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US 4,225,270 AGranted
Method and apparatus for connecting a flowline to an offshore installation
AssigneeMaurer Engineering Inc.
InventorDonald W. Dareing
Life of this patent
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AssigneeMaurer Engineering Inc.
InventorDonald W. Dareing
Estimating the term…
A method and apparatus are disclosed for connecting a flowline having a major portion adapted to lie along the floor of a body of water to an offshore connection point. The method and apparatus are designed to compensate for the difficulty encountered in laying and maintaining an underwater flowline in a body of water having a substantial current running in substantially a single direction. The flowline is fed from a flowing support and drawn by a cable into an alignment funnel. Means are provided to bow the leading flowline in a lateral non-vertical direction by a predetermined amount such that the end of the leading flowline may enter the alignment funnel without any lateral or angular displacement. The bowing may be done at the surface prior to submersion of the flowline or may be done after the flowline is submerged. Several means for bowing the flowline are disclosed.
A method of connecting an underwater flowline in a body of water having a substantial current to an underwater connection point having an alignment funnel wherein the flowline is fed from a floating position and drawn by a cable into said alignment funnel, said method comprising bowing the leading flowline, prior to introduction into said alignment funnel, in a long shallow curvature in a lateral non-vertical direction by a predetermined amount such that the end of the leading flowline may enter said alignment funnel without any lateral or angular displacement relative to the longitudinal axis thereof.
A system of apparatus for connection of an underwater flowline in a body of water having a substantial current to an underwater connection point comprising an alignment funnel positioned to direct said flowline toward said connection point, means attachable to said flowline to move the same into said alignment funnel, and means secured on the leading flowline operable to bow the same in a lateral non-vertical direction prior to introduction into said alignment funnel in a long shallow curvature in an amount sufficient to permit the end of said leading flowline to enter said alignment funnel without lateral or angular deflection relative to the longitudinal axis thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.