Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company Limited

Laurent Daney

Kimon Tullio Ardavanis

Alessandro Fenini

A pipelay vessel having two pipe string manufacturing lines and a firing line, wherein the pipe string manufacturing lines are designed for simultaneously handling two different pipe outer diameters for use as an inner pipe and an outer pipe respectively. Further, the vessel has a pipe-in-pipe assembly workstation for assembling the inner pipe and the outer pipe in a pipe-in-pipe configuration. The vessel is designed with a lay-out which allows for producing offshore pipe-in-pipe strings from single joints, wherein available space is optimally used and pipe-in-pipe strings can be produced safely offshore.

On-board fabrication of pipe-in-pipe assemblies

A pipe assembly station for performing operations on a field joint during pipe assembly has an active rail extending around an opening through which the pipe can pass. Tool carriages are arranged to traverse along the active rail and around a periphery of the pipe. The station also comprises a standby position, distanced from the active rail and a switch arranged to transfer the tool carriage from the active rail to the standby position. By providing such a combination of a rail and a standby position, a tool carriage can be brought into position on the active rail to perform a pipe joining operation and can be subsequently set back to the standby position, where it is out of the way of operations taking place on the pipe. Such a switching arrangement allows for more effective use of the limited space around the joint.

Pipe assembly station

A field joint transfer system for transferring a hot field joint along a curved path between a tensioner and a stinger during deployment of a pipeline from a pipelay vessel. The system comprises a plurality of adjustable pipe support units defining a curved path between the tensioner and the stinger, wherein one or more of the pipe support units can be moved out of engagement with the pipeline to allow the hot fieldjoint to pass the respective pipe support unit without contact, while maintaining support for the pipeline along the curved path. A mobile pipe support may be provided on an overhead gantry to follow the pipe as it passes along the curved path.

Growing community of inventors

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Laurent Daney