US 2026/0177169 A1 · Method and Apparatus for Increasing the Collapse Resistance of a Flexible Pipe

Abstract

There is provided a method of increasing the collapse resistance of a region of a flexible pipe. The method includes providing a flexible pipe body having a plurality of pipe layers and deploying a reinforcement insert into a bore of the flexible pipe body through a free end thereof. A clamping force is applied to an external surface of the flexible pipe body at a location corresponding to the reinforcement insert. The reinforcement insert opposes radially inwards collapse of at least one layer of the flexible pipe body as a result of the clamping force. After removing the clamping force, the method includes either leaving the reinforcement insert within the bore of the flexible pipe body; or disassembling or mechanically retracting the reinforcement insert and retrieving it through the free end of the flexible pipe body.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of increasing the collapse resistance of a region of a flexible pipe, the method comprising:

providing a flexible pipe body having a plurality of pipe layers;
deploying a reinforcement insert into a bore of the flexible pipe body through a free end thereof;
applying a clamping force to an external surface of the flexible pipe body at a location corresponding to the reinforcement insert such that the reinforcement insert opposes radially inwards collapse of at least one layer of the flexible pipe body as a result of the clamping force;
and
after removing the clamping force, either
leaving the reinforcement insert within the bore of the flexible pipe body;
or
disassembling or mechanically retracting the reinforcement insert and
retrieving it through the free end of the flexible pipe body.

6 more elements

A reinforcement insert for increasing the collapse resistance of a region of a flexible pipe, the reinforcement insert comprising:

one or more radially displaceable bracing members configured to be displaced toward a radially inner surface of a flexible pipe body, in use;
an actuation mechanism arranged to configure the reinforcement insert between a retracted condition and a deployed condition by radial displacement of the bracing member(s);
wherein when configuring the reinforcement insert from the retracted condition to the deployed condition the one or more bracing members are displaced radially outwards so as to increase at least one external dimension of the reinforcement insert.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and Apparatus for Increasing the Collapse Resistance of a Flexible Pipe

Life of this patent

Method and Apparatus for Increasing the Collapse Resistance of a Flexible Pipe

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20