Method of welding the ends of submerged pipes by sleeve abutment
AssigneesCompagnie Francaise des Petroles, Etudes Petrolieres Marines, Ateliers et Chantiers de Bretagne - A.C.B., Compagnie Maritime d'Expertises, Compagnie Generale pour les Developpements Operationnels des Richesses Sous-Marines (DORIS), Societe Nationale Elf Aquitaine (Production)
InventorsPhilippe C. Nobileau, Rene M. Dermy, Guy J. Fleury
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of welding the ends of submerged pipes in a gaseous atmosphere at any depth comprises isolating the ends of the pipes by introducing obturators therein and then introducing the pipe ends into an open topped receptacle which is capped with an underwater personal carrying intervention unit. The closed receptacle is filled with gas and then a sleeve is positioned between the ends of the pipes and welded to the pipes.
Claims17
A method of joining together the ends of two submerged pipes by welding in a gaseous atmosphere, comprising:
- isolating said ends of said pipes to be joined by means of obturators placed in each of said pipe ends, said obturators isolating the interiors of the pipes from the exteriors of the pipes and including an externally controllable piston rod/cylinder assembly;
- introducing said pipe ends into a receptacle;
- closing said receptacle by means of an intervention unit;
- filing said closed receptacle with gas;
- selectively bearing the ends of said piston rods of each obturator on one another;
- and
- welding the thus isolated ends of said pipes to a sleeve of the same diameter as said pipes.
A method of joining together the ends of two submerged pipes by welding in a gaseous atmosphere comprising:
- isolating the ends of said pipes to be joined by means of obturators placed in each of said pipe ends, said obturators isolating the interiors of the pipes from the exteriors of the pipes;
- introducing said pipe ends into a receptacle provided with two opposed orifices each of which is surrounded by a controllable external sealing means;
- closing said receptacle by means of an intervention unit;
- operating said external sealing means after insertion of said pipe ends to seal said orifices;
- filling said closed receptacle with gas;
- cutting off sections of the ends of the pipes so that the distance between the pipe ends after cutting corresponds to a predetermined distance;
- and
- welding the isolated ends of the pipes to a sleeve having a diameter equal to the pipe diameter and having a length equal to said predetermined length, while a first portion of said obturators are maintained spaced apart from each other by a second portion of said obturators.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.