Trelleborg Offshore UK Limited

Advanced Innergy Ltd.

Crp Subsea Limited

Chevron U.s.a. Inc.

Austin Harbison

Sid A Mebarkia

Antonio Critsinelis

John Malachy Duggan

Mohammed Bilal Hussain

David Somerville

Lewis John Watts

Edmund John Deasey

Yiannis Constantinides

Hussain Mohammed Bilal

Stuart William Turton

Andrew Michael Smith

Will Twelvetrees

Marc Ian Reeves

Jonathan Lloyd Fox

Jonathan Fox

A buoyancy module () configured for mounting on an elongate underwater member () and provided with a sensor module dock () for receiving and releasably retaining a sensor module ().

Buoyancy module

A device () for monitoring strain of an elongate member () is deployed underwater. The device () comprises a first clamp () configured to embrace and couple to the elongate member () at a first axial location, a second clamp () configured to embrace and couple to the elongate member at a second axial location separated from the first axial location, and a sensor which is responsive to an angle between the first clamp and the second clamp.

Device for monitoring strain of an elongate underwater member

The invention concerns a bend stiffener () for locally protecting an elongate flexible member () from excessive curvature when the elongate flexible member is deployed in water. The bend stiffener comprises an elongate stiffener body () which has a root end, a free end, and a passage () extending through the stiffener body from the root end to the free end for receiving and embracing the flexible member. A coupling () at or toward the root end of the stiffener body serves to mount the stiffener body. The stiffener body is sufficiently flexible to curve somewhat along with the flexible member when the flexible member suffers a bending load and carries a sensor module which is located proximate the free end of the bend stiffener and is configured to sense inclination and/or orientation and/or movement of the free end of the bend stiffener.

Bend stiffener

A protection assembly for mounting in an underwater support structure includes at least one bend protection device coupled to a retaining device so that together they provide a through-going passage for receiving an elongate member which is to be protected. The elongate member passes through a support structure opening, and the retaining device is configured to be received in the support structure opening and to engage with the support structure to resist subsequent withdrawal from it. Installation of the protection assembly includes grasping the protection assembly with a releasable clamp, arranging a pulling line to pass through the support structure opening to the mechanical clamp and securing the pulling line to the mechanical clamp, drawing the retaining device of the protection assembly into the support structure opening using the pulling line and engaging the retaining device with the support structure, and releasing the clamp from the protection assembly.

Protection assembly for an elongate member deployed underwater

A bend stiffener () includes an elongate stiffener body () having polymer material and two ends. A passage () extends through the stiffener body from end to end for receiving and embracing a flexible member (). The stiffener body includes a coupling () for mounting the stiffener body in cantilever fashion. The stiffener body is sufficiently flexible to curve somewhat along with the flexible member under a bending load but is sufficiently stiff to resist excessive curvature which could damage the flexible member, and sufficiently resilient to recover its original shape afterwards. The stiffener body includes at least two stiffener body parts () defining the passage. Each stiffener body part includes a respective interface member () having material stiffer than the polymer material of the stiffener body. A securing arrangement () secures the interface members of different stiffener body parts together around the elongate flexible member.

A bend stiffener for resisting excessive-bending of an elongate underwater member in a region where it meets a rigid structure, comprises: a sleeve () for receiving said elongate underwater member, said sleeve being capable of some degree of flexure; and a rigid interface mount () secured to said sleeve, said rigid interface mount being suitable for attachment to said rigid structure; wherein said rigid interface mount comprises one or more slots () or holes which are alignable with corresponding slots, holes or recesses on said rigid structure such that the rigid interface mount may be locked to the rigid structure by locking means (), said locking means comprising projection(s) through the slots or holes of the rigid interface mount into the slots, holes or recesses of the rigid structure. The bend stiffener is particular suited to mid-line applications, amongst other applications.

The present Invention concerns a clamp () for mounting upon an elongate member such as a riser () to be deployed underwater. The clamp may for example be intended to prevent movement of a buoyancy module along a riser. The clamp comprises a plurality of clamp bodies () to be placed at circumferential intervals about the elongate member. A strap () is provided which is to be placed around the clamp bodies and tensioned to urge the clamp bodies toward the elongate member, enabling the clamp to resist movement along it. The clamp bodies comprise respective spring elements () which are arranged, when the clamp is assembled and mounted, between the clamp bodies and the elongate member. The clamp bodies and the spring elements are shaped to permit them to be used in clamps having a range of different diameters and having a differing number of clamp bodies.

Growing community of inventors

Skelmersdale, United Kingdom

Austin Harbison