Saudi Arabian Oil Company

Overpipe Sas

Iqbal Hussain

Thibault Villette

Waheed Alrafaei

Abdullah Zubail

Vincent Cunningham

Yannick Joubeaux

A robotic vehicle for moving above ground while fabricating a subsurface polymer layer to protect an underground structure is provided. The robotic vehicle includes: a body; a rotational member that contacts the ground and moves the body over the ground; a ripper assembly having a proximal end that moves with the body, and a distal end that moves underground at a fabrication depth in response to the movement of the proximal end while fabricating the polymer layer; a ground penetrating radar (GPR) that locates and measures a depth of the underground structure below the ground; and a computerized control system that controls the rotational member, the distal end of the ripper assembly, and the GPR to move the body over the located underground structure while tracking the location of the underground structure and fabricating the polymer layer at the fabrication depth and above the measured depth of the underground structure.

Robotic subsurface impact protection system

A subsurface impact protection system for protecting an underground structure is provided. The protection system includes a subsurface polymer layer above the underground structure which is configured to absorb above-ground impact force from reaching the underground structure. A sensor network is embedded in the polymer layer. The sensor network includes a plurality of sensors configured to monitor the polymer layer by generating a corresponding plurality of sensor signals of conditions near the polymer layer and transmitting the generated sensor signals to one or more external receivers. In some embodiments, the polymer layer includes a protective mesh made up of a plurality of high density polyethylene (HDPE) strands in a woven pattern. In one such embodiment, the sensors occupy gaps in the protective mesh. A method of protecting an underground structure is also provided.

Sensor network for subsurface impact protection system

A polymer geo-injection apparatus for protecting an underground structure is provided. The apparatus includes: a mechanized vehicle for moving on the ground in order to transport the apparatus while the apparatus forms a subsurface polymer layer that protects the underground structure; a polymer supply tank coupled to the mechanized vehicle and configured to supply solid polymer during the forming of the polymer layer; a polymer melting unit coupled to the mechanized vehicle and configured to receive and melt the supplied solid polymer and to supply the molten polymer during the forming of the polymer layer; and a subsurface ripper coupled to the mechanized vehicle and configured to move through the ground in response to the movement of the mechanized vehicle while receiving and injecting the supplied molten polymer into the ground above the underground structure in order to form the polymer layer and protect the underground structure.

Polymer geo-injection for underground pipeline protection

Systems and methods for trenchless placement of an underground protective network of intertwined cables for protecting buried assets from accidental damage are disclosed. The system includes an apparatus for towing behind a vehicle and laying a plurality of continuous cables directly underground and interweaving the cables to form a cable network. The apparatus includes a plurality of soil rippers mounted at respective radial positions to a rotating carrier. The rotating carrier rotates about an axis that is at least partially normal to the ground surface. The rippers plow through the ground in the direction of vehicle travel and include a cable-feeding guide for directly and continuously feeding cable out underground during operation. In operation, the combined movement of the soil rippers from rotating the carrier and movement in the direction of travel serves to intertwine the cables deposited by respective rippers forming the protective network of intertwined cables.

System and method for subsurface cable insertion for the protection of underground assets

A polymer geo-injection apparatus for protecting an underground structure is provided. The apparatus includes: a drill bit configured to drill a path through the ground to a desired depth that is above the underground structure; an injection nozzle coupled to the drill bit and configured to insert into and withdraw from the ground along the drilled path, and to create a corresponding cavity in the ground at the desired depth by injecting compressed air into the ground at the desired depth; and a polymer melting and injection unit configured to fuse or melt one or more components of a solid polymer into a liquid form of the solid polymer, and supply the liquid polymer to the injection nozzle. The injection nozzle is further configured to fabricate a corresponding protection slab of the solid polymer at the desired depth by injecting the supplied liquid polymer into the corresponding cavity.

Polymer geo-injection for protecting underground structures

A system and method for increasing friction between cables and surrounding soil is disclosed. In particular, a cable apparatus for use in a sub-surface protective network of intertwined cables is provided which comprises an elongate reinforced polymer cable body having a length. The cable apparatus also includes a plurality of elongate barbs provided along the length of the cable body. The barbs extend from the cable body to a respective free end in both a lengthwise direction and radially. Additionally, the barbs are spaced apart in one or more of the lengthwise direction along the length of the cable body and circumferentially about the cable body. Moreover, according to a further aspect, a plurality of such cables can be provided underground and intertwined to define a protective network cables for protecting buried assets.

Growing community of inventors

Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Iqbal Hussain