Systems And Methods For Protecting Subsea Pipeline From Excessive Stress Or Fatigue Loading.
AssigneeChevron U.S.A. Inc.
InventorsAntonio Carlos Falcao Critsinelis, Hugh Miller Thompson, Sid Ahmed Mebarkia, Edward Shintaro Nakajima, Estela Gonzalez
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Abstract
Disclosed are systems and methods for protecting subsea pipeline from damage caused by excessive stress or fatigue loading caused by geo-hazards, and environmental and operating loads. The systems and methods utilize lifting buoyancy modules capable of being attached to a section of subsea pipeline to lift the subsea pipeline off the seabed to a predetermined height over a predetermined length upon being activated by a planned or unplanned triggering event.
Claims17
A system for protecting subsea pipeline from excessive stress and/or fatigue loading, comprising:
- a plurality of lifting buoyancy modules capable of being attached to a subsea pipeline in a normally non-activated state and having an activation mechanism associated there with;
- wherein the plurality of lifting buoyancy modules has sufficient buoyancy when at least a portion of the plurality of lifting buoyancy modules is activated to lift the subsea pipeline off the seabed to a predetermined height over a predetermined length.
A method for protecting subsea pipeline from excessive stress and/or fatigue loading, comprising:
- attaching a plurality of lifting buoyancy modules having an activation mechanism associated there with to a subsea pipeline;
- wherein the plurality of lifting buoyancy modules has sufficient buoyancy when at least a portion of the plurality of lifting buoyancy modules is activated to lift the subsea pipeline off the seabed to a predetermined height over a predetermined length.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.