6 provided which has two tightening or lifting loops and hook and loop type 7 fasteners at the loose ends for securing together once cinched. The cinching 8 strap is wrapped about the pipeline ballast and the lifting loops are positioned 9 one on either side of pipeline, preferably positioned adjacent the bottom of the sack where maximum load can be taken and the majority of tension will be on 11 bottom of pipe to ensure maximum tightening. The system can be accomplished 12 without metal components which eliminates corrosions and risk of sack 13 breakdown.
14 Thus, in one broad aspect, a pipeline ballast is provided for a longitudinally-extending pipeline comprising: a first pair of side sacks being 16 flexibly connected longitudinally therebetween and having a top and a bottom; a 17 second pair of side sacks being flexibly connected longitudinally therebetween 18 and having a top and a bottom; aggregate ballast material for filling the first and 19 second pair of side sacks, the filled first and second pairs of side sacks being deformable; a flexible connector extending between the top of the first pair of 21 side sacks and the top of the second pair of side sacks and adapted to extend 22 over a top of the pipeline with first and second pairs of side sacks adapted to 23 straddle the pipeline; and one or more circumferential cinches adapted for 24 extending about the first and second pairs of side sacks for compressing the first and second pairs of side sacks radially inwardly to the pipeline.
1 In another aspect, a strap for cinching ballast about a pipeline 2 comprises: a circumferential and continuous strap having first and second lifting 3 loops; a tension portion extending between the first and second lifting loops and 4 having a length sufficient to extend about 1.5 times a circumference of the ballast when cinched about the pipeline; first and second loose ends connected 6 to either end of the tension strap portion and having a length sufficient to overlap 7 when the ballast is cinched about the pipeline; and cooperating fasteners fit to 8 the overlapping first and second loose ends to secure the tension strap portion 9 when cinched.
The pipeline ballast and cinching strap can be applied in a method 11 for strapping pipeline ballast to a longitudinally extending pipeline comprising:
12 providing at least two ballast sacks adapted for straddling the pipeline and being 13 flexibly connected over a top of the pipeline; providing one or more 14 circumferential cinches for spacing longitudinally along the ballast sacks, each having a tension portion, first and second lifting loops spaced apart along the 16 tension strap portion, and loose ends extending from either end of the tension 17 strap; wrapping each tension strap portion more than a circumference about the 18 pipeline ballast; positioning the first and second lifting loops of each cinch at 19 about opposing sides of the pipeline; lifting the lifting loops of each cinch to pull them tangentially away from each other to tighten the tension strap portion about 21 the ballast sacks, compressing the ballast sacks radially inwardly to the pipeline;
22 and securing the loose ends of each cinch together so as to retain tension in the 23 tension strap portion.
24 Use of an inert and high density ballast material results in a low volume pipeline ballast for securing to a longitudinally extending pipeline
5 1 comprising: at least two sacks manufactured of permeable material; a flexible 2 connector between the at least two sacks and extending over a top of the 3 pipeline for hanging the at least two sacks on opposing sides of the pipeline; an 4 inert aggregate ballast material within the sacks, the ballast material having a density greater than that of sand or gravel; and one or more straps for
6 compressing the sacks radially inwardly to the pipeline.
2 Figure 1A is a schematic drawing illustrating installation of ballast 3 on a pipeline before insertion;
4 Figure 1 B is a schematic drawing of the installation of a typical smaller-diameter pipeline into a trench, illustrating installation of ballast on the 6 pipeline before insertion;
2 Figure 1A is a schematic drawing illustrating installation of ballast 3 on a pipeline before insertion;
4 Figure 1 B is a schematic drawing of the installation of a typical smaller-diameter pipeline into a trench, illustrating installation of ballast on the 6 pipeline before insertion;
7 Figure 2A illustrates one form of prior art sack installed to a
8 pipeline;
9 Figure 2B illustrates a high-density embodiment of one form of pipeline ballast invention installed to a smaller pipeline such as that of Fig. 2A
11 wherein the ballast sacks are substantially level with the bottom of the pipeline 12 and are thereby substantially supported with minimum stress to the pipeline;
13 Figure 2C illustrates a high-density embodiment of the current 14 invention installed to a larger pipeline wherein the bottom of the ballast sacks are substantially level with the bottom of the pipeline and are thereby substantially 16 supported with minimum stress to the pipeline. A prior art sack profile is also 17 illustrated for comparison;
18 Figure 3A illustrates one embodiment of a high density sack in 19 cross-section before and after cinching to a pipeline;
Figure 3B illustrates another embodiment of the high density sack, 21 shown in cross-section before and after cinching to a pipeline, the sack having a 22 flex point or hinge;
23 Figure 4A illustrates the relative sizes of ballast sacks, using high 24 density barite and with sand, fit to a pipeline 26" in diameter;
1 Figure 4B illustrates relative sizes of ballast sacks fit to various 2 sizes of pipelines ranging from 4 inch to 24 " in diameter, illustrating the smaller 3 high density barite ballast compared to larger sand ballast;
4 Figure 4C illustrates relative sizes of ballast sacks fit to various sizes of pipelines ranging from 26 inch to 42 " in diameter, illustrating the smaller 6 barite ballast compared to larger sand ballast;
7 Figure 5 is a layout of the sack materials of an embodiment of the 8 invention;
9 Figure 6 is an exploded and partial cross section of the lifting ports of the pipeline ballast according to Fig. 5;
11 Figure 7 is a perspective view of the pipeline ballast according to 12 Fig. 8 ready for filling with ballast;
13 Figures 8A - 8D are sequential views of the filling, closing, sealing 14 and securing of the sacks of Fig. C respectively;
Figures 9A - 9F are cross-sectional and schematic sequential 16 views of pipeline ballast being installed to pipeline. More particularly in Figs. 9A
17 and 9B, the pipeline ballast is lowered and placed on the pipeline, respectively.
18 In Figs. 9C and 9D, the cinching strap is arranged and pulled to cinch the 19 pipeline ballast respectively. In Figs. 9D and 9E, the strap is secured and all lifting chains removed respectively;
21 Figure 10 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a cinching 22 strap;
23 Figure 11 is a perspective view of the cinching strap of Fig. 10, 24 wrapped about a pipeline ballast (not shown for better illustrating the strap);
Figures 12A - 12F are perspective sequential views of a backhoe placing a pipeline ballast on a pipeline.
2 As shown in Figs. 1A and 1B, pipeline ballasts 10 having ballast 3 sacks 13 may be installed on the pipeline 11 before lowering into a trench 12 in 4 the ground. Although the context of the description is with respect to pipes and pipelines, the terms are to be equally applicable to cylindrical member and 6 tubular conduits generally.
7 In one embodiment, high density aggregate ballast material "B" can 8 be used in the ballast sacks 13, such as barite (barium sulphate BaS04) 9 aggregate rather than the conventional use of sand or gravel "S". Barite is inert and does not leach toxic compounds which is important in wet conditions.
11 Aggregate has voids between the particles which contain air which later is 12 displaced by water in wet ground conditions in a trench. The higher density 13 ballast reduces ballast sack spacing and reduces the cross-sectional profile for 14 reducing trench size. Labor and overall cost is reduced. In some circumstances prior art sacks, using conventional aggregate ballast, may not even meet 16 maximum spacing requirements. For example, pipeline ballasts of the current 17 high density embodiment may only require about '/2 as many weights as would 18 be required using the prior art sand or gravel filled sacks on a sack-per-lineal unit 19 of pipeline length comparison basis.
In this embodiment, the use of higher density materials as ballast in 21 the sacks brings unexpected advantages. For instance, barite has a particle 22 density about twice that of conventional aggregate (S.G. of 4.2 - 4.4 versus 2.3-23 2.8). Further, because the ballast material is provided in crushed form, with 24 voidage, the bulk density is even lower. Buoyancy is a function of its displacement of fluid and a higher density material having lesser displacement 1 obtains a compounding weighting effect when immersed in fluid. From 2 Archimedes' principle, when an object is partially or fully submerged, the buoyant 3 force, or apparent loss in weight, is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced.
4 Barite ballast is more dense and displaces less fluid when submerged, resulting in a compounding of the residual weighting effect on the pipeline. Further, barite 6 has a Mohr's hardness of between 3 and 3.5 which permits some crushing of 7 sharp angular corners with reduced sack damage when cinched and may also 8 favorably eliminates any sharp pressure points at the pipeline/sack contact which 9 can cause corrosion of pipeline over time.
11 EXAMPLE - 30 inch pipe with Barite and Sand Pipeline Ballast:
13 The following is to demonstrate the difference between high density Barite and 14 Sand when used as a buoyancy restraining device.
16 Formulas used:
18 Bp = Vp*K*wlo 19 Bp = buoyancy of pipe Ib/ft, K = Environmental multiplier 21 wlo = specific weight liquid outside pipe Ib/ft3 23 Bn = wp+(Vb*wli) 24 Bn = negative buoyancy Ib/ft wp = pipe weight Ib/ft 26 wli = specific weight of liquid inside pipe 28 Wbd = (L*Wbs*wb) / (wb-(K*wlo)) 29 Wbd = weight of dry ballast Ib L = ballast spacing, wb=specific weight of ballast material Ib/ft3 32 Vp = (pi*D~2) / (576) 33 Vp = displaced volume of pipe ft3/ft 34 D = pipe O.D, 36 Vb = (pi*d~2) / 576 37 Vb = pipe bore volume ft3/ft 38 d = pipe LD
1 Wbs = Bp-Bn 2 Wbs = weight of submerged ballast Ib/ft 4 Ref: KWH PIPE engineering formula for ballast design for driscoplex OD
controlled pipe, 03/2002.
7 Assumptions:
8 ~ Determine weight required for 15 foot ballast spacing.
9 ~ 30" pipe, I.D. 29.375"
~ weight of pipe wt = 196.08 Ib/ft 11 ~ Liquid inside pipe = air +-0.08 12 ~ L = 15' 13 ~ Dry Bulk Density (wb) of Sand = 143.52 Ib/ft3 14 ~ Dry Bulk Density Barite = 262.08 Ib/ft3 ~ K environmental factor = 1.04 16 ~ Muddy trench water out side of pipe = 71.76 Ib/ft3 versus 62.3 for Iblft3 for 17 water 19 Calculation for Barite Pipe Weight in muddy trench water ( 71.76 Ib/ft3) 21 1. Determine the volume of liquid displaced and the buoyancy per lineal foot 22 of pipe.
24 Vp=(pi*D~2)/(576), Bp=Vp*K*wlo Vp = (Pi(30)~2)/576 = 4.9087 ft3/ft 26 Bp = (4.9087 ft3lft)(1.04)(71.761b/ft3)= 366.34 Ib/ft 28 2. Determine the negative buoyancy.
Vb=(pi*d~2)/576, Bn=wp+(Vb*wli) 31 Vb = 4.9087 ft3/ft 32 Bn = (196.08 Ib/ft) + (4.9087 ft3/ft * 0.08) = 196.47 Ib/ft 34 3. Determine weight of submerged ballast.
36 Wbs = Bp - Bn 37 Wbs = 366.34 Ib/ft - 196.47 Iblft = 169.87 Ib/ft 39 4. Determine the wt of dry ballast 41 Wbd=(L*Wbs*wb)/(wb-(K*wlo)) 42 Wbd=(15*169.87 *262.08)/(262.08-(1.04*71.76)= 3562.5 Ibs 44 The permeable Barite pipeline ballast will weigh 3562.5 Ibs. (Versus 5309 Ibs for sand as shown below) 47 The total volume required for 3562.5 Ibs. V = Wbd/wb 48 Volume = 3562.5 Ibs I 262.08 Ib/ft3 = 13.59 ft3 1 Calculation for Sand Pipe Weight in muddy trench water (71.76 Ib/ft3) 3 1. Determine the volume of liquid displaced and the buoyancy per lineal foot 4 of pipe.
6 Vp=(pi*D~2)/(576), Bp=Vp*K*wlo 7 Vp = (Pi(30)~2)/576 = 4.9087 ft3/ft 8 Bp = (4.9087 ft3/ft)(1.04)(71.761b/ft3)= 366.34 Ib/ft 2. Determine the negative buoyancy.
12 Vb=(pi*d~2)/576, Bn=wp+(Vb*wli) 13 Vb = 4.9087 ft3/ft 14 Bn = (196.08 Ib/ft) + (4.9087 ft3/ft * 0.08) = 196.47 Ib/ft 16 3. Determine weight of submerged ballast.
18 Wbs = Bp - Bn 19 Wbs = 366.34 Ib/ft - 196.47 Ib/ft = 169.87 Ib/ft 21 4. Determine the wt of dry ballast 23 Wbd=(L*Wbs*wb)/(wb-(K*wlo)) 24 Wbd=(15*169.87 *143.52)/(143.52-(1.04*71.76)= 5308 Ibs (Versus 3562.5 Ibs for barite) 26 The permeable Sand pipeline ballast will weigh 5308 Ibs.
28 The total volume required V = Wbd/wb 29 Volume = 53081bs / 143.52 = 36.98ft3 2 The weight of Barite required would be 3563 Ibs and the weight of 3 Sand required would be 5308 Ibs. Thus the Barite weights are only 70%
4 of the sand weight (the equivalent sand sacks weigh 50% more) so as to achieve the same effect. Even more dramatic is the volume of Barite 6 required of 13.59 ft3 compared to the volume of Sand required of 36.98 ft3.
7 The Barite weights would be only about 40% of the volume required using 8 sand (the equivalent sand sacks consume 170% more volume).
Effect of trench liquid density 12 The difference in size and weight between Sand and Barite pipeline 13 ballasts increases as the density of the trench fluid increases. The 14 calculation above assumed a muddy slurry with a density increase to 71.76 Ib/ft3 versus a water density of 62.3 Ib/ft3 .
17 When the trench contains a slurry (which is characteristic of most wet 18 trench environments), the weight requirements would be increased 19 substantially over that needed for water due to the higher density of the slurry, which further increases the advantage for using barite.
22 In water, the permeable Barite pipeline ballast would weigh 2423 Ibs.
23 As shown above, in a common trench slurry, the barite required would be 24 3563 Ibs. which is nearly an additional 50% of extra weight. For sand weights in water, the pipeline ballast would weigh 3325 Ibs. Again, for a 26 trench slurry, the sand pipeline ballast would weigh 5308 Ibs. which is an 27 additional weight of nearly 60%.
29 The comparison of volume savings would be even more dramatic.
When pipeline ballast is in water or slurry, sand sacks consumes 36.98 ft3 31 and Barite sacks consume 13.59 ft3 respectively for a ratio of 2.72. The 32 sand sacks would be 2.72 times larger than the Barite sack and would 33 weigh (5308 Ibs / 3563 Ibs = 1.49) 1.49 times or 50% heavier.
Further, to minimize the size of the trench required, the ideal pipeline 36 ballast sack should not be resting below the bottom of the pipeline.
37 Therefore, it follows that the entire 2.72 times the volume of sand should 38 be placed laterally in the trench resulting in a tremendous increase in the 39 volume of dirt that has to be removed from the trench to facilitate the larger sand pipeline sacks.
42 In addition, the number of sacks that would be required per unit length 43 of pipeline would be reduced dramatically when using the barite filled 44 pipeline sack weight.
46 The combination of these two factors results in dramatic cost saving 47 for the pipeline project.
1 Over and above the greater weight that can be applied, a much 2 smaller sack volume results which leads to advantages including smaller 3 trenches and thus less material handling and less expense. In the case of large 4 diameter pipelines, it is convention to prepare a trench to allow for 12 inches space on either side of the pipe with periodic cross-ditches where the pipeline 6 ballasts will be placed. Use of the smaller sacks of the present invention will fit 7 in the pipeline trench and can eliminate the added labor involved with this prior 8 art cross-ditching.
9 Further, for example in one possible scenario, using higher density ballast B, a 50" (12+26+12) wide trench 12 could accommodate a large diameter 11 pipeline 11 of about 26" pipe. For use with conventional gravel or sand S
12 pipeline ballasts, typically a wider and deeper wide trench 12 (which could be in 13 the order of 96"(35+26+35) wide) would need to be excavated with all the 14 associated additional cost. Of course trench sizes vary with different pipelines 11 and would vary with different ground conditions.
16 With reference to prior art Fig. 2A and compared to embodiments 17 of the present pipeline ballasts 10 having high density ballast of Fig. 2B
and 2C, 18 one can see that sacks 13 containing lower density ballast such as sand S
are 19 larger and have a wider and deeper profile as they rest on the bottom of the trench 12. When the environment softens, or thaws, the pipeline 11 may still 21 have some movement as the ballasts 10 shift on the pipeline 11. Thus, smaller 22 higher-density sacks 13 can provide greater conformity to the pipeline 11 23 resulting in easier handling during installation and less shifting of the ballast 10 in 24 use. More preferably hinged-style sacks 13, as discussed in more below, further 1 improve conformity to the shape of the pipeline 11 and facilitate ease of loading 2 onto the pipeline 3 The smaller sacks 13 are positioned adjacent the bottom level of 4 the pipeline 11 which allows the ground to support some of the weight of the sack 13 and not the pipeline 11. The bottom of the ballasts 10 are at the same 6 level as the bottom of the pipeline 11 which allows for the ballast 10 to snug up 7 around the pipeline 11 and be cinched radially inwardly and tight thereto while 8 still having the ground take some of the weight of the pipeline 11 and the weight 9 of the sacks 13. However, when the pipeline 11 is filled with gas or liquids, the full weight of the pipeline sacks 13 are immediately applied around the pipeline 11 11 due to the snug nature of the tightening device.
12 Permeable sacks 13 assist in enabling low density air to be 13 displaced by higher density liquids, such as mud, when submerged.
14 With reference to Figs. 2B and 2C, a ballast implementation of a high-density embodiment of the current high density embodiment is shown for a 16 30 inch pipeline 11 in contrast with the required equivalent volume using a 17 conventional prior art sack profile filled with gravel or sand S.
18 With reference to Fig. 3A and 3B, optionally, the sacks 13 of Fig.
19 3A may be replaced with a pair of sacks 14 having one or more intermediate seams forming flex-points or hinges for greater flexibility and conformance to the 21 pipeline 11.
22 As in the earlier embodiment, pairs of ballast sacks 14 are joined 23 with a connecting web which extends over a top of the pipeline 11 to hang the at 24 least two sacks on opposing sides of the pipeline 11. The pairs of ballast sacks 1 14 can be suspended and lowered onto the pipeline 11 from lifting straps or one 2 or more loops.
3 Fig. 4A illustrates one generic embodiment of high density barite 4 ballast sacks 13 applied to a 26" diameter pipeline 11. As shown, this conventional style of sack 13 is illustrated with the high density barite fill B at 268 6 Ib/ft3 (8,698 Ibs, for both sides combined) with an overall width of about 7 inches and compared with a sack filled with prior art sandlgravel S at 160 Ib/ft3 8 (12,101 Ibs, for both sides combined) with an overall width of 64 inches.
The 9 typical length of pipeline ballast sacks 13 according to one embodiment of the invention is 15 feet long and spaced every 30 feet center to center. Shorter 11 pipeline ballasts 10 would be spaced more frequently. As shown, the barite 12 sacks 13 required 3403 Ibs. less weight than sand/gravel sack and requires 2.72 13 times less volume than the sand/gravel sack. In fact, sand ballast S would have 14 to be substantially continuous along the pipeline 11 to result in the demonstrated profile. If sand ballast S were spaced at 30 foot intervals, the profile would be 16 about twice as large as the large profile already represented in the drawing.
17 Figs. 4B and 4C illustrate relative sizes of ballast sacks 13 of 18 similar design (both high density barite and sand) fit to various sizes of pipelines 19 11 ranging from 4 inch to 42" inch diameter.
Other embodiments, using the hinged-style of embodiment are 21 typically 7 feet long for ease of handling.
22 With reference to Figs. 5 - 12F, in another embodiment, an 23 improved pipeline ballast is provided in the form of an improved arrangement of 24 sacks 13 cinched to the pipeline 11. Further, preferably a circumferential cinch in the form of a unique and unitary cinching strap 50 is used which simplifies 1 handling and ensures a secure grip to the pipeline 11. The cinching strap 50 is 2 arranged to extend about the circumference of the pipeline 11 and spaced 3 radially outward and about the sacks 13. When cinched, the cinching strap 50 4 draws radially inwardly and compresses the sacks 13 to the pipeline 11. The aggregate can shift within the sack 13 to conform to the pipeline 11.
6 With reference to Fig. 5, in one embodiment, the improved sacks 7 13 comprise a permeable material such as geotextile material 30 formed into a 8 plurality of discrete sacks 13. Each sack 13 is connected to an adjacent sack 13 9 by flex-points or hinges 31. Two layers of textile 30 are joined, such as by sewing together, along substantially parallel and longitudinally-extending seams 11 32 forming sacks 13 therebetween. The longitudinal seams 32 extend 12 substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pipeline 11 and form the hinges 13 31. The seams 32 are reinforced to resist tearing.
14 As shown in Fig. 5, a flat layout of an overlying layer of a geotextile pipeline ballast 10 is shown sewn along a plurality of parallel seams 32 to an 16 underlying layer (not shown). As a result of the partitioning by the parallel seams 17 32, five discrete sacks 13 are shown as formed betuveen the left and right or first 18 and second lateral and longitudinally-extending peripheries 33. Four 19 intermediate seams 32 form five sacks 13 between the left and right lateral peripheries 33 which ultimately form opposing bottom edges in operation. The 21 middle sack 13m forms the top sack, and the four remaining sacks 13 form first 22 and second pairs of side sacks 14, two sacks 13,13 on each side of the pipeline 23 11. A first end 34 of the overlying and underlying layers 30o,30u is joined to 24 close one end of the five sacks 13 and a second end 35 is open to enable filling of the sacks 13.
1 The middle sack 13m is bracketed by seams 32 characterized by 2 stronger reinforcing, particularly about two or more lifting strap ports 36.
Three 3 ports are shown along each bracket seam 32. Lifting straps 37 (Fig. 6) can be 4 passed through the ports 36 to support the underside of the middle sack 13m and thus support the entire pipeline ballast 10 for manipulation.
6 With reference to Fig. 6, the lifting strap ports 36 are formed by 7 holes formed through the geotextile 30, and the seams 32 about the holes are 8 reinforced by sandwiching material about the hole between narrow webbings 38 9 extending along the longitudinal seam 32 and which can be discontinuous at the hole. A further reinforcement 39, such as woven strap material, which is wider 11 than the hole, overlies the webbings 38, sandwiching the webbings 38 and the 12 geotextiles 30o,30u therebetween. The lifting strap 37 can pass directly through 13 the port 36. This reinforcing 38,39 provides extra strength when lifting and 14 handling and prevents tearing along high stress points.
With reference to Fig. 7, the over and underlying layers 30o,30u 16 form pockets 40 into which ballast can be filled or placed. The two lateral 17 peripheries 33 and the first closed end 34 are shown already closed by joining, 18 such as by folding, a continuous sheet of geotextile 30 or otherwise by sealing 19 open edges such as by sewing.
The five chamber pipeline ballast can be supported in a frame with 21 the second open end 35 oriented upwardly for filling (not shown).
22 With reference to Fig. 8A - 8D, the sacks are filled (Fig. 8A). At 23 Fig. 8B, the second open filling end 35 is closed and sealed such as by sewing 24 (Fig. 8C). At Fig. 8D, to strengthen the seamed filling end 35,35, ropes 41 can 1 be passed across the second end 35 and through opposing loops 42 and drawn 2 tight to minimize the stress on the second and now sealed filling end 35,35.
3 With reference to Figs. 9A and 9B, the pipeline ballast 10 is 4 suspended by one or more lifting straps 37 supporting the middle sack 13m and lowered over the pipeline 11. Typically, each lifting strap 37 is rated for
11 wherein the ballast sacks are substantially level with the bottom of the pipeline 12 and are thereby substantially supported with minimum stress to the pipeline;
13 Figure 2C illustrates a high-density embodiment of the current 14 invention installed to a larger pipeline wherein the bottom of the ballast sacks are substantially level with the bottom of the pipeline and are thereby substantially 16 supported with minimum stress to the pipeline. A prior art sack profile is also 17 illustrated for comparison;
18 Figure 3A illustrates one embodiment of a high density sack in 19 cross-section before and after cinching to a pipeline;
Figure 3B illustrates another embodiment of the high density sack, 21 shown in cross-section before and after cinching to a pipeline, the sack having a 22 flex point or hinge;
23 Figure 4A illustrates the relative sizes of ballast sacks, using high 24 density barite and with sand, fit to a pipeline 26" in diameter;
1 Figure 4B illustrates relative sizes of ballast sacks fit to various 2 sizes of pipelines ranging from 4 inch to 24 " in diameter, illustrating the smaller 3 high density barite ballast compared to larger sand ballast;
4 Figure 4C illustrates relative sizes of ballast sacks fit to various sizes of pipelines ranging from 26 inch to 42 " in diameter, illustrating the smaller 6 barite ballast compared to larger sand ballast;
7 Figure 5 is a layout of the sack materials of an embodiment of the 8 invention;
9 Figure 6 is an exploded and partial cross section of the lifting ports of the pipeline ballast according to Fig. 5;
11 Figure 7 is a perspective view of the pipeline ballast according to 12 Fig. 8 ready for filling with ballast;
13 Figures 8A - 8D are sequential views of the filling, closing, sealing 14 and securing of the sacks of Fig. C respectively;
Figures 9A - 9F are cross-sectional and schematic sequential 16 views of pipeline ballast being installed to pipeline. More particularly in Figs. 9A
17 and 9B, the pipeline ballast is lowered and placed on the pipeline, respectively.
18 In Figs. 9C and 9D, the cinching strap is arranged and pulled to cinch the 19 pipeline ballast respectively. In Figs. 9D and 9E, the strap is secured and all lifting chains removed respectively;
21 Figure 10 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a cinching 22 strap;
23 Figure 11 is a perspective view of the cinching strap of Fig. 10, 24 wrapped about a pipeline ballast (not shown for better illustrating the strap);
Figures 12A - 12F are perspective sequential views of a backhoe placing a pipeline ballast on a pipeline.
2 As shown in Figs. 1A and 1B, pipeline ballasts 10 having ballast 3 sacks 13 may be installed on the pipeline 11 before lowering into a trench 12 in 4 the ground. Although the context of the description is with respect to pipes and pipelines, the terms are to be equally applicable to cylindrical member and 6 tubular conduits generally.
7 In one embodiment, high density aggregate ballast material "B" can 8 be used in the ballast sacks 13, such as barite (barium sulphate BaS04) 9 aggregate rather than the conventional use of sand or gravel "S". Barite is inert and does not leach toxic compounds which is important in wet conditions.
11 Aggregate has voids between the particles which contain air which later is 12 displaced by water in wet ground conditions in a trench. The higher density 13 ballast reduces ballast sack spacing and reduces the cross-sectional profile for 14 reducing trench size. Labor and overall cost is reduced. In some circumstances prior art sacks, using conventional aggregate ballast, may not even meet 16 maximum spacing requirements. For example, pipeline ballasts of the current 17 high density embodiment may only require about '/2 as many weights as would 18 be required using the prior art sand or gravel filled sacks on a sack-per-lineal unit 19 of pipeline length comparison basis.
In this embodiment, the use of higher density materials as ballast in 21 the sacks brings unexpected advantages. For instance, barite has a particle 22 density about twice that of conventional aggregate (S.G. of 4.2 - 4.4 versus 2.3-23 2.8). Further, because the ballast material is provided in crushed form, with 24 voidage, the bulk density is even lower. Buoyancy is a function of its displacement of fluid and a higher density material having lesser displacement 1 obtains a compounding weighting effect when immersed in fluid. From 2 Archimedes' principle, when an object is partially or fully submerged, the buoyant 3 force, or apparent loss in weight, is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced.
4 Barite ballast is more dense and displaces less fluid when submerged, resulting in a compounding of the residual weighting effect on the pipeline. Further, barite 6 has a Mohr's hardness of between 3 and 3.5 which permits some crushing of 7 sharp angular corners with reduced sack damage when cinched and may also 8 favorably eliminates any sharp pressure points at the pipeline/sack contact which 9 can cause corrosion of pipeline over time.
11 EXAMPLE - 30 inch pipe with Barite and Sand Pipeline Ballast:
13 The following is to demonstrate the difference between high density Barite and 14 Sand when used as a buoyancy restraining device.
16 Formulas used:
18 Bp = Vp*K*wlo 19 Bp = buoyancy of pipe Ib/ft, K = Environmental multiplier 21 wlo = specific weight liquid outside pipe Ib/ft3 23 Bn = wp+(Vb*wli) 24 Bn = negative buoyancy Ib/ft wp = pipe weight Ib/ft 26 wli = specific weight of liquid inside pipe 28 Wbd = (L*Wbs*wb) / (wb-(K*wlo)) 29 Wbd = weight of dry ballast Ib L = ballast spacing, wb=specific weight of ballast material Ib/ft3 32 Vp = (pi*D~2) / (576) 33 Vp = displaced volume of pipe ft3/ft 34 D = pipe O.D, 36 Vb = (pi*d~2) / 576 37 Vb = pipe bore volume ft3/ft 38 d = pipe LD
1 Wbs = Bp-Bn 2 Wbs = weight of submerged ballast Ib/ft 4 Ref: KWH PIPE engineering formula for ballast design for driscoplex OD
controlled pipe, 03/2002.
7 Assumptions:
8 ~ Determine weight required for 15 foot ballast spacing.
9 ~ 30" pipe, I.D. 29.375"
~ weight of pipe wt = 196.08 Ib/ft 11 ~ Liquid inside pipe = air +-0.08 12 ~ L = 15' 13 ~ Dry Bulk Density (wb) of Sand = 143.52 Ib/ft3 14 ~ Dry Bulk Density Barite = 262.08 Ib/ft3 ~ K environmental factor = 1.04 16 ~ Muddy trench water out side of pipe = 71.76 Ib/ft3 versus 62.3 for Iblft3 for 17 water 19 Calculation for Barite Pipe Weight in muddy trench water ( 71.76 Ib/ft3) 21 1. Determine the volume of liquid displaced and the buoyancy per lineal foot 22 of pipe.
24 Vp=(pi*D~2)/(576), Bp=Vp*K*wlo Vp = (Pi(30)~2)/576 = 4.9087 ft3/ft 26 Bp = (4.9087 ft3lft)(1.04)(71.761b/ft3)= 366.34 Ib/ft 28 2. Determine the negative buoyancy.
Vb=(pi*d~2)/576, Bn=wp+(Vb*wli) 31 Vb = 4.9087 ft3/ft 32 Bn = (196.08 Ib/ft) + (4.9087 ft3/ft * 0.08) = 196.47 Ib/ft 34 3. Determine weight of submerged ballast.
36 Wbs = Bp - Bn 37 Wbs = 366.34 Ib/ft - 196.47 Iblft = 169.87 Ib/ft 39 4. Determine the wt of dry ballast 41 Wbd=(L*Wbs*wb)/(wb-(K*wlo)) 42 Wbd=(15*169.87 *262.08)/(262.08-(1.04*71.76)= 3562.5 Ibs 44 The permeable Barite pipeline ballast will weigh 3562.5 Ibs. (Versus 5309 Ibs for sand as shown below) 47 The total volume required for 3562.5 Ibs. V = Wbd/wb 48 Volume = 3562.5 Ibs I 262.08 Ib/ft3 = 13.59 ft3 1 Calculation for Sand Pipe Weight in muddy trench water (71.76 Ib/ft3) 3 1. Determine the volume of liquid displaced and the buoyancy per lineal foot 4 of pipe.
6 Vp=(pi*D~2)/(576), Bp=Vp*K*wlo 7 Vp = (Pi(30)~2)/576 = 4.9087 ft3/ft 8 Bp = (4.9087 ft3/ft)(1.04)(71.761b/ft3)= 366.34 Ib/ft 2. Determine the negative buoyancy.
12 Vb=(pi*d~2)/576, Bn=wp+(Vb*wli) 13 Vb = 4.9087 ft3/ft 14 Bn = (196.08 Ib/ft) + (4.9087 ft3/ft * 0.08) = 196.47 Ib/ft 16 3. Determine weight of submerged ballast.
18 Wbs = Bp - Bn 19 Wbs = 366.34 Ib/ft - 196.47 Ib/ft = 169.87 Ib/ft 21 4. Determine the wt of dry ballast 23 Wbd=(L*Wbs*wb)/(wb-(K*wlo)) 24 Wbd=(15*169.87 *143.52)/(143.52-(1.04*71.76)= 5308 Ibs (Versus 3562.5 Ibs for barite) 26 The permeable Sand pipeline ballast will weigh 5308 Ibs.
28 The total volume required V = Wbd/wb 29 Volume = 53081bs / 143.52 = 36.98ft3 2 The weight of Barite required would be 3563 Ibs and the weight of 3 Sand required would be 5308 Ibs. Thus the Barite weights are only 70%
4 of the sand weight (the equivalent sand sacks weigh 50% more) so as to achieve the same effect. Even more dramatic is the volume of Barite 6 required of 13.59 ft3 compared to the volume of Sand required of 36.98 ft3.
7 The Barite weights would be only about 40% of the volume required using 8 sand (the equivalent sand sacks consume 170% more volume).
Effect of trench liquid density 12 The difference in size and weight between Sand and Barite pipeline 13 ballasts increases as the density of the trench fluid increases. The 14 calculation above assumed a muddy slurry with a density increase to 71.76 Ib/ft3 versus a water density of 62.3 Ib/ft3 .
17 When the trench contains a slurry (which is characteristic of most wet 18 trench environments), the weight requirements would be increased 19 substantially over that needed for water due to the higher density of the slurry, which further increases the advantage for using barite.
22 In water, the permeable Barite pipeline ballast would weigh 2423 Ibs.
23 As shown above, in a common trench slurry, the barite required would be 24 3563 Ibs. which is nearly an additional 50% of extra weight. For sand weights in water, the pipeline ballast would weigh 3325 Ibs. Again, for a 26 trench slurry, the sand pipeline ballast would weigh 5308 Ibs. which is an 27 additional weight of nearly 60%.
29 The comparison of volume savings would be even more dramatic.
When pipeline ballast is in water or slurry, sand sacks consumes 36.98 ft3 31 and Barite sacks consume 13.59 ft3 respectively for a ratio of 2.72. The 32 sand sacks would be 2.72 times larger than the Barite sack and would 33 weigh (5308 Ibs / 3563 Ibs = 1.49) 1.49 times or 50% heavier.
Further, to minimize the size of the trench required, the ideal pipeline 36 ballast sack should not be resting below the bottom of the pipeline.
37 Therefore, it follows that the entire 2.72 times the volume of sand should 38 be placed laterally in the trench resulting in a tremendous increase in the 39 volume of dirt that has to be removed from the trench to facilitate the larger sand pipeline sacks.
42 In addition, the number of sacks that would be required per unit length 43 of pipeline would be reduced dramatically when using the barite filled 44 pipeline sack weight.
46 The combination of these two factors results in dramatic cost saving 47 for the pipeline project.
1 Over and above the greater weight that can be applied, a much 2 smaller sack volume results which leads to advantages including smaller 3 trenches and thus less material handling and less expense. In the case of large 4 diameter pipelines, it is convention to prepare a trench to allow for 12 inches space on either side of the pipe with periodic cross-ditches where the pipeline 6 ballasts will be placed. Use of the smaller sacks of the present invention will fit 7 in the pipeline trench and can eliminate the added labor involved with this prior 8 art cross-ditching.
9 Further, for example in one possible scenario, using higher density ballast B, a 50" (12+26+12) wide trench 12 could accommodate a large diameter 11 pipeline 11 of about 26" pipe. For use with conventional gravel or sand S
12 pipeline ballasts, typically a wider and deeper wide trench 12 (which could be in 13 the order of 96"(35+26+35) wide) would need to be excavated with all the 14 associated additional cost. Of course trench sizes vary with different pipelines 11 and would vary with different ground conditions.
16 With reference to prior art Fig. 2A and compared to embodiments 17 of the present pipeline ballasts 10 having high density ballast of Fig. 2B
and 2C, 18 one can see that sacks 13 containing lower density ballast such as sand S
are 19 larger and have a wider and deeper profile as they rest on the bottom of the trench 12. When the environment softens, or thaws, the pipeline 11 may still 21 have some movement as the ballasts 10 shift on the pipeline 11. Thus, smaller 22 higher-density sacks 13 can provide greater conformity to the pipeline 11 23 resulting in easier handling during installation and less shifting of the ballast 10 in 24 use. More preferably hinged-style sacks 13, as discussed in more below, further 1 improve conformity to the shape of the pipeline 11 and facilitate ease of loading 2 onto the pipeline 3 The smaller sacks 13 are positioned adjacent the bottom level of 4 the pipeline 11 which allows the ground to support some of the weight of the sack 13 and not the pipeline 11. The bottom of the ballasts 10 are at the same 6 level as the bottom of the pipeline 11 which allows for the ballast 10 to snug up 7 around the pipeline 11 and be cinched radially inwardly and tight thereto while 8 still having the ground take some of the weight of the pipeline 11 and the weight 9 of the sacks 13. However, when the pipeline 11 is filled with gas or liquids, the full weight of the pipeline sacks 13 are immediately applied around the pipeline 11 11 due to the snug nature of the tightening device.
12 Permeable sacks 13 assist in enabling low density air to be 13 displaced by higher density liquids, such as mud, when submerged.
14 With reference to Figs. 2B and 2C, a ballast implementation of a high-density embodiment of the current high density embodiment is shown for a 16 30 inch pipeline 11 in contrast with the required equivalent volume using a 17 conventional prior art sack profile filled with gravel or sand S.
18 With reference to Fig. 3A and 3B, optionally, the sacks 13 of Fig.
19 3A may be replaced with a pair of sacks 14 having one or more intermediate seams forming flex-points or hinges for greater flexibility and conformance to the 21 pipeline 11.
22 As in the earlier embodiment, pairs of ballast sacks 14 are joined 23 with a connecting web which extends over a top of the pipeline 11 to hang the at 24 least two sacks on opposing sides of the pipeline 11. The pairs of ballast sacks 1 14 can be suspended and lowered onto the pipeline 11 from lifting straps or one 2 or more loops.
3 Fig. 4A illustrates one generic embodiment of high density barite 4 ballast sacks 13 applied to a 26" diameter pipeline 11. As shown, this conventional style of sack 13 is illustrated with the high density barite fill B at 268 6 Ib/ft3 (8,698 Ibs, for both sides combined) with an overall width of about 7 inches and compared with a sack filled with prior art sandlgravel S at 160 Ib/ft3 8 (12,101 Ibs, for both sides combined) with an overall width of 64 inches.
The 9 typical length of pipeline ballast sacks 13 according to one embodiment of the invention is 15 feet long and spaced every 30 feet center to center. Shorter 11 pipeline ballasts 10 would be spaced more frequently. As shown, the barite 12 sacks 13 required 3403 Ibs. less weight than sand/gravel sack and requires 2.72 13 times less volume than the sand/gravel sack. In fact, sand ballast S would have 14 to be substantially continuous along the pipeline 11 to result in the demonstrated profile. If sand ballast S were spaced at 30 foot intervals, the profile would be 16 about twice as large as the large profile already represented in the drawing.
17 Figs. 4B and 4C illustrate relative sizes of ballast sacks 13 of 18 similar design (both high density barite and sand) fit to various sizes of pipelines 19 11 ranging from 4 inch to 42" inch diameter.
Other embodiments, using the hinged-style of embodiment are 21 typically 7 feet long for ease of handling.
22 With reference to Figs. 5 - 12F, in another embodiment, an 23 improved pipeline ballast is provided in the form of an improved arrangement of 24 sacks 13 cinched to the pipeline 11. Further, preferably a circumferential cinch in the form of a unique and unitary cinching strap 50 is used which simplifies 1 handling and ensures a secure grip to the pipeline 11. The cinching strap 50 is 2 arranged to extend about the circumference of the pipeline 11 and spaced 3 radially outward and about the sacks 13. When cinched, the cinching strap 50 4 draws radially inwardly and compresses the sacks 13 to the pipeline 11. The aggregate can shift within the sack 13 to conform to the pipeline 11.
6 With reference to Fig. 5, in one embodiment, the improved sacks 7 13 comprise a permeable material such as geotextile material 30 formed into a 8 plurality of discrete sacks 13. Each sack 13 is connected to an adjacent sack 13 9 by flex-points or hinges 31. Two layers of textile 30 are joined, such as by sewing together, along substantially parallel and longitudinally-extending seams 11 32 forming sacks 13 therebetween. The longitudinal seams 32 extend 12 substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pipeline 11 and form the hinges 13 31. The seams 32 are reinforced to resist tearing.
14 As shown in Fig. 5, a flat layout of an overlying layer of a geotextile pipeline ballast 10 is shown sewn along a plurality of parallel seams 32 to an 16 underlying layer (not shown). As a result of the partitioning by the parallel seams 17 32, five discrete sacks 13 are shown as formed betuveen the left and right or first 18 and second lateral and longitudinally-extending peripheries 33. Four 19 intermediate seams 32 form five sacks 13 between the left and right lateral peripheries 33 which ultimately form opposing bottom edges in operation. The 21 middle sack 13m forms the top sack, and the four remaining sacks 13 form first 22 and second pairs of side sacks 14, two sacks 13,13 on each side of the pipeline 23 11. A first end 34 of the overlying and underlying layers 30o,30u is joined to 24 close one end of the five sacks 13 and a second end 35 is open to enable filling of the sacks 13.
1 The middle sack 13m is bracketed by seams 32 characterized by 2 stronger reinforcing, particularly about two or more lifting strap ports 36.
Three 3 ports are shown along each bracket seam 32. Lifting straps 37 (Fig. 6) can be 4 passed through the ports 36 to support the underside of the middle sack 13m and thus support the entire pipeline ballast 10 for manipulation.
6 With reference to Fig. 6, the lifting strap ports 36 are formed by 7 holes formed through the geotextile 30, and the seams 32 about the holes are 8 reinforced by sandwiching material about the hole between narrow webbings 38 9 extending along the longitudinal seam 32 and which can be discontinuous at the hole. A further reinforcement 39, such as woven strap material, which is wider 11 than the hole, overlies the webbings 38, sandwiching the webbings 38 and the 12 geotextiles 30o,30u therebetween. The lifting strap 37 can pass directly through 13 the port 36. This reinforcing 38,39 provides extra strength when lifting and 14 handling and prevents tearing along high stress points.
With reference to Fig. 7, the over and underlying layers 30o,30u 16 form pockets 40 into which ballast can be filled or placed. The two lateral 17 peripheries 33 and the first closed end 34 are shown already closed by joining, 18 such as by folding, a continuous sheet of geotextile 30 or otherwise by sealing 19 open edges such as by sewing.
The five chamber pipeline ballast can be supported in a frame with 21 the second open end 35 oriented upwardly for filling (not shown).
22 With reference to Fig. 8A - 8D, the sacks are filled (Fig. 8A). At 23 Fig. 8B, the second open filling end 35 is closed and sealed such as by sewing 24 (Fig. 8C). At Fig. 8D, to strengthen the seamed filling end 35,35, ropes 41 can 1 be passed across the second end 35 and through opposing loops 42 and drawn 2 tight to minimize the stress on the second and now sealed filling end 35,35.
3 With reference to Figs. 9A and 9B, the pipeline ballast 10 is 4 suspended by one or more lifting straps 37 supporting the middle sack 13m and lowered over the pipeline 11. Typically, each lifting strap 37 is rated for
10,000 6 pounds. Each lifting strap 37 is knotted in the center or top. The side sacks 7 14,14,13,13 hang from the middle sack 13m at about the width of the diameter of 8 the pipeline 11. When lowered over the pipeline 11, the first and second pairs 9 14 of side sacks flex about the seams 31,32 to partially conform to the pipeline
11. The hinged design allows the side sacks 14 to be configured to initially hang 11 slightly wider than the diameter of the pipeline 11, which aids in smooth loading
12 of the pipeline ballast 10 and eliminating hang-ups between the side sacks 14,14
13 and a top of the pipeline 11.
14 As shown in Fig. 9C, a cinching strapping system is used to secure the pipeline ballast 10 to the pipeline 11. The cinching strap 50 is wrapped 16 about twice about the circumference of the pipeline ballast 10.
17 With reference to Fig. 9D, the cinching strap 50 is gripped at two 18 points 51 opposing adjacent a bottom of the ballast 10. As shown in Fig.
9E, 19 when the cinching strap 50 is lifted by points 51, the cinching strap 50 tightens about the sacks 13, compressing and conforming the aggregate ballast within 21 the sacks 13 to the pipeline 11. As shown in Fig. 9F, loose ends 52 of the 22 cinching strap 50 are secured adjacent at the top of the pipeline 11.
23 More preferably, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the cinching strap 50 24 can have a configuration which minimizes handling problems. The strapping system uses a single cinching strap 50 which is simple, easy to use and strong.
1 The cinching strap 50 is separate and need not be attached to the pipeline 2 ballast 10. The cinching strap 50 can also be fit with a visual indicator of the 3 pipeline side and the ground side, such as colored stripe 53 woven into an 4 underside of the strap 50.
The cinching strap 50 has lifting points 51 comprising first and 6 second loops 55, between which extends a tension strap portion 56. The lifting 7 loops 55 may be formed by folding the tension strap portion 56 onto itself at two 8 points and joining the folds together such as by sewing. The first and second 9 lifting loops 55 could also be discrete loops sewn to the tension strap portion 56.
The length of the tension strap portion 56 spaces the lifting loops 11 55 at a position for maximum tightening. The tension strap portion 56 extends 12 more than a circumference of the pipeline ballast 10 straddling the pipeline 11 so 13 that the loops 55 are pulled tangentially from opposing sides of the pipeline 11.
14 Preferably, the lifting loops 55 are positioned adjacent a bottom of the pairs of side sacks 14 where maximum cinching load can be imparted by pulling the 16 loops 55 tangentially away from each other and so that the majority of tension 17 can be on the bottom of the pipeline 11 to ensure maximum tightening. The 18 tension strap portion 56 would be about 1.2 to 1.5 times the circumference of the 19 pipeline ballast 10 when in place. The lifting loops 55 are pulled upwards and pull the strap slack up and tight to the pipeline 11 to avoid movement of the 21 ballast 10 during angled installation. This strapping system utilizes the pipeline 22 loading equipment to apply as much tension to the cinching strap 50 as required 23 to secure the pipeline ballast10.
24 The cinching strap 50 further comprises the opposing first and second trailing loose ends 52,52 connected to either end of the tension strap 1 portion 56 and having a length sufficient to overlap when the pipeline ballast 10 2 is cinched to the pipeline 11. The first and second trailing loose ends 52,52 are 3 fit with cooperating hook and loop type of fasteners, such as VelcroT""~ fit to the 4 overlapping first and second loose ends 52,52. The cinching strap 50 is continuous or unitary in that tension can be maintained along the cinching strap 6 50 between the first and second loose ends 52,52; the tension being sufficient to 7 maintain the compression of the sacks 13 to the pipeline 11. The strap 50 is 8 continuous in that it may be constructed of a single continuous length of strap 9 material or that it is assembled of two of more pieces, which once assembled can accept the necessary tension.
11 The cinching strap has two opposing surfaces 57,58. At least an 12 inside surface 57 of the first loose end 52 and the opposing outside surface 58 of 13 the other second loose end 52 are fit with the complementary hook H or loops L
14 for mating and securing the strap 50 to itself. More advantageously, the other opposing surfaces of the first and second loose ends 52,52 are fit with the hook 16 H fasteners which can be used to temporarily grip virtually anywhere on the 17 geotextiles 30 for ease of handling intermediate the cinching operation. In other 18 words, the first loose end 52 is preferably fit with a loop L fastener on one 19 surface 57 and a hook H fastener on the other surface 58 while the second loose end 52 is preferably fit with a hook H fastener on both surfaces 57,58.
21 Returning to Fig. 9C, the cinching strap 50 is placed on the ground 22 with the tension strap portion 56 under the pipeline 11. The first loose end 52 23 extends downwardly to the first lifting loop 55 adjacent the bottom of a pair of 24 side sacks 14 on one side of the pipeline 11 and the other second loose end is wrapped twice about the circumference of the pipeline 11 so that the tension 1 strap portion 56 is wrapped more than a circumference of the pipeline ballast 10.
2 This wrapping arranges the second lifting loop 55 also adjacent the bottom of the 3 other pair of side sacks 14 on the other side of the pipeline 11. As the cinching 4 strap 50 is being manipulated about the pipeline ballast 10, the hook H
fasteners at the first and second loose ends 52,52 can be temporarily adhered to the sack 6 materials 30 to minimizing fumbling. With the first and second loose ends 52,52 7 substantially unrestrained, a backhoe, crane or other equipment is temporarily 8 secured by a lifting device 60, such as by chains, to each of the first and second 9 lifting loops 55,55. Tension is applied substantially equally to the lifting loops 55,55, pulling them tangentially away from each other and tightening the tension 11 strap portion 56.
12 Thereafter, the loose ends 2,52 are secured together to retain 13 tension in the tension strap portion 56. Preferably, hook H and loop L
fasteners 14 of the first and second loose ends 52,52 are merely pressed together. While easy to engage and pull apart in tension, the hook H and loops L are virtually 16 impossible to shear apart when the only force is along the strap 50.
17 The pairs of side sacks 14 are forced to conform to the pipeline 11 18 and thereby present a narrow profile for lowering into narrow trenches 12.
Used 19 in combination with high density ballast, trench sizes can be significantly minimized.
21 With reference to Figs. 12A - 12F, in operation, a pipeline ballast 22 10 according to the present invention is installed to a pipeline 11. As shown in 23 Fig. 12A, a spreader bar 61, having three lift points 62, supports the ballast 10 24 with the pairs of side sacks 14 straddling the pipeline 11. !n Fig. 12B, the 1 pipeline ballast 10 is set down on the pipeline 11 and the spreader bar 61 2 disengaged.
3 In Fig. 12C, one cinching strap 50 is wrapped twice about the 4 pipeline ballast 11. One or more cinching straps 50,50,50 could be used spaced along the pipeline ballast 10. As shown, a chain lifting device 60 is supported by 6 the spreader bar 61 and engages the two lifting loops 55. While one cinching 7 strap 50 is shown for clarity of the drawing, three cinching straps 50,50,50 could 8 be simultaneously installed and lifted by the three points 62,62,62 of the 9 spreader bar 61.
In Fig. 12D, the lifting loops 55 are pulled to secure the pipeline 11 ballast 10 to the pipeline 11 while conforming the sacks 13 to the shape of the 12 pipeline 11. In Fig. 12E, the loose ends 52,52 are secured and in Fig. 12F, the 13 lifting equipment and chains are removed and two cinching straps 50,50 are 14 illustrated. The pipeline 1 is ready for insertion into a trench (not shown).
17 With reference to Fig. 9D, the cinching strap 50 is gripped at two 18 points 51 opposing adjacent a bottom of the ballast 10. As shown in Fig.
9E, 19 when the cinching strap 50 is lifted by points 51, the cinching strap 50 tightens about the sacks 13, compressing and conforming the aggregate ballast within 21 the sacks 13 to the pipeline 11. As shown in Fig. 9F, loose ends 52 of the 22 cinching strap 50 are secured adjacent at the top of the pipeline 11.
23 More preferably, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the cinching strap 50 24 can have a configuration which minimizes handling problems. The strapping system uses a single cinching strap 50 which is simple, easy to use and strong.
1 The cinching strap 50 is separate and need not be attached to the pipeline 2 ballast 10. The cinching strap 50 can also be fit with a visual indicator of the 3 pipeline side and the ground side, such as colored stripe 53 woven into an 4 underside of the strap 50.
The cinching strap 50 has lifting points 51 comprising first and 6 second loops 55, between which extends a tension strap portion 56. The lifting 7 loops 55 may be formed by folding the tension strap portion 56 onto itself at two 8 points and joining the folds together such as by sewing. The first and second 9 lifting loops 55 could also be discrete loops sewn to the tension strap portion 56.
The length of the tension strap portion 56 spaces the lifting loops 11 55 at a position for maximum tightening. The tension strap portion 56 extends 12 more than a circumference of the pipeline ballast 10 straddling the pipeline 11 so 13 that the loops 55 are pulled tangentially from opposing sides of the pipeline 11.
14 Preferably, the lifting loops 55 are positioned adjacent a bottom of the pairs of side sacks 14 where maximum cinching load can be imparted by pulling the 16 loops 55 tangentially away from each other and so that the majority of tension 17 can be on the bottom of the pipeline 11 to ensure maximum tightening. The 18 tension strap portion 56 would be about 1.2 to 1.5 times the circumference of the 19 pipeline ballast 10 when in place. The lifting loops 55 are pulled upwards and pull the strap slack up and tight to the pipeline 11 to avoid movement of the 21 ballast 10 during angled installation. This strapping system utilizes the pipeline 22 loading equipment to apply as much tension to the cinching strap 50 as required 23 to secure the pipeline ballast10.
24 The cinching strap 50 further comprises the opposing first and second trailing loose ends 52,52 connected to either end of the tension strap 1 portion 56 and having a length sufficient to overlap when the pipeline ballast 10 2 is cinched to the pipeline 11. The first and second trailing loose ends 52,52 are 3 fit with cooperating hook and loop type of fasteners, such as VelcroT""~ fit to the 4 overlapping first and second loose ends 52,52. The cinching strap 50 is continuous or unitary in that tension can be maintained along the cinching strap 6 50 between the first and second loose ends 52,52; the tension being sufficient to 7 maintain the compression of the sacks 13 to the pipeline 11. The strap 50 is 8 continuous in that it may be constructed of a single continuous length of strap 9 material or that it is assembled of two of more pieces, which once assembled can accept the necessary tension.
11 The cinching strap has two opposing surfaces 57,58. At least an 12 inside surface 57 of the first loose end 52 and the opposing outside surface 58 of 13 the other second loose end 52 are fit with the complementary hook H or loops L
14 for mating and securing the strap 50 to itself. More advantageously, the other opposing surfaces of the first and second loose ends 52,52 are fit with the hook 16 H fasteners which can be used to temporarily grip virtually anywhere on the 17 geotextiles 30 for ease of handling intermediate the cinching operation. In other 18 words, the first loose end 52 is preferably fit with a loop L fastener on one 19 surface 57 and a hook H fastener on the other surface 58 while the second loose end 52 is preferably fit with a hook H fastener on both surfaces 57,58.
21 Returning to Fig. 9C, the cinching strap 50 is placed on the ground 22 with the tension strap portion 56 under the pipeline 11. The first loose end 52 23 extends downwardly to the first lifting loop 55 adjacent the bottom of a pair of 24 side sacks 14 on one side of the pipeline 11 and the other second loose end is wrapped twice about the circumference of the pipeline 11 so that the tension 1 strap portion 56 is wrapped more than a circumference of the pipeline ballast 10.
2 This wrapping arranges the second lifting loop 55 also adjacent the bottom of the 3 other pair of side sacks 14 on the other side of the pipeline 11. As the cinching 4 strap 50 is being manipulated about the pipeline ballast 10, the hook H
fasteners at the first and second loose ends 52,52 can be temporarily adhered to the sack 6 materials 30 to minimizing fumbling. With the first and second loose ends 52,52 7 substantially unrestrained, a backhoe, crane or other equipment is temporarily 8 secured by a lifting device 60, such as by chains, to each of the first and second 9 lifting loops 55,55. Tension is applied substantially equally to the lifting loops 55,55, pulling them tangentially away from each other and tightening the tension 11 strap portion 56.
12 Thereafter, the loose ends 2,52 are secured together to retain 13 tension in the tension strap portion 56. Preferably, hook H and loop L
fasteners 14 of the first and second loose ends 52,52 are merely pressed together. While easy to engage and pull apart in tension, the hook H and loops L are virtually 16 impossible to shear apart when the only force is along the strap 50.
17 The pairs of side sacks 14 are forced to conform to the pipeline 11 18 and thereby present a narrow profile for lowering into narrow trenches 12.
Used 19 in combination with high density ballast, trench sizes can be significantly minimized.
21 With reference to Figs. 12A - 12F, in operation, a pipeline ballast 22 10 according to the present invention is installed to a pipeline 11. As shown in 23 Fig. 12A, a spreader bar 61, having three lift points 62, supports the ballast 10 24 with the pairs of side sacks 14 straddling the pipeline 11. !n Fig. 12B, the 1 pipeline ballast 10 is set down on the pipeline 11 and the spreader bar 61 2 disengaged.
3 In Fig. 12C, one cinching strap 50 is wrapped twice about the 4 pipeline ballast 11. One or more cinching straps 50,50,50 could be used spaced along the pipeline ballast 10. As shown, a chain lifting device 60 is supported by 6 the spreader bar 61 and engages the two lifting loops 55. While one cinching 7 strap 50 is shown for clarity of the drawing, three cinching straps 50,50,50 could 8 be simultaneously installed and lifted by the three points 62,62,62 of the 9 spreader bar 61.
In Fig. 12D, the lifting loops 55 are pulled to secure the pipeline 11 ballast 10 to the pipeline 11 while conforming the sacks 13 to the shape of the 12 pipeline 11. In Fig. 12E, the loose ends 52,52 are secured and in Fig. 12F, the 13 lifting equipment and chains are removed and two cinching straps 50,50 are 14 illustrated. The pipeline 1 is ready for insertion into a trench (not shown).
Claims (23)
EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS
FOLLOWS:
1. A pipeline ballast for a longitudinally-extending pipeline comprising:
a first pair of side sacks being flexibly connected longitudinally therebetween and having a top and a bottom;
a second pair of side sacks being flexibly connected longitudinally therebetween and having a top and a bottom;
aggregate ballast material for filling the first and second pair of side sacks, the filled first and second pairs of side sacks being deformable;
a flexible connector extending between the top of the first pair of side sacks and the top of the second pair of side sacks and adapted to extend over a top of the pipeline with first and second pairs of side sacks adapted to straddle the pipeline; and one or more circumferential cinches adapted for extending about the first and second pairs of side sacks for compressing the first and second pairs of side sacks radially inwardly to the pipeline, one or more circumferential cinches comprising:
first and second lifting loops;
a tension portion extending between the first and second lifting loops and having a length sufficient to extend about more than a circumference of the pipeline ballast when cinched to the pipeline with the first and second loops positioned substantially adjacent the side sacks;
first and second loose ends connected to either end of the tension strap portion and having a length sufficient to overlap when the pipeline ballast is cinched to the pipeline; and cooperating hook and loop fasteners fit to the overlapping first and second loose ends to secure the tension strap portion when cinched.
a first pair of side sacks being flexibly connected longitudinally therebetween and having a top and a bottom;
a second pair of side sacks being flexibly connected longitudinally therebetween and having a top and a bottom;
aggregate ballast material for filling the first and second pair of side sacks, the filled first and second pairs of side sacks being deformable;
a flexible connector extending between the top of the first pair of side sacks and the top of the second pair of side sacks and adapted to extend over a top of the pipeline with first and second pairs of side sacks adapted to straddle the pipeline; and one or more circumferential cinches adapted for extending about the first and second pairs of side sacks for compressing the first and second pairs of side sacks radially inwardly to the pipeline, one or more circumferential cinches comprising:
first and second lifting loops;
a tension portion extending between the first and second lifting loops and having a length sufficient to extend about more than a circumference of the pipeline ballast when cinched to the pipeline with the first and second loops positioned substantially adjacent the side sacks;
first and second loose ends connected to either end of the tension strap portion and having a length sufficient to overlap when the pipeline ballast is cinched to the pipeline; and cooperating hook and loop fasteners fit to the overlapping first and second loose ends to secure the tension strap portion when cinched.
2. The pipeline ballast of claim 1 further comprising a middle sack filled with the aggregate ballast material and wherein the middle sack forms the flexible connector between the first and second pairs of side sacks.
3. The pipeline ballast of claim 2 wherein the middle, first pair of side sacks and the second pair of side sacks are manufactured of permeable material.
4. The pipeline ballast of claim 2 or 3 wherein the middle, first pair of side sacks and the second pair of side sacks further comprise:
an overlying layer of a geotextile;
an underlying layer of a geotextile, the overlying and underlying layers being joined at first and second lateral and longitudinally extending peripheries for forming bottom edges of the first and second pairs of side sacks respectively and being joined at a first closed end; and a plurality of substantially linear and substantially parallel longitudinal seams which are spaced between the first and second lateral peripheries, the seams joining the overlying and underlying layers together and forming the first pair of side sacks, the middle sack and the second pair of side sacks.
an overlying layer of a geotextile;
an underlying layer of a geotextile, the overlying and underlying layers being joined at first and second lateral and longitudinally extending peripheries for forming bottom edges of the first and second pairs of side sacks respectively and being joined at a first closed end; and a plurality of substantially linear and substantially parallel longitudinal seams which are spaced between the first and second lateral peripheries, the seams joining the overlying and underlying layers together and forming the first pair of side sacks, the middle sack and the second pair of side sacks.
5. The pipeline ballast of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the aggregate is an inert ballast material having a density greater than that of sand or gravel.
6. The pipeline ballast of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the aggregate is barite.
7. The pipeline ballast of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the tension portion has a length sufficient to position the lifting loops at about the bottom of the first and second pairs of side sacks.
8. The pipeline ballast of any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the tension portion has a length of about 1.25 to about 1.5 times the circumference of the pipeline ballast when cinched to the pipeline.
9. A method for strapping pipeline ballast to a longitudinally extending pipeline comprising:
providing at least two ballast sacks adapted for straddling the pipeline and being flexibly connected over a top of the pipeline;
providing one or more circumferential cinches for spacing longitudinally along the ballast sacks, each having a tension strap portion, first and second lifting loops spaced apart at ends of the tension strap portion, and loose ends extending from either end of the tension strap portion;
wrapping each tension strap portion more than a circumference about the pipeline ballast;
positioning the first and second lifting loops of each cinch at about opposing sides of the pipeline;
lifting the lifting loops of each cinch to pull them tangentially away from each other to tighten the tension strap portion about the ballast sacks, compressing the ballast sacks radially inwardly to the pipeline; and securing the loose ends of each cinch together so as to retain tension in the tension strap portion.
providing at least two ballast sacks adapted for straddling the pipeline and being flexibly connected over a top of the pipeline;
providing one or more circumferential cinches for spacing longitudinally along the ballast sacks, each having a tension strap portion, first and second lifting loops spaced apart at ends of the tension strap portion, and loose ends extending from either end of the tension strap portion;
wrapping each tension strap portion more than a circumference about the pipeline ballast;
positioning the first and second lifting loops of each cinch at about opposing sides of the pipeline;
lifting the lifting loops of each cinch to pull them tangentially away from each other to tighten the tension strap portion about the ballast sacks, compressing the ballast sacks radially inwardly to the pipeline; and securing the loose ends of each cinch together so as to retain tension in the tension strap portion.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising securing the loose ends of each cinch by overlapping and mating cooperating hook and loop fasteners.
11. The method of claim 9 or 10 wherein the lifting of the lifting loops further comprises:
temporarily connecting a lifting device to the first and second lifting loops;
applying tension with the lifting device and substantially equally to each of the first and second lifting loops;
maintaining tension on each of the first and second lifting loops;
and securing the loose ends to each other.
temporarily connecting a lifting device to the first and second lifting loops;
applying tension with the lifting device and substantially equally to each of the first and second lifting loops;
maintaining tension on each of the first and second lifting loops;
and securing the loose ends to each other.
12. The method of claim 9 or 10 wherein there are two or more circumferential cinches and wherein the lifting of the lifting loops further comprises:
providing a spreader bar having lift points corresponding to the number of circumferential cinches;
temporarily connecting a lifting device between each lift point and the first and second lifting loops of each cinch;
applying tension with the lifting device and substantially equally to each of the first and second lifting loops of each cinch;
maintaining tension on each of the first and second lifting loops for each cinch; and securing the loose ends to each other.
providing a spreader bar having lift points corresponding to the number of circumferential cinches;
temporarily connecting a lifting device between each lift point and the first and second lifting loops of each cinch;
applying tension with the lifting device and substantially equally to each of the first and second lifting loops of each cinch;
maintaining tension on each of the first and second lifting loops for each cinch; and securing the loose ends to each other.
13. The method of any one of claims 9 to 12 wherein the positioning of the first and second lifting loops of each cinch further comprises positioning the first and second lifting loops at about a bottom of the ballast sacks.
14. A strap for cinching ballast about a pipeline comprising:
a circumferential and continuous cinching strap having first and second lifting loops;
a tension portion extending between the first and second lifting loops and having a length sufficient to extend about 1.25 to about 1.5 times a circumference of the ballast when cinched about the pipeline;
first and second loose ends connected to either end of the tension portion and having a length sufficient to overlap when the ballast is cinched about the pipeline; and cooperating fasteners fit to the overlapping first and second loose ends to secure the tension portion when cinched.
a circumferential and continuous cinching strap having first and second lifting loops;
a tension portion extending between the first and second lifting loops and having a length sufficient to extend about 1.25 to about 1.5 times a circumference of the ballast when cinched about the pipeline;
first and second loose ends connected to either end of the tension portion and having a length sufficient to overlap when the ballast is cinched about the pipeline; and cooperating fasteners fit to the overlapping first and second loose ends to secure the tension portion when cinched.
15. The strap of claim 14 wherein the cooperating fasteners are hook and loop fasteners.
16. The strap of claim 15 wherein:
each of the first and second loose end has opposing surfaces; and one of the first or second loose end has a hook fastener on one surface and the other second or first loose end has a loop fastener on the opposing surface.
each of the first and second loose end has opposing surfaces; and one of the first or second loose end has a hook fastener on one surface and the other second or first loose end has a loop fastener on the opposing surface.
17. The strap of claim 16 wherein the first or second loose end with the loop fastener on one surface has a hook fastener on its opposing surface and the other second or first loose end also has a hook fastener on the opposing surface.
18. The strap of any one of claims 14 to 17 wherein each of the first and second lifting loops are formed by folding the tension strap portion and joining the folds.
19. A low volume pipeline ballast for securing to a longitudinally extending pipeline comprising:
at least two sacks manufactured of permeable material;
a flexible connector between the at least two sacks and extending over a top of the pipeline for hanging the at least two sacks on opposing sides of the pipeline;
an inert aggregate ballast material within the sacks, the ballast material having a density greater than that of sand or gravel; and one or more straps for compressing the sacks radially inwardly to the pipeline, each of the one or more straps further comprising:
a circumferential and continuous cinching strap having first and second lifting loops;
a tension portion extending between the first and second lifting loops and having a length sufficient to extend about 1.25 to 1.5 times a circumference of the ballast when cinched about the pipeline;
first and second loose ends connected to either end of the tension portion and having a length sufficient to overlap when the ballast is cinched about the pipeline; and cooperating fasteners fit to the overlapping first and second loose ends to secure the tension portion when cinched.
at least two sacks manufactured of permeable material;
a flexible connector between the at least two sacks and extending over a top of the pipeline for hanging the at least two sacks on opposing sides of the pipeline;
an inert aggregate ballast material within the sacks, the ballast material having a density greater than that of sand or gravel; and one or more straps for compressing the sacks radially inwardly to the pipeline, each of the one or more straps further comprising:
a circumferential and continuous cinching strap having first and second lifting loops;
a tension portion extending between the first and second lifting loops and having a length sufficient to extend about 1.25 to 1.5 times a circumference of the ballast when cinched about the pipeline;
first and second loose ends connected to either end of the tension portion and having a length sufficient to overlap when the ballast is cinched about the pipeline; and cooperating fasteners fit to the overlapping first and second loose ends to secure the tension portion when cinched.
20. The low volume pipeline ballast of claim 19 wherein the at least two sacks comprise-a first pair of side sacks being flexibly connected longitudinally therebetween and having a top and a bottom; and a second pair of side sacks being flexibly connected longitudinally therebetween and having a top and a bottom, wherein the first and second pair of side sacks are adapted to straddle the pipeline.
21. The low volume pipeline ballast of claim 19 wherein the at least two sacks further comprises a middle sack wherein the middle sack forms the flexible connector between the first and second pairs of side sacks
22. The low volume pipeline ballast of claim 21 wherein the middle, first pair of side sacks and the second pair of side sacks further comprise:
an overlying layer of a geotextile;
an underlying layer of a geotextile, the overlying and underlying layers being joined at first and second lateral and longitudinally extending peripheries for forming bottom edges of the first and second pair of side sacks respectively and being joined at a first closed end; and a plurality of substantially linear and substantially parallel longitudinal seams which are spaced between the first and second lateral peripheries, the seams joining the overlying and underlying layers together and forming at the first pair of side sacks, the middle sack and the second pair of side sacks.
an overlying layer of a geotextile;
an underlying layer of a geotextile, the overlying and underlying layers being joined at first and second lateral and longitudinally extending peripheries for forming bottom edges of the first and second pair of side sacks respectively and being joined at a first closed end; and a plurality of substantially linear and substantially parallel longitudinal seams which are spaced between the first and second lateral peripheries, the seams joining the overlying and underlying layers together and forming at the first pair of side sacks, the middle sack and the second pair of side sacks.
23. The low volume pipeline ballast of any one of claims 20 to 22 wherein the aggregate is barite.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2527790 CA2527790C (en) | 2004-11-22 | 2005-11-22 | Pipeline ballast and method of use |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2,488,145 | 2004-11-22 | ||
| CA002488145A CA2488145A1 (en) | 2004-11-22 | 2004-11-22 | Pipeline ballast and method of use |
| CA 2527790 CA2527790C (en) | 2004-11-22 | 2005-11-22 | Pipeline ballast and method of use |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2527790A1 CA2527790A1 (en) | 2006-05-22 |
| CA2527790C true CA2527790C (en) | 2013-10-08 |
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ID=36481131
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2527790 Expired - Fee Related CA2527790C (en) | 2004-11-22 | 2005-11-22 | Pipeline ballast and method of use |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2527790C (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA2597668A1 (en) * | 2007-08-16 | 2009-02-16 | Crc-Evans Canada Ltd. | Pipeline weighting device and method |
| US7862256B2 (en) | 2007-08-16 | 2011-01-04 | Crc-Evans Canada Ltd. | Pipeline weighting device and method |
| RU2664323C1 (en) * | 2017-08-09 | 2018-08-16 | Общество с ограниченной ответственностью "Научно-исследовательский институт природных газов и газовых технологий - Газпром ВНИИГАЗ" | Device for underwater pipeline ballasting |
-
2005
- 2005-11-22 CA CA 2527790 patent/CA2527790C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2527790A1 (en) | 2006-05-22 |
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