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US 5,312,205 AGranted
Pipeline to reduce loss from breach
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorMoye Wicks, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a subsea pipeline and method utilizing the pipeline wherein the loss of pipeline contents resulting from a break in the pipeline is reduced. The loss of pipeline contents is reduced by providing a plurality of traps in the pipeline. The traps each comprise at least two elevation changes in alternating directions. Any water entering the pipeline through a breach will only displace pipeline contents from the breach to the adjacent lower trap.
Claims6
A method to reduce loss of oil into a body of water through which it is to be transported, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a subsea pipeline for transporting oil;
- and
- providing within the pipeline a plurality of traps, each trap comprising at least two elevation changes in alternating directions and each elevation change being of a magnitude of at least one pipe diameter thereby limiting the loss of oil being transported through the pipeline which may occur from a breach between two adjacent traps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.