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US 2025/0043886 A1Published application
Seafloor Pipeline Removal System and Method
AssigneeC-Dive, LLC
InventorsEdward Trahan, Philip Thibodeaux, Robert Champagne, Marc Olivier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a system and method for uncovering and removing pipeline from the seafloor using a subsea trenching system using pressurized water to uncover pipe, a subsea shear carried by a barge to cut lengths of the pipeline, and a grapple carried by a barge to lift cut lengths of pipeline for placement on a pipe haul and recovery barge.
Claims20
A pipeline removal system for removing pipeline from a seafloor, comprising:
- a barge, a subsea trenching device, and a trenching device controller,
- wherein said trenching device controller is on said barge;
- wherein said subsea trenching device is operatively connected to said trenching device controller and said trenching device controller is configured to control said subsea trenching device;
- wherein said subsea trenching device comprises at least one spray pipe and each said at least one spray pipe further comprises at least one nozzle, further wherein said subsea trenching device is configured to receive pressurized water and to spray said pressurized water out of each said at least one nozzle, thereby excavating a trench around a length of said pipeline buried below said seafloor and exposing an uncovered portion of said pipeline;
- wherein said subsea trenching device is removably attachable to said pipeline;
- and
- wherein, when said subsea trenching device is removably attached to said pipeline and said pipeline is below said seafloor, each said at least one nozzle is located between a bottom of said pipeline and at or below a surface of said seafloor.
4 more elements
A pipeline removal system for removing pipeline from a seafloor, comprising:
- a barge, a subsea trenching device, a trenching device controller, a subsea shear, and a shear controller,
- wherein said trenching device controller and said shear controller are on said barge;
- wherein said subsea shear is operatively connected to said shear controller and said shear controller is configured to control position and shear-action of said subsea shear;
- wherein said subsea trenching device is operatively connected to said trenching device controller and said trenching device controller is configured to control said subsea trenching device;
- wherein said subsea trenching device comprises at least one spray pipe and each said at least one spray pipe comprises at least one nozzle, further wherein said subsea trenching device is configured to receive pressurized water and to spray said pressurized water out of each said at least one nozzle;
- and
- wherein said subsea shear is capable of cutting said pipeline.
4 more elements
A method of performing subsea pipeline disassembly comprising:
- a. providing a barge, a subsea trenching device, a trenching device controller, a subsea shear, and a shear controller to an offshore location;
- b. lowering said subsea trenching device into seawater and onto a pipe;
- c. moving said subsea trenching device along a length of said pipe;
- d. displacing a displaced portion of seafloor using said subsea trenching device to unearth an uncovered portion of said pipe;
- and
- e. shearing said uncovered portion of said pipe with said subsea shear;
- wherein said trenching device controller and said shear controller are on said barge;
- wherein said subsea shear is operatively connected to said shear controller and said shear controller is configured to control position and shear-action of said subsea shear;
- and
- wherein said subsea trenching device is operatively connected to said trenching device controller and said subsea trenching device is configured to be controlled by said trenching device controller.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.