Santa Fe International Corporation

John H Cha

Stanley T Uyeda

Dan Abramovich

Wesley A Brown

Harry P Weldon

Dennis E Yenzer

Daniel G Whyte

Disclosed are methods and techniques related to the control of pipelaying operations from a self-propelled reel pipelaying vessel. The methods are concerned with (1) controlling pipeline geometry as a function of pipe entry angle into the water and tension on the pipeline; (2) monitoring the excursion of the pipeline outside certain defined limits and controlling the pipeline geometry based on such measured excursions; and (3) compensating for pipeline induced turning moments which would otherwise tend to draw the pipelaying vessel off course and off the predetermined pipeline right of way.

Method of laying offshore pipeline from a reel carrying vessel

A method for laying a substantially continuous length of pipe on the sea bottom from a carrier vessel, in which a pipe carrying reel is rotatably mounted on the carrier vessel, pipe straightening means are mounted to the carrier vessel downstream of the reel in the direction of unspooling for movement in a direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the reel, and pipe guide means are mounted to the carrier vessel downstream of the straightener means in the direction of pipe unspooling for movement in a direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the reel, wherein the method comprises the steps of rotating the reel in a direction to unspool the pipe and maintain a substantially constant dynamic braking force on the reel to maintain tension on the pipe as it is unspooled.

Portable reel pipelaying method

An offshore system for laying a continuous length of pipe on the sea bottom from a pipe-carrying reel adapted to be mounted on a carrier vessel having an improved pipe handling and conditioning apparatus for working on the unspooled pipe. The improved apparatus includes a pipe straightener for imparting a reverse plastic bending moment to the unspooled pipe passing therethrough, and which comprises at least two pairs of pipe support rollers, each pair being aligned along the pipe path and mounted for rotational movement about respective rotational axes normal to the pipe path and parallel to the plane of the deck of the carrier vessel, and for pivoting movement about a pivot axis located between and substantially parallel to the respective rotational axes. A straightener carriage mounts the pipe straightening means for movement (1) about a pivot axis substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the reel, (2) in a substantially vertical direction relative to the deck of the carrier vessel, and (3) in a direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the reel.

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Orange, CA, United States of America

John H Cha