Back to results
US 6,939,082 B1Granted
Subea pipeline blockage remediation method
OwnerBenton F. Baughinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The method of taking a remotely operated vehicle to the ocean floor to land on and move along a subsea pipeline above or below the seafloor and repeatedly circulate seawater which has been heated electrically, mechanically, or chemically across the outer surface of the pipeline to melt hydrates or paraffins which have formed on the inside of the pipeline.
Claims19
A method of removing blockages of hydrates or paraffins from the inside of a subsea pipeline by the steps of
- landing a remotely operated vehicle on said subsea pipeline,
- engaging said subsea pipeline with traction means which are powered to control the movement of said remotely operated vehicle along said pipeline,
- sealingly engaging the outer surface of said subsea pipeline,
- flowing seawater over a portion of the outer surface of said subsea pipeline,
- heating the seawater which is flowing over the outer surface of said subsea pipeline to a temperature higher than the ambient temperature surrounding said subsea pipeline, and
- after said seawater is circulated over said portion of the outer surface of said subsea pipeline, recirculating said seawater back into circulating pumps, past the means of heating said seawater again, and over the portion of the outer surface of said pipeline again,
- such that said hydrates or paraffins will melt and form liquids and/or gases.
4 more elements
A method of removing hydrates or paraffins from the inside of a subsea pipeline by
- having a remotely controlled vehicle place a circulation chamber adjacent to said pipeline said, circulation chamber having an open side to said pipeline,
- engaging said subsea pipeline to control the movement of said remotely
- controlled vehicle along said pipeline,
- circulating seawater alternately over a portion of the outer surface of said pipeline and over heating means to cause the hydrates or paraffins to melt into liquids and/or gases within said subsea pipeline.
1 more element
A method of removing hydrates or paraffins from a subsea pipeline by
- having a remotely controlled vehicle place a circulation chamber adjacent to said pipeline, said circulation chamber having an open side to said pipeline,
- engaging said subsea pipeline to control the movement of said remotely controlled vehicle along said pipeline,
- repeatedly circulating seawater out of said circulation chamber, through heating means, back into said circulation chamber, and across a portion of said pipeline,
- such that heated seawater will be circulated across said portion of said pipeline to warm said pipeline and heat added to said seawater not transferred to said portion of said pipeline will increase the inlet seawater temperature to the heating means.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.