Deep water repair methods and apparatus

A method for repairing a damaged pipeline member lying on the bottom of a body of water comprising the steps of

• lowering a cutoff frame member from a floating vessel into an operating relationship with the damaged pipeline section,
• lifting an end of the damaged pipeline off the water bottom using said cutoff frame,
• attaching a mechanized external linear shaped charge clamp to the damaged pipeline,
• detonating the charge clamp,
• removing the damaged section from the vicinity of the pipeline leaving a prepared pipeline end section,
• raising the cutoff frame member away from its operational relationship with the pipeline,
• securing a pipeline plug member to a submersible repair frame,
• attaching a flexible line between the plug member and a surface vessel,
• lowering the repair frame from a floating vessel into an operational relationship with the prepared pipeline end section, the frame maintaining the plug member and the flexible line in its secured position during the lowering step,
• providing a manual control panel manipulating means on the frame for controlling operations of the frame,
• providing a submersible vehicle having means to operate the manual manipulating means,
• aligning the pipeline plug member with the pipeline end section,
• inserting the plug member into the pipeline end section,
• securing the plug member in the pipeline end section,
• evacuating water from the pipeline member by expelling the water through a closeable passage in the plug member,
• replacing the flexible line with a pick up line for lifting the pipeline section from the water bottom and onto the surface vessel, and
• raising the pipeline end section with the plug member secured therein onto the surface vessel.

A method for repairing a damaged pipeline member lying on the bottom of a body of water comprising the steps of

• installing an internal pig in the pipeline, the pig having an activated pinger and an explosive cutting charge,
• pumping the cutoff pig through said pipeline until it reaches and stops at the damaged pipeline section,
• tracking the internal pig during the pumping step,
• cutting off a damaged end portion of said pipeline member using said explosive charge leaving a prepared pipeline end section in condition for receiving a pipeline plug member,
• removing the damaged end portion from the immediate vicinity of the pipeline end section,
• securing the pipeline plug member to a submersible repair frame,
• attaching a flexible line between the plug member and a surface vessel,
• lowering the repair frame from a floating vessel into an operational relationship with the prepared pipeline end section, the frame maintaining the plug member and flexible line in its secured position during the lowering step,
• providing a manual control panel manipulating means on said frame for controlling operation of the frame and for aligning the pipeline plug member with and for inserting the pipeline plug member into the pipeline end section,
• providing a submersible vehicle having means to operate said manual manipulating means,
• aligning the plug member and the pipeline end section with each other,
• inserting the plug member into said pipeline end section,
• securing the plug member in the pipeline end section,
• evacuating water from said pipeline member by expelling the water through a closeable passage in said plug member,
• replacing said flexible line with a pick-up line for lifting the pipeline section from the water bottom and onto said surface vessel, and
• raising the pipeline end section with the plug member secured therein onto said surface vessel.

Apparatus for effecting repair of a damaged pipeline member lying on the bottom of a body of water comprising

• means for locating a damaged portion of said pipeline member,
• means for cutting away said damaged portion of said pipeline member leaving at least a prepared pipeline end section exposed to the water environment,
• a pipeline plug member having an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the pipeline member in a first insertion state and having actuatable means for securing the plug within the pipeline in a second secured state, said plug including means for securing a flexible line thereto,
• a submersible repair frame having
• means for securely holding said pipeline plug,
• means for raising and securely holding said pipeline end section in a known position,
• means for orienting and aligning said pipeline plug in an axial alignment with the raised and secured pipeline section, and
• means for inserting the plug member into the aligned pipeline end section,
• at least one floating vessel, and
• means for lowering said repair frame with said plug member secured thereto to the bottom of said body of water in an operative relation to said pipeline end section.

Apparatus for effecting repair of a damaged pipeline member lying on the bottom of a body of water comprising

• an internal pig,
• means attached to an after portion of said pig for explosively cutting said pipeline member,
• means for pumping the internal pig through the pipeline until it reaches the damaged pipeline section,
• means to track the internal pig as it traverses the pipeline,
• a pipeline plug member having an outside diameter smaller than the pipeline member inside diameter during a first insertion state and having actuatable means for securing the plug within the pipeline in a second secured state,
• a submersible repair frame having
• means for raising and securely holding the pipeline end section, said means including an inverted V-shaped structural section against which the pipeline is aligned as it is raised,
• means for orienting and aligning the pipeline plug in an axial alignment with the raised and secured pipeline section,
• means for inserting the plug member into the aligned pipeline end section,
• a manually operable control panel manipulation means for controlling operation of the repair frame, including the raising, holding, orienting, and inserting means, and
• a submersible vehicle docking station to position a submersible vehicle in an operative relationship to the control panel manipulation means,
• said submersible vehicle being a manned, one-atmosphere submersible vehicle having means to operate the manual manipulation means,
• at least one floating vessel,
• a flexible line connected between the floating vessel and the pipeline plug,
• means for lowering the repair frame with the plug and connected line secured thereto to the bottom of the body of water into an operative relationship to the pipeline end section,
• means for securing the plug member to an internal contour surface of the pipeline,
• means for evacuating water through a plug passage in the pipeline plug member from said pipeline to the outside water environment,
• means for raising said repair frame from the vicinity of its operative relationship to said pipeline end section, and
• means for raising the pipeline end section onto said one floating vessel.

Apparatus for effecting repair of the damaged pipeline member lying on the bottom of a body of water comprising

• a cutoff frame member having
• means for lifting an end of the damaged pipeline above the water bottom, and
• means for cutting the damaged end section from the pipeline to provide a prepared pipeline end section exposed to the water environment,
• means for lowering and raising the cutoff frame member to and away from its operating relationship with the pipeline,
• a pipeline plug member having an outside diameter smaller than the pipeline member inside diameter during a first insertion state and having actuatable means for securing the plug within the pipeline in a second secured state,
• a submersible repair frame having
• means for raising and securely holding the pipeline end section, said means including an inverted V-shaped structural section against which the pipeline is aligned as it is raised,
• means for orienting and aligning the pipeline plug in an axial alignment with the raised and secured pipeline section,
• means for inserting the plug member into the aligned pipeline end section,
• a manually operable control panel manipulation means for controlling operation of the repair frame, including the raising, holding, orienting, and inserting means, and
• a submersible vehicle docking station to position a submersible vehicle in an operative relationship to the control panel manipulation means,
• said submersible vehicle being a manned, one-atmosphere submersible vehicle having means to operate the manual manipulation means,
• at least one floating vessel,
• a flexible line connected between the floating vessel and the pipeline plug,
• means for lowering the repair frame with the plug and connected line secured thereto to the bottom of the body of water into an operative relationship to the pipeline end section,
• means for securing the plug member to an internal contour surface of the pipeline,
• means for evacuating water through a plug passage in the pipeline plug member from said pipeline to the outside water environment,
• means for raising said repair frame from the vicinity of its operative relationship to said pipeline end section, and
• means for raising the pipeline end section onto said one floating vessel.

A submersible repair frame for connecting a line to a prepared pipeline end section to raise the end section from a bottom of a body of water comprising

• means for securely holding a pipeline plug member having an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the pipeline end section in a first insertion state,
• said plug having an actuatable means for securing the plug within the pipeline end section in a second secured state,
• means for raising and securely holding the pipeline end section in a known alignment position,
• means for orienting and aligning the pipeline plug member in an axial alignment with the raised and secured pipeline section,
• means for inserting the plug member into the aligned pipeline end section, and
• said pipeline plug member including line connection means for receiving and holding a flexible line,
• whereby said flexible line can be used to raise the pipeline end section from the bottom of the body of water.

A method for repairing a damaged pipeline member on the bottom of a body of water comprising the steps of

• locating the damaged section of said pipeline member,
• preparing said damaged pipeline for receiving a pipeline plug section at a pipeline end section,
• securing the pipeline plug member to a submersible repair frame,
• providing a manual control panel manipulating means on said frame for controlling operation of said frame and for aligning said pipeline plug member with and for inserting said pipeline plug member into said pipeline end section,
• providing a submersible vehicle having means to operate said manual manipulating means,
• lowering the repair frame from a floating vessel into an operational relationship with the prepared pipeline end section with the plug member secured thereto,
• aligning the plug member and the pipeline end section with each other,
• inserting said plug member into said pipeline end section,
• securing said plug member in said pipeline end section,
• raising said repair frame out of said operational relationship and away from said pipeline, and
• raising said pipeline end section onto a floating vessel.

A method for repairing a damaged pipeline member on the bottom of a body of water comprising the steps of

• locating the damaged section of said pipeline member,
• preparing said damaged pipeline for receiving a pipeline plug section at a pipeline end section by explosively cutting said damaged pipeline at said damaged section to prepare said damaged section for receiving the pipeline plug member, said cutting step including the steps of
• installing an internal cutoff pig in the pipeline with an activated pinger,
• pumping said cutoff pig through said pipeline until it reaches the damaged pipeline section, and
• tracking said cutoff pig during the pumping step,
• securing the pipeline plug member to a submersible repair frame,
• lowering the repair frame from a floating vessel into an operational relationship with the prepared pipeline end section with the plug member secured thereto,
• aligning the plug member and the pipeline end section with each other,
• inserting said plug member into said pipeline end section,
• securing said plug member in said pipeline end section,
• raising said repair frame out of said operational relationship and away from said pipeline, and
• raising said pipeline end section onto a floating vessel.

A method for reparing a damaged pipeline member on the bottom of a body of water comprising the steps of

• locating the damaged section of said pipeline member,
• preparing said damaged pipeline for receiving a pipeline plug section at a pipeline end section by
• lowering a cutoff frame member from a floating vessel into an operating relationship with the damaged pipeline section,
• lifting an end of said damaged pipeline off the water bottom using said cutoff frame,
• removing said damaged section from said pipeline, and
• raising said cutoff frame member away from its operating relationship with the pipeline,
• securing the pipeline plug member to a submersible repair frame,
• lowering the repair frame from a floating vessel into an operational relationship with the prepared pipeline end section with the plug member secured thereto,
• aligning the plug member and the pipeline end section with each other,
• inserting said plug member into said pipeline end section,
• securing said plug member in said pipeline end section,
• raising said repair frame out of said operational relationship and away from said pipeline, and
• raising said pipeline end section onto a floating vessel.