Pipe-laying vessel and method of laying a pipeline

A pipe-laying vessel including a pipe-laying tower extending upwardly from a main deck of the vessel, the tower comprising:

• a lower section and an upper section,
• the lower section extending upwardly from a proximal end to a distal end above the main deck of the vessel, and
• the upper section movably mounted on the lower section, and
• the tower having a first pipe-laying configuration for laying pipeline in which the upper section is positioned above the lower section and pipe is passed from the upper section to the lower section when, in use, it is being laid, and a second stowed configuration in which the upper section is moved relative to the lower section and the overall height of the tower is reduced;
• wherein the lower section of the tower comprises:
• a first lower part extending upwardly from a proximal end to a distal end above the main deck of the vessel, and
• a second upper part extending upwardly from the distal end of the first lower part and movably mounted on the first lower part,
• wherein the lower section of the tower has a first pipe-laying configuration for laying pipeline in which the second upper part is positioned above the first lower part and pipe is passed from the second upper part to the first lower part when, in use, it is being laid, and a second low-height configuration in which the second upper part is moved relative to the first lower part and the overall height of the lower section of the tower is reduced.

A pipe-laying vessel including a pipe-laying tower extending upwardly from the vessel, the tower comprising:

• a hang off clamp assembly provided at a lower region of the tower for clamping pipeline that has been deployed from the vessel,
• a travelling clamp with a travel path along a length of the tower for laying pipeline,
• a lower section extending upwardly from a proximal end to a distal end above the main deck of the vessel, and
• an upper section extending upwardly from the lower section and having a length that is at least one third of the length of the lower section,
• wherein the travel path of the travelling clamp is limited to the lower section of the tower;
• and wherein the tower comprises three line-up clamps located on the upper section of the tower.

A pipe-laying vessel including pipe-laying apparatus configured to S-lay a pipeline from the vessel along an S-lay pipe-laying path, wherein, at a same time that the pipe-laying vessel includes pipe-laying apparatus that is configured to S-lay a pipeline from the vessel, the vessel further includes a pipe-laying tower configured to J-lay a pipeline from the vessel,

• the pipe-laying tower comprising:
• a lower section and an upper section,
• the lower section extending upwardly from a proximal end to a distal end above the main deck of the vessel, and
• the lower section of the pipe-laying tower is divided into a lower part, wherein the lower part extends upwardly from a proximal end to a distal end above the main deck of the vessel, and an upper part extending upwardly from the distal end of the first lower part, and the upper part is configured to pivot with respect to the lower part;
• wherein the lower section has a first pipe-laying configuration for laying pipeline in which the upper part is positioned above the lower part and pipe is passed from the upper part to the lower part when, in use, is being laid.