Apparatus and method
AssigneeGE Oil & Gas UK Limited
InventorsZhimin Tan, Yucheng Hou, Jiabei Yuan, Linfa Zhu
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Abstract
A buoyancy compensating assembly and method of deploying a riser assembly are disclosed. The buoyancy compensating assembly for connection to a portion of flexible pipe, comprises at least one rigid buoyancy module for connection to a riser; and at least one regulating element configured to control the pressure within the at least one rigid buoyancy module in use.
Claims32
A buoyancy compensating assembly for connection to a portion of flexible pipe, comprising;
- at least one rigid buoyancy module for connection to a riser;
- and
- at least one regulating element configured to control a pressure within the at least one rigid buoyancy module in use, using high pressure fluid from a high pressure fluid source,
- wherein the high pressure fluid source is associated with, and mounted on, the at least one regulating element, and
- wherein the high pressure fluid source comprises at least one of a high pressure reservoir and an inflator arrangement.
(canceled)
The assembly as claimed in 3 wherein the at least one regulating element comprises a control valve coupled to the high pressure fluid source, for controlling passage of the high pressure fluid from the high pressure fluid source to the interior of the at least one rigid buoyancy module through the inlet.
(canceled)
The An assembly as claimed in 1, wherein the inflator arrangement is configured to generate high pressure fluid through chemical reaction of one or more reactants.
The assembly as claimed in 5, wherein the control valve is a one-way valve.
(canceled)
The assembly as claimed in 18, wherein the pressure within an interior of the further rigid buoyancy module is automatically adjustable.
The assembly as claimed in 18, wherein at least one of the regulating elements comprises at least one of a control valve and a sensor arrangement.
A method of deploying a riser assembly comprising at least one segment of flexible pipe from a vessel or floating workstation to a mid-water position, the method comprising:
- providing at least one buoyancy compensating assembly comprising at least one rigid buoyancy module and at least one regulating element;
- arranging the at least one buoyancy compensating assembly on a riser;
- deploying the riser to a predetermined depth;
- and
- controlling a pressure within the at least one rigid buoyancy module during deployment of the riser with the at least one regulating element, using high pressure fluid from a high pressure fluid source,
- wherein the high pressure fluid source is associated with, and mounted on, the at least one regulating element, and
- wherein the high pressure fluid source comprises at least one of a high pressure reservoir and an inflator arrangement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.