Submarine Reel Drive System And Method For Reeling In And Launching Flexible Pipes And Umbilicals

Abstract

Disclosed is a launching method consisting of lowering a reel drive system, suitably marinized, to a fixed distance from the seabed, close to 50 m (enough to avoid colliding with obstacles and subsea systems), thus minimizing the catenary formed during the launch or recovery. The proposed equipment is capable of rotating standard reels containing flexible pipes and umbilicals, with rotation and torque control, as well as control of the flexible ends (through an auxiliary winch system), designed so that the entire system can be lifted by winches from a vessel and lowered to a working depth, close to the seabed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.