Distributed buoyancy subsea pipeline apparatus and method
AssigneeKellogg Brown & Root LLC
InventorsKhamir Joshi, John Mungall, Craig Lamison
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatuses including a subsea pipeline (18) extending from a first location (14) to a second location (16) and including at least one distributed buoyancy region (102) to traverse a seabed topographic feature (12) are presented. Methods including laying a subsea pipeline (218) including laying a negatively buoyant section of pipeline (218A), a distributed buoyancy section (202) of pipeline (218), and a second negatively buoyant section of pipeline (218B) from a pipelay vessel (220) to traverse an undersea topographic feature (212) are also presented.
Claims51
An apparatus to traverse a seabed topographic feature, comprising:
- a subsea pipeline constructed to carry fluids from a first location across the topographic feature to a second location;
- wherein the topographic feature is selected from the group consisting of subsea basins, domes, valleys, cliffs, canyons, escarpments and combinations thereof;
- said pipeline including at least one distributed buoyancy region;
- said pipeline comprising a first unbuoyed pipeline section extending from said first location on a sea floor to said distributed buoyancy region and a second unbuoyed pipeline section extending from said distributed buoyancy region to said second location on a sea floor;
- and
- said distributed buoyancy region connecting said first and said second pipeline sections in fluid communication.
(canceled)
A method for traversing an undersea topographic feature with a subsea pipeline, comprising:
- laying a negatively buoyant first section of the pipeline from a pipelay vessel from a first location on a sea floor;
- laying a distributed buoyancy section of the pipeline from the pipelay vessel over the topographic feature to be traversed, the distributed buoyancy section being positively buoyant;
- and
- laying a second negatively buoyant section of the pipeline from the pipelay vessel to a second location on the sea floor.
A method for traversing an undersea topographic feature with a distributed buoyancy pipeline, comprising:
- installing a first completed pipeline terminating at a first connection device;
- installing a second completed pipeline terminating at a second connection device;
- laying the distributed buoyancy pipeline across the topographic feature from a laying vessel, the distributed buoyancy pipeline having a first mating device at a first end and a second mating device at a second end;
- landing the first mating device proximate to the first connection device;
- landing the second mating device proximate to the second connection device;
- installing a first fluid connection between the first connection device and the first mating device;
- and
- installing a second fluid connection between the second mating device and the second connection device.
A method for connecting a first pipeline to a second pipeline across an undersea topographic feature, comprising:
- laying a distributed buoyancy pipeline across the topographic feature from a laying vessel, the distributed buoyancy pipeline having a first mating device at a first end and a second mating device at a second end;
- landing the first mating device proximate to a first connection device of the first pipeline;
- landing the second mating device proximate to a second connection device of the second pipeline;
- installing a first fluid connection between the first connection device and the first mating device;
- and
- installing a second fluid connection between the second mating device and the second connection device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.