Marine and submarine apparatus
OwnerTerrence Jeffrey Corbishleyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to improvements in an apparatus, such as pipelines (2) and associated equipment and to a method of making, insulating, providing buoyancy to, recovering and installing submarine apparatus. The marine or submarine apparatus comprises an impermeable enclosure (1) associated with the apparatus (2), which enclosure is tightly packed with hollow microspheres (3) to a density where, when submerged in use, the internal pressure of the microspheres is greater than or substantially equal to the water pressure on the apparatus.
Claims47
Marine or submarine apparatus comprising an impermeable enclosure, characterised in that the enclosure is tightly packed with hollow microspheres which are compacted to a density at which the microspheres:
- cease to flow and act more like a solid within the impermeable enclosures;
- carry moments and forces applied externally to said impermeable enclosure;
- carry shear stress;
- and
- exert pressure on the impermeable enclosure.
A submarine flowline comprising an impermeable enclosure and a pipeline, a group of pipelines or a combination of pipeline(s) and associated equipment located within the impermeable enclosure with a space defined between said impermeable enclosure and the pipeline(s) and any associated equipment therein, characterised in that the space is filled with tightly packed microspheres which are compacted to a density at which the microspheres:
- cease to flow and act more like a solid within the impermeable enclosure;
- carry externally applied moments and forces;
- carry shear stress and transfer shear stress from the enclosure to the pipeline(s) and vice versa;
- exert pressure on the impermeable enclosure;
- and
- frictionally engage the pipeline(s) and any associated equipment to hold the pipeline(s) and the associated equipment in position relative to the impermeable enclosure.
A method of installing or recovering marine or submarine apparatus comprising the step of filling an impermeable enclosure of the apparatus with microspheres characterised in that the microspheres are tightly packed and are compacted to a density at which the microspheres:
- cease to flow and act more like a solid within the impermeable enclosure.
- carry externally applied moments and forces;
- carry shear stress;
- and
- exert pressure on the impermeable enclosure.
Marine or submarine apparatus, comprising:
- underwater equipment which includes a transportation line;
- and
- an impermeable enclosure associated with said underwater equipment, said impermeable enclosure being tightly packed with microspheres which are compacted to a density whereby said microspheres exert pressure on the surrounding enclosure such that the microspheres cease to flow and act more like a solid;
- wherein:
- said transportation line includes a pipeline comprised of a single pipe or a series of interconnected pipes, said enclosure at least partially surrounding a pipe in said pipeline such that said microspheres carry shear transmitting stress in said transportation line.
Marine or submarine apparatus comprising a rigid impermeable enclosure, characterised in that the enclosure is tightly packed with hollow microspheres which are compacted to a density which has a bulk specific density of 0.37 to 0.8 g/cc with the microspheres being packed together with air in voids between the microspheres such that the microspheres:
- cease to flow and act more like a solid within the rigid impermeable enclosure;
- carry moments and forces applied externally to the impermeable enclosure;
- carry shear stress;
- and
- exert pressure on the rigid impermeable enclosure.
A submarine flowline comprising a rigid impermeable enclosure and a pipeline, a group of pipelines, or a combination of pipeline(s) and associated equipment located within the rigid impermeable enclosure with a space defined between said rigid impermeable enclosure and the pipeline(s) and any associated equipment therein, characterised in that the space is filled with tightly packed microspheres which are compacted to a density which has a bulk specific density of 0.37 to 0.8 g/cc with the microspheres being packed together with air in voids between the microspheres such that the microspheres:
- cease to flow and act more like a solid within the impermeable enclosure;
- carry externally applied moments and forces;
- carry shear stress and transfer shear stress from the enclosure to the pipeline(s) and vice versa;
- exert pressure on the impermeable enclosure;
- and
- frictionally engage the pipeline(s) and any associated equipment to hold the pipeline(s) and the associated equipment in position relative to the impermeable enclosure.
A method of installing or recovering a marine or submarine apparatus which has an impermeable enclosure which comprises the steps of:
- filling the impermeable enclosure with hollow microspheres;
- compacting the hollow microspheres to a density at which the microspheres cease to flow and act more like a solid within the enclosure;
- and
- applying a tensile stress to a component of the apparatus located within the impermeable enclosure prior to enclosing such component within the impermeable enclosure.
Marine or submarine apparatus, comprising:
- underwater equipment which includes a transportation line;
- an impermeable enclosure associated with said underwater equipment, said impermeable enclosure being tightly packed with microspheres which are compacted to a density at which the microspheres exert pressure on the surrounding enclosure such that the microspheres cease to flow and act more like a solid;
- wherein:
- said transportation line includes a pipeline comprised of a single pipe or a series of interconnected pipes, said enclosure at least partially surrounding a pipe in said pipeline such that said microspheres carry shear transmitting stress in said transportation line;
- and
- said pipe is a pretensioned pipe and said enclosure contacts said pretensioned pipe so as to lock in tensile stress in said pretensioned pipe.
A submarine flowline comprising an impermeable enclosure and pipeline, a group of pipeline(s) or combination of pipeline(s) and associated equipment located within the impermeable enclosure with a space defined between said impermeable enclosure and the pipeline(s) therein, wherein:
- the space is filled with tightly packed microspheres which are compacted to a density at which the microspheres cease to flow and act more like a solid within the enclosures;
- and
- said pipeline includes a pretensioned pipe and said impermeable enclosure at least partially encircles the pretensioned pipe such that said tightly packed microspheres lock in tensile stress in said pretensioned pipe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.