Pipeline cable deployment apparatus and method

Pipeline cable deployment apparatus comprising a pipeline pig having, in use, forward and rearward ends, said pig carrying an enclosure containing a coil of cable, the enclosure having an exit for the cable rearwardly of the pig, wherein the coil is a static coil made up of multiple layers of cylindrical windings avid wherein the coiled cable is coated with a weak adhesive, sufficient to bind the turns of the coil together unless tension is applied to the cable to part them.

Pipeline cable deployment apparatus comprising a pipeline pig having, in use, forward and rearward ends, said pig carrying an enclosure containing a coil of cable, the enclosure having an exit for the cable rearwardly of the pig, wherein the coil is a static coil made up of multiple layers of cyliridrical windings, and wherein the cable is coiled on to the coil with a back twist, by up to one turn per coil of cable.

A method of deploying a cable in a pipeline comprising the steps of providing a pipeline pig carrying an enclosure with a coil of cable having an end extending out of a rearwardly directed exit thereof;

• providing a pig launcher at one end of the pipeline with a cable anchorage therein;
• fastening said one end of the cable to the anchorage to restrain said one end;
• and, launching the pig into the pipeline from said pig launcher, thereby driving the pig forwardly along the pipeline away from said one end.

An assembly of pipeline cable deployment apparatus and a pipeline comprising a pipeline pig having, in use, forward and rearward ends, said pig carrying an enclosure containing a coil of cable, the enclosure having an exit for the cable rearwardly of the pig, wherein the pig has a body and means extending laterally therefrom for positioning the pig in the pipeline, the enclosure being located within the pig body and the laterally extending means comprising lateral flanges of lesser width than a diameter of an inside of the pipeline at the forward and rearward ends for stabilizing it and guiding it in the pipeline and for allowing it to be driven forward by pipeline fluid.

An assembly of pipeline cable deployment apparatus and a pipeline comprising a pipeline pig having, in use, forward and rearward ends, said pig carrying an enclosure containing a coil of cable, the enclosure having an exit for the cable rearwardly of the pig, wherein the pig has a body and means extending laterally therefrom for positioning the pig in the pipeline, the enclosure being located within the pig body and the laterally extending means comprising lateral flanges of lesser width than a diameter of an inside of the pipeline at the forward and rearward ends for stabilizing it and guiding it in the pipeline and for allowing it to be driven forward by pipeline fluid, the pipeline being circular, said flanges having a diameter of 235 mm and said pipeline having an internal diameter of 244 mm.

The combination of pipeline cable deployment apparatus and a pipeline, the pipeline cable deployment apparatus comprising a pipeline pig having, in use, forward and rearward ends, said pig having a body within which an enclosure containing a coil of cable is carried, the enclosure having an exit for the cable rearwardly of the pig, wherein the pig body has a smaller cross-section than an interior cross-section of the pipeline, providing a path for pipeline fluid therebetween and has flanges of lesser width than a diameter of an inside of the pipeline at forward and rearward ends thereof extending laterally outwardly around an entire outside of the pig to a location adjacent an interior wall of the pipeline into said path to obstruct flow of pipeline fluid along said path for enabling the pig to be driven forward by the pipeline fluid and for stabilizing the pig and guiding it in the pipeline.