Pipeline repair system and method of installation

A pipeline repair system comprising:

• a sleeve adapted to permanently enclose an outer surface of a longitudinal section of a pipeline having a defect is said longitudinal section, said sleeve having:
• a first longitudinal segment of a cylinder having longitudinal edges and radially opposed ends,
• a second longitudinal segment of a cylinder having longitudinal edges and radially opposed ends,
• said segments being adapted to be joined at the longitudinal edges to form a sleeve with first and second radial ends and to circumferentially surround the outer surface of the section of said pipeline;
• a first end seal between the sleeve and the pipeline and at the first radial end of said sleeve and a second end seal between the sleeve and the pipeline at the second radial end of said sleeve, said seals adapted to form an enclosed annular space between the outer surface of said pipeline and an interior of the sleeve;
• a tap assembly disposed on the sleeve, said tap assembly adapted to receive a tapping tool for piercing the section of pipeline encased in the sleeve and allowing pressurized material from inside the pipeline to fill the annular space;
• and
• wherein, said sleeve is adapted to receive a majority of a tangential (hoop) stress load from said section of pipeline via the pressurized material in the annular space.

A pipeline repair system comprising:

• a sleeve adapted to permanently enclose an outer surface of a longitudinal section of a pipeline having a defect in said longitudinal section, said sleeve having:
• a first longitudinal segment of a cylinder having longitudinal edges and radially opposed ends,
• a second longitudinal segment of a cylinder having longitudinal edges and radially opposed ends,
• said segments being adapted to be joined at the longitudinal edges to form a sleeve with first and second radial ends and to circumferentially surround the outer surface of the section of pipeline;
• a first end seal between the sleeve and the pipeline at the first radial end of said sleeve and a second end seal between the sleeve and the pipeline at the second radial end of said sleeve, said seals adapted to form an enclosed annular space between the outer surface of said pipeline and an interior of the sleeve;
• an injection port assembly disposed on the sleeve, said injection port assembly having an access opening through the sleeve, said injection port assembly being adapted for temporary connection to an external source of flowable material that will solidify in a predetermined amount of time and a first closure member adapted to maintain said pressurized material in said annular space;
• an evacuation port assembly disposed on the sleeve, said evacuation port assembly having an access opening through the sleeve and a second closure member adapted to maintain said pressurized material in said annular space for installation in said injection port assembly;
• a tap assembly disposed on the sleeve, said tap assembly adapted to receive a tapping tool for piercing the section of pipeline encased in the sleeve and allowing pressurized material from inside the pipeline to fill the annular space not filled by the solidified flowable material;
• and
• wherein, said sleeve is adapted to receive a majority of a tangential (hoop) stress load from said section of pipeline via the epoxy material and pressurized material in the annular space.

A method of repairing a longitudinal section of a pipeline having a defect therein comprising the steps of:

• positioning around the section of pipeline a first longitudinal segment of a cylinder having longitudinal edges and radially opposed ends and a second longitudinal segment of a cylinder portion having longitudinal edges and radially opposed ends;
• joining the segments at the longitudinal edges to form a sleeve that circumferentially surrounds the section of pipeline and forms a first and second radial ends of said sleeve;
• positioning a first end seal between the sleeve and the pipeline at the first radial end of said sleeve and a second end seal between the sleeve and the pipeline at the second radial end of said sleeve, thereby forming an enclosed annular space between the outer surface of said pipeline and an interior of the sleeve;
• temporarily connecting an external source of pressurized material to an injection port assembly disposed on the sleeve;
• temporarily opening an evacuation port assembly disposed on the sleeve;
• substantially filling the annulus with pressurized material from the external source and pressurizing the annulus to a predetermined pressure;
• sealing the injection and evacuation ports assemblies after the annular space is filled and pressurized;
• and
• transferring a majority of a tangential (hoop) stress load from said section of pipeline to the permanent sleeve via the pressurized material sealed in the annular space.

A method of repairing a longitudinal section of a pipeline having a defect therein comprising the steps of:

• positioning around the section of pipeline a first longitudinal segment of a cylinder having longitudinal edges and radially opposed ends and a second longitudinal segment of a cylinder having longitudinal edges and radially opposed ends;
• joining the segments at the longitudinal edges to form a sleeve that circumferentially surrounds the section of pipeline and forms a first and second radial ends of said sleeve;
• positioning a first end seal between the sleeve of the pipeline at the first radial end of said sleeve and a second end seal between the sleeve of the pipeline at the second radial end of said sleeve, thereby forming an enclosed annular space between the outer surface of said pipeline and an interior surface of the sleeve;
• temporarily connecting a tapping tool to a tap assembly disposed on the sleeve;
• piercing the section of pipeline encased in the sleeve with the tapping tool and allowing pressurized material from inside the pipeline to fill the annular space and equalizing the pressure in the annulus and inside the pipeline;
• sealing the injection and evacuation ports assemblies after the annular space is filled and the pressure is equalized;
• and
• transferring a majority of a tangential (hoop) stress load from said section of pipeline to the permanent sleeve via the pressurized material contained in the annular space.

A method of repairing a longitudinal section of a pipeline having a defect therein comprising the steps of:

• positioning around the section of pipeline a first longitudinal segment of a cylinder having longitudinal edges and radially opposed ends and a second longitudinal segment of a cylinder having longitudinal edges and radially opposed ends;
• joining the segments at the longitudinal edges to form a sleeve that circumferentially surrounds the section of pipeline and forms a first and second radial ends of said sleeve;
• positioning a first end seal between the sleeve and the pipeline at the first radial end of said sleeve and a second end seal between the sleeve and the pipeline at the second radial end of said sleeve, thereby forming an enclosed annular space between the outer surface of said pipeline and the interior surface of the sleeve;
• temporarily connecting an external source of flowable material that will solidify in a predetermined amount of time to an injection port assembly disposed on the sleeve;
• temporarily opening an evacuation port assembly disposed on the sleeve;
• substantially filling the annulus with flowable material from the external source and pressurizing the annulus to a predetermined pressure;
• sealing the injection and evacuation ports assemblies and allowing the flowable material to solidify after the annular space is filled and pressurized;
• temporarily connecting a tapping tool to a tap assembly disposed on the sleeve;
• piercing the section of pipeline encased in the sleeve with the tapping tool and allowing pressurized material from inside the pipeline to fill the annular space not filled by the solidified flowable material and equalizing the pressure in the annulus and inside the pipeline;
• and
• transferring a majority of a tangential (hoop) stress load from said section of pipeline to the permanent sleeve via the solidified flowable material and pressurized material contained in the annular space.