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US 11,555,558 B2Granted
Seafloor pipeline removal system and method
OwnerEdward Trahan, Philip Thibodeaux +2inventors
InventorsEdward Trahan, Philip Thibodeaux, Robert Champagne, Marc Olivier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a system and method for uncovering and removing pipeline from the seafloor using a subsea trenching system using pressurized water to uncover pipe, a subsea shear carried by a barge to cut lengths of the pipeline, and a grapple carried by a barge to lift cut lengths of pipeline for placement on a pipe haul and recovery barge.
Claims20
A pipeline removal system for removing pipeline from a seafloor, comprising:
- a barge, a subsea trenching device, a trenching device controller, a subsea shear, a shear controller, a grapple, a grapple controller, and a pipe recovery barge,
- wherein said trenching device controller, said shear controller, and said grapple controller are positioned on a surface of said barge;
- wherein said subsea shear is connected to said shear controller and said shear controller is capable of controlling position and shear-action of said subsea shear;
- wherein said grapple is connected to said grapple controller and said grapple controller is capable of controlling position and grapple action of said grapple;
- wherein said subsea trenching device is connected to said trenching device controller and said trenching device controller is capable of controlling said subsea trenching device;
- wherein said subsea trenching device comprises a plurality of spray pipes and each of said plurality of spray pipes further comprises a plurality of nozzles, further wherein said trenching device controller is capable of delivering pressurized water to said subsea trenching device by a pressurized water hose, and said subsea trenching device is configured to spray said pressurized water out of said plurality of nozzles, thereby excavating a trench around a length of pipe buried below a seafloor and exposing an uncovered portion of said pipeline;
- wherein said subsea shear is capable of cutting said uncovered portion of said pipe, thereby creating a cut pipe section;
- wherein said grapple is capable of lifting said cut pipe section and placing said cut pipe section on said pipe recovery barge;
- wherein said pipe recovery barge is capable of hauling a plurality of cut pipe sections.
6 more elements
A method of performing subsea pipeline removal comprising:
- a. providing a barge, a subsea trenching device, a trenching device controller, a subsea shear, a shear controller, a grapple, a grapple controller, and a pipe recovery barge to an offshore location;
- b. lowering said subsea trenching device into seawater and onto a pipe;
- c. moving said subsea trenching device along a length of said pipe;
- d. displacing seafloor using said subsea trenching device to unearth an uncovered portion of said pipe;
- e. shearing said uncovered portion of said pipe with said subsea shear, thereby creating a cut portion of pipe;
- f. lifting said cut portion of pipe with said grapple and placing said cut portion on said pipe recovery barge;
- wherein said trenching device controller, said shear controller, and said grapple controller are positioned on a surface of said barge;
- wherein said subsea shear is connected to said shear controller and said shear controller is capable of controlling position and shear-action of said subsea shear;
- wherein said grapple is connected to said grapple controller and said grapple controller is capable of controlling position and grapple action of said grapple;
- wherein said subsea trenching device is connected to said trenching device controller and said trenching device controller is capable of controlling said subsea trenching device;
- wherein said subsea trenching device is capable of excavating a trench around a length of said pipe buried below a seafloor, thereby exposing an uncovered portion of said pipe;
- wherein said subsea shear is capable of cutting said uncovered portion of said pipe, thereby creating a cut pipe section;
- wherein said grapple is capable of lifting said cut pipe section and placing said cut pipe section on said pipe recovery barge;
- wherein said pipe recovery barge is capable of hauling a plurality of cut pipe sections.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.