Method and apparatus for anchoring a line, such as a pipeline, to a support, and in particular a sea-bed
AssigneeCoyne et Bellier, Bureau d'Ingenieurs Conseils
InventorFrancis R. Cour
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of anchoring a line, such as a pipeline, to a support, and in particular a sea-bed, comprises the steps, at each anchoring point, of drilling holes in the support on both sides of the line, bedding piles in these holes, passing at least one saddle clamp around the line, securing the ends of the saddle clamp to the piles, and injecting a filling material, which may be a settable material, into an inflatable body arranged between the line and the saddle clamp. Devices for carrying out the method are also described.
Claims23
A method of anchoring a line, such as a pipeline, to a support, in particular a sea bed, including the steps at each anchoring point, of:
- drilling anchorage holes in said support on both sides of the line;
- bedding piles in said holes;
- passing a central curved part of at least one saddle clamp having lateral connecting parts around at least a portion of the periphery of the line and arranging an inflatable body in its deflated state between the line and said curved part of each said saddle clamp;
- securing said lateral connecting parts of said saddle clamp to said piles;
- and
- injecting a filling material into said inflatable body to provide a jacking effect displacing the line, with respect to said support, piles and saddle clamp, to its anchored position.
A device for anchoring a line, such as pipeline, to a support, in particular a sea bed, including, for each anchoring point;
- a pair of piles, to be embedded in anchorage holes drilled in said support on both sides of said line;
- at least a saddle clamp having a central curved part and lateral connecting parts for securing said saddle clamp to said piles;
- and
- at least an inflatable body, secured in the concavity of said central curved part of each said saddle clamp by securing means, and the walls of which are formed of flexible material, said inflatable body being provided with a valve for injecting a filling material into said body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.