US3775985A - Apparatus for laying submarine pipelines - Google Patents

Apparatus for laying submarine pipelines Download PDF

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Publication number
US3775985A
US3775985A US00245856A US3775985DA US3775985A US 3775985 A US3775985 A US 3775985A US 00245856 A US00245856 A US 00245856A US 3775985D A US3775985D A US 3775985DA US 3775985 A US3775985 A US 3775985A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
pipe
ramp
new section
ramp means
vessel
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00245856A
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English (en)
Inventor
C Shaw
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
McDermott Inc
MC DERMOTT J AND CO Inc
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MC DERMOTT J AND CO Inc
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Assigned to MCDERMOTT INCORPORATED reassignment MCDERMOTT INCORPORATED CHANGE OF NAME (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: J. RAY MCDERMOTT & CO., INC.
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • F16L1/12—Laying or reclaiming pipes on or under water
    • F16L1/16—Laying or reclaiming pipes on or under water on the bottom
    • F16L1/18—Laying or reclaiming pipes on or under water on the bottom the pipes being S- or J-shaped and under tension during laying
    • F16L1/19—Laying or reclaiming pipes on or under water on the bottom the pipes being S- or J-shaped and under tension during laying the pipes being J-shaped

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT On a submarine pipeline laying barge having a pivoted inclined ramp for paying out the pipe string in a single catenary manner, a dampener is provided to reduce the movement of the ramp relative to the barge. Means are also provided to lock the ramp relative to the barge when a new section of pipe is on the ramp. The new sections of pipe are handled by means of cables secured to removable swivel caps on each end and controlled from a single operator's console.
  • FIGS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to apparatus for use in laying a submarine pipeline, and more particularly to apparatus especially suitable for laying a deep water submarine pipeline from a lay barge or other marine vessel.
  • the pipe string is payed out from the barge at an inclined angle with respect to the surfaceof the water, and the pipe string th'us payed out will generally follow an inverted catenary from the barge to the bottom.
  • the single catenary or inclined technique shall mean a technique in which the suspended pipe string either follows a true inverted catenary or is like a flexed beam with the lower end tangential with the submerged bottom.
  • the patent to Postlewaite discloses a freely pivotally mounted ramp to facilitate the joining of new sections of pipe to the pipe string already suspended from the barge.
  • a floating or freely pivotally mounted ramp such as disclosedin Postlewaite, is subject to excessive movement rela'tive to the barge during rough water.
  • the prior art mechanisms for loading a new section of pipe onto an inclined ramp on a submarine pipeline laying vessel are impractical.
  • FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a portion of a lay vessel including the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a detail elevation view of a portion of the present invention
  • FIG. 3 is a plan view of a portion of a lay vessel including the present invention.
  • FIGS. 4-6 areelevation detail views of certain aspects of the present invention.
  • FIGS. 1 and 3 there is shown a portion of a submarine pipeline laying vessel, such as a barge 10, from which there is suspended a pipe string 12 secured at its upper end to the barge via a ramp l4 pivotally mounted thereon at 16.
  • the pipe string is secured to the ramp primarily by means of a conventional slip elevator 18 secured to the ramp by any convenient means.
  • a rubber-lined releasable pipe-gripping clamp 20 suitably secured to I the ramp may also be used as a secondary means for holding the upper end of the suspended pipestring.
  • cradle rollers 22 Disposed at spaced points along; the upper portion of ramp 14 are a plurality of cradle rollers 22 freely rotatably mounted on the ramp as shown in greater detail in FIG. 5.
  • the cradle rollers provide the downward rolling support for a new section of pipe 24 on the ramp ready to be joined to the suspended pipe string.
  • this invention contemplates the use of screw-threaded pipe, but.
  • a first cable 30from a winch 32 secured to the deck of the barge is secured to swivel cap 26 after passing under roller 34 and around roller 36 at the upper end of the ramp.
  • a second cable 38 is secured to cap 28 and a crane 40 secured to the deck of the barge.
  • the controls for winch 32 and barge 40 are conveniently positioned adjacent one another so that a single operator may maneuver both devices and conveniently raise the new section of pipe for loading onto the ramp.
  • the upper end of the new section of pipe is positioned on the ramp in two phases.
  • the first phase the upper end of the new section of pipe is raised to the approximate level of the upper end of the ramp.
  • an arm 42 pivotally mounted to the upper end of the ramp is hydraulically actuated by means of a hydraulic pistoncylinder mechanism, which is pivotally secured to the ient bumper, such as rubber tires 46, is secured to the ramp proximate arm 42 to prevent excessive impact between the ramp and the new section of pipe.
  • rollers 48 are positioned along the side of the ramp to aid in rolling the new section of pipe onto the ramp.
  • Winch 32 is then actuated to lower the new section of pipe until it is in position to be joined to the suspended pipe string.
  • Each roller assembly includes a plurality of rollers 52 freely rotatably secured to an upwardly movable frame 54 which is positioned by a hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanism 56.
  • rollers 52 are lowered, slip elevator l8 and pipe-gripping clamp 20 are released, and the lengthened pipe string is payed out another section by means of winch 32 and cable 30. Thereafter, the slip elevator and pipe-gripping clamp are actuated to secure the suspended pipe string, and swivel cap 26 may be removed from the upper end of the suspended pipe string and a new pipe coupler 60 may be secured thereon.
  • the pipe couplers may also be applied to the lower end of each section of pipe at the mill or on the deck of the barge to minimize the possibility of damage to the threads as the lower end of a new section of pipe is seated on the ramp.
  • a field joint may be applied to the threaded connection while another new section of pipe is being positioned on the ramp and secured to the suspended pipe string. Since the power tong 58 and the slip elevator must grip directly on the steel pipe, the field joint to be coated is somewhat longer, on the order of seven feet, than that in other types of pipeline laying operations. Accordingly, it may be desirable to have the coating applied at a coating station 76 below the assembly station 78 as shown generally in FIG. 2, in order to prevent the crowding of workers in the two sections.
  • Dampening means 62 includes a hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanism 64 pivotally secured at one end to the ramp and at the other end to the deck of the barge via a load sensor 66.
  • the dampening effect is produced by a restricting valve 68 fluidly connected to the cylinder below the piston and, via a fluid reservoir 70, to the cylinder above the piston; however, when the load sensor indicates that a new section of pipe has been placed on the ramp, valve 68' is automatically closed so that the ramp is locked into place.
  • valve 68' When the weight on the ramp is reduced by lowering the pipe string, the output of the load sensor will be reduced, thereby opening valve 68 so that the ramp will be movable but dampened.
  • a pump 72 and motor 74 may be provided, if desired, so that hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanism 64 may be used to initially raise the ramp to an approximate inclined position.
  • the pipe string is negatively buoyant in an amount selected for the current conditions where the pipe is being laid, and the pipe string is held undertension to prevent excessive bending of the pipe beyond'its elastic limit.
  • winch 32 should be a conventional constant tension winch so that the tension on the pipe string may be maintained generally constant as the barge'advances and the pipe string is payed out the length of another section of pipe.
  • the tension on the pipestring may be held generally constant by the barge buoyancy plus the forward holding force on the barge, as is well known in the art.
  • Apparatus for facilitating the joining of a section of pipe to a pipe string suspended from a marine vessel during the laying of a submarine pipeline in a body of water comprising:
  • elongated ramp means substantially freely pivotally supported between said bearings for rotation in a vertical plane abouta horizontal axis of rotation, said ramp means and apparatus mounted thereon being generally counterbalanced about said axis of rotation;
  • pipe gripping means mounted on said ramp means for securing the upper end of the pipe string to the vessel while a new section of pipe is being positioned on said ramp means and secured to the pipe string;
  • dampening means secured between the vessel and said ramp means for dampening the rotational movement of said ramp means relative to the vessel.
  • said pipe gripping means comprises slip elevator means.
  • transducer means mounted on said ramp means for sensing the load applied to said ramp means by the weight of a new section of pipe resting thereon;
  • locking means responsive to said transducer means for locking said ramp means and apparatus thereon relative to the vessel when a new section of pipe is resting on said ramp means.
  • cradle roller means freely rotatably mounted generally longitudinally on said ramp means in a position to facilitate axial movement of a new section of pipe on said ramp means;
  • transverse roller means freely rotatably mounted generally transversely on said ramp means in at least one position to facilitate rotational movement of a new section of pipe on said ramp means;
  • swivel connector cap means adaptable to be removably connected to one end of a new section of pipe to be added to the pipe string;
  • hoisting means for positioning the other end of a new section of pipe on said ramp means.
  • loading carriage means mounted on said ramp means proximate the upper end thereof and movable between a first position adaptable for receiving and supporting the upper end of a new section of pipe proximate said ramp means and a second position adaptable for gently rolling the upper end of the new section of pipe onto said ramp means.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Earth Drilling (AREA)
  • Ship Loading And Unloading (AREA)
US00245856A 1972-04-20 1971-04-20 Apparatus for laying submarine pipelines Expired - Lifetime US3775985A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US24585672A 1972-04-20 1972-04-20

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3775985A true US3775985A (en) 1973-12-04

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00245856A Expired - Lifetime US3775985A (en) 1972-04-20 1971-04-20 Apparatus for laying submarine pipelines

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US3775985A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AU (1) AU466521B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA973371A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1414695A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL178093C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NO (1) NO136726C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4030311A (en) * 1976-01-19 1977-06-21 Brown & Root, Inc. Method and apparatus for adjustably supporting a pipeline relative to a lay vessel
USRE30846E (en) * 1975-05-05 1982-01-12 Santa Fe International Corporation Submarine pipeline laying vessel
US4431342A (en) * 1982-12-02 1984-02-14 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Pivoting pipe layer
US20110052324A1 (en) * 2008-02-08 2011-03-03 Roberto Bruschi Guide device for supporting an underwater pipeline, laying ramp comprising such a guide device, laying vessel equipped with such a laying ramp, and method of controlling an underwater-pipeline laying ramp
US20120090152A1 (en) * 2009-04-02 2012-04-19 Verderg Ltd Apparatus and method for the connection of conduits

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5975802A (en) * 1995-01-13 1999-11-02 Stolt Comex Seaway, Ltd. Pipeline laying apparatus
US6364573B1 (en) * 1998-05-01 2002-04-02 Benton F. Baugh Jack mechanism for J-Lay pipelaying system
US6273643B1 (en) 1998-05-01 2001-08-14 Oil States Industries Apparatus for deploying an underwater pipe string

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1492277A (fr) * 1966-07-07 1967-08-18 Grands Travaux De Marseille Sa Procédé et dispositif pour la pose en tension de canalisations sous-marines
US3524326A (en) * 1967-05-31 1970-08-18 Grands Travaux De Marseille Sa Method and means for neutralizing swell during submarine pipeline laying operations

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1492277A (fr) * 1966-07-07 1967-08-18 Grands Travaux De Marseille Sa Procédé et dispositif pour la pose en tension de canalisations sous-marines
US3524326A (en) * 1967-05-31 1970-08-18 Grands Travaux De Marseille Sa Method and means for neutralizing swell during submarine pipeline laying operations

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USRE30846E (en) * 1975-05-05 1982-01-12 Santa Fe International Corporation Submarine pipeline laying vessel
US4030311A (en) * 1976-01-19 1977-06-21 Brown & Root, Inc. Method and apparatus for adjustably supporting a pipeline relative to a lay vessel
US4431342A (en) * 1982-12-02 1984-02-14 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Pivoting pipe layer
US20110052324A1 (en) * 2008-02-08 2011-03-03 Roberto Bruschi Guide device for supporting an underwater pipeline, laying ramp comprising such a guide device, laying vessel equipped with such a laying ramp, and method of controlling an underwater-pipeline laying ramp
US8734054B2 (en) * 2008-02-08 2014-05-27 Saipem S.P.A. Guide device for supporting an underwater pipeline, laying ramp comprising such a guide device, laying vessel equipped with such a laying ramp, and method of controlling an underwater-pipeline laying ramp
US20120090152A1 (en) * 2009-04-02 2012-04-19 Verderg Ltd Apparatus and method for the connection of conduits
US8832915B2 (en) * 2009-04-02 2014-09-16 Verderg Connectors Limited Apparatus and method for the connection of conduits

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL7302240A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-10-23
CA973371A (en) 1975-08-26
NO136726B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1977-07-18
AU5338673A (en) 1974-09-19
AU466521B2 (en) 1975-10-30
NO136726C (no) 1977-10-26
NL178093B (nl) 1985-08-16
NL178093C (nl) 1986-01-16
GB1414695A (en) 1975-11-19

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