Method and system for laying pipe through the use of a plow
AssigneeHorizon Vessels, Inc.
InventorMichael L. Ballard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system for laying and burying pipe a seabed using a pipe trenching plow that is advanced along the seabed to form a continuous trench. The pipe trenching plow cuts a pilot hole in the seabed using a cutting apparatus and widens and forms a trench from the pilot hole using expandable spreading side sections. A pipe guiding sled also is used to support and guide the pipe into the trench and a trench box section retains the trench geometry as the pipe trenching plow is continuously advanced in a forward direction. The pipe trenching plow cutting the trench and burying the pipe with minimal turbidity and seabed disturbance.
Claims23
An underwater pipe laying system for burying pipe in a seabed comprising:
- a pipe guiding sled for supporting and guiding a pipe;
- a pipe trenching plow following the pipe guiding sled, the pipe trenching plow having a pilot hole cutting apparatus, the pipe trenching plow further having a pair of spreading side sections forming a wedge that are expanded and contracted, the spreading side sections widening upon expansion to form a trench as the pipe trenching plow is advanced, the pipe trenching plow having support rollers for directing the pipe downward intermediate the spreading side sections;
- and
- a trench box section following the pipe trenching plow for retaining the trench geometry, the trench box section having support rollers for supporting and guiding the pipe into the trench.
A method for laying and burying pipe in a seabed comprising:
- forming a pilot hole in a seabed for advancement of a pipe using a cutting apparatus,
- widening the pilot hole to form a trench using a plurality of expandable spreading side sections, the spreading side sections alternatingly driven from a contracted position to an expanded position by a drive means, the cycle of the drive means urging the spreading side sections outward in a continuous shoveling motion, and
- supporting the trench geometry using a trench box section and advancing the pipe into the trench.
A pipe trenching plow for forming a pipe trench in a seabed comprising:
- means for cutting mounted at the forward edge of the pipe trenching plow for forming a pilot hole in the seabed,
- means for spreading expanded by a drive means to widen the pilot hole to form a trench, and
- means for retaining the trench geometry formed by the means for spreading, wherein the means for spreading substantially widens the trench.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.