Reinforced foam block for supporting a pipeline
OwnerPaul Dagesse, Pat Minamideinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for supporting a length of pipe adapted to carry oil or gas in a subterranean environment comprises a body of rigid synthetic polymeric foam material defining an upper face of the foam body arranged to substantially receive a weight of the length of pipe and a lower face arranged for contacting a ground surface. A planar sheet of reinforcing material which is substantially incompressible in a thickness direction thereof is connected to the foam body at or adjacent the upper face thereof in transverse orientation relative to a thickness direction of the foam body between the upper and lower faces thereof so that the reinforcing sheet is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the weight of the length of pipe exerted on the foam body.
Claims16
A device for supporting a length of pipe adapted to carry oil or gas in a subterranean environment, in combination with the length of pipe, the device comprising:
- a body of rigid synthetic polymeric foam material;
- the foam body defining an upper face arranged for substantially receiving a weight force of the length of pipe resting on the device and a lower face of the foam body arranged for resting on a ground surface;
- the foam body having a thickness measured between the upper and lower faces suited for carrying a weight force of the length of pipe when carrying the oil or gas therein;
- a planar sheet of reinforcing material having a peripheral edge delimiting a first face of the sheet and an opposite second face of the sheet;
- the reinforcing sheet having a thickness measured between the first and second faces;
- the reinforcing sheet being substantially incompressible across the thickness thereof;
- the thickness of the reinforcing sheet being less than the thickness of the foam body;
- the reinforcing sheet being connected to the foam body and located at or adjacent the upper face thereof;
- and
- the reinforcing sheet being oriented in a plane which is transverse to a thickness direction of the foam body, the thickness direction being parallel to the thickness of the foam body, so that the reinforcing sheet is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the weight force of the length of pipe exerted on the foam body.
A device for supporting a length of pipe adapted to carry oil or gas in a subterranean environment, in combination with the length of pipe, the device comprising:
- a continuous sheet of flexible reinforcing material having a plurality of openings formed through a thickness of the sheet from one face of the sheet to an opposite face thereof;
- a body of synthetic polymeric foam material passing from said one face of the sheet of reinforcing material and through the openings defined therein to embed the sheet of reinforcing material in fixed location in the body of synthetic polymeric foam material;
- the body of synthetic polymeric foam material being shaped to define a plurality of peripheral faces wherein:
- a first one of the peripheral faces is engaging the length of pipe disposed thereon;
- a second one of the peripheral faces opposite to the first peripheral face and spaced therefrom by a thickness of the synthetic polymeric foam material is arranged for contact with a ground surface;
- and
- at least one of the peripheral faces is planar;
- said thickness of the body of synthetic polymeric foam material being adapted to support the length of pipe when carrying the oil or gas therein;
- the sheet of reinforcing material being contained wholly within a periphery of the body of synthetic polymeric foam material;
- the sheet of reinforcing material being embedded in planar orientation in the body of synthetic polymeric foam material;
- the sheet of reinforcing material being disposed in contact only with synthetic polymeric foam material inside the periphery of the body of synthetic polymeric foam material;
- the sheet of reinforcing material being located in the body of synthetic polymeric foam material with said opposite face of the sheet disposed at or adjacent said at least one planar peripheral face substantially parallel thereto to distribute across a width of the body of synthetic polymeric foam material a force applied in a transverse direction to said at least one planar peripheral face of said body.
A device for supporting a length of pipe adapted to carry oil or gas in a subterranean environment, in combination with the length of pipe, the device comprising:
- a continuous sheet of reinforcing material having a plurality of openings formed through a thickness of the sheet from one face of the sheet to an opposite face thereof;
- a body of synthetic polymeric foam material passing from said one face of the sheet of reinforcing material and through the openings defined therein to embed the sheet of reinforcing material in fixed location in the body of synthetic polymeric foam material;
- the body of synthetic polymeric foam material being shaped to define a plurality of peripheral faces wherein:
- a first one of the peripheral faces is engaging the length of pipe disposed thereon;
- a second one of the peripheral faces opposite to the first peripheral face and spaced therefrom by a thickness of the synthetic polymeric foam material is arranged for contact with a ground surface;
- and
- at least one of the peripheral faces is planar;
- said thickness of the body of synthetic polymeric foam material being adapted to support the length of pipe when carrying the oil or gas therein;
- the sheet of reinforcing material being contained wholly within a periphery of the body of synthetic polymeric foam material;
- the sheet of reinforcing material being located in the body of synthetic polymeric foam material with said opposite face of the sheet located at the periphery of the body of synthetic polymeric foam material to define at least a portion of said at least one planar peripheral face.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.