Conoco Inc.

Arthur W Morton

Michael S Triantafyllou

Henry A Bourne, Jr

Paul R Erb

Joao G De Oliveira

A long pipeline is constructed at an on-shore site and then launched into a body of water. A tension force is maintained on the pipeline during launching to hold the pipeline off the floor of the body of water.

Method of launching long pipelines

A pipeline clamp for securing a heated arctic pipeline to its support structure comprises a sandwich material of inner and outer layers of fiber reinforced rigid polymer and an intermediate core layer of honeycomb-form aramid paper. The clamp affords all the engineering advantages of prior steel clamps without the disadvantages of being heat conductive which can result in conductance of pipeline heat to the permafrost layer as well as 'freezing out' of low melting paraffins flowing within the pipeline which decrease pipeline efficiencies.

Clamp for arctic pipeline support

A long pipeline is constructed at an on-shore site and is supported by floatable ground engaging supports. The pipeline is launched into a body of water while maintaining a tension load on the pipeline to hold it above the floor of the body of water. The floatable supports are retrieved after the pipeline is launched.

Method of launching long pipelines and retrieving support means therefor

The present invention provides a service buoy for performing direct wireline maintenance of a subsea well. The buoy is maintained in position over the well by a rigid riser kept under tension and which allows for the well re-entry. The primary buoyant body of the buoy is maintained permanently submerged and a truss structure presenting the minimum surface area to the action of wind and waves extends above the sea level to support a small deck from which the wireline work can be performed. The centers of gravity and buoyancy for the buoy are in close proximity so as to minimize lateral surge and sway motions of the installed buoy.

Buoy having minimal motion characteristics

Production from a subsea wellhead to a floating production facility may be realized with the use of a substantially neutrally buoyant flexible production riser which includes biasing means for shaping the riser in an oriented broad arc. The broad arc configuration permits the use of wireline well service tools through the riser system.

Method and apparatus for production of subsea hydrocarbons using a

A flow line bundle assembly includes a plurality of conduits disposed within a tubular covering member. The tubular covering member is sealed at its ends before being placed in a body of water, so that the flow line bundle has a slight positive buoyancy when submerged in the body of water. Weights are then added to the flow line bundle to cause it to have a neutral buoyancy at a position slightly above a floor of the body of water. The flow line bundle is then towed from its point of construction, through the body of water, to the location where it is to be installed. During a first method of towing, if an obstacle located above the ocean floor is approached, a trailing tug increases a restraining force applied to the flow line bundle so as to lift it above the obstacle as the flow line bundle passes over the obstacle. A second method of towing maintains the flow line bundle at a constant depth below a surface of the body of water so that the bundle will clear any obstacles on the floor of the body of water. After the flow line bundle is connected between the subsea wellhead and a producing platform located within the body of water, the space between the conduits and the tubular covering member is flooded to sink the flow line bundle to the ocean floor and to provide heat transfer between the conduits and the tubular covering member.

Flow line bundle and method of towing same

Methods and apparatus are provided for connecting a buoyant off-bottom flowline to a subsea structure.

Subsea winching apparatus and method

A flow line bundle assembly includes a plurality of conduits disposed within a tubular covering member. The tubular covering member is sealed at its ends before being placed in a body of water, so that the flow line bundle has a slight positive buoyancy when submerged in the body of water. Weights are then added to the flow line bundle to cause it to have a neutral buoyancy at a position slightly above a floor of the body of water. The flow line bundle is then towed from its point of construction, through the body of water, to the location where it is to be installed. During a first method of towing, if an obstacle located above the ocean floor is approached, a trailing tug increases a restraining force applied to the flow line bundle so as to lift it above the obstacle as the flow line bundle passes over the obstacle. A second method of towing maintains the flow line bundle at a constant depth below a surface of the body of water so that the bundle will clear any obstacles on the floor of the body of water. After the flow line bundle is connected between a subsea wellhead and a producing platform located within the body of water, the space between the conduits and the tubular covering member is flooded to sink the flow line bundle to the ocean floor and to provide heat transfer between the conduits and the tubular covering member.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Arthur W Morton