Subsea 7 Limited

Lee Karl Rolf

Henry William Himsworth

Lukasz Sobczak

A method of clamping elongate elements in a parallel piggybacked arrangement during subsea laying of the elements is disclosed. The method includes opposed reciprocating jaws which force together clamp segments around the elongate elements to assemble a piggybacking clamp. The piggybacking clamp applies clamping forces to the elongate elements.

Pipelaying

An apparatus for clamping elongate elements in a parallel piggybacked arrangement during subsea laying of the elements is disclosed. The apparatus has opposed reciprocating jaws for forcing together clamp segments around the elongate elements to assemble a piggybacking clamp that applies clamping forces to the elongate elements.

A piggybacking clamp for subsea laying of two or more elongate elements in a piggybacked arrangement is disclosed. The piggybacking clamp has a plurality of clamp segments assembled to surround and clamp the elongate elements. Each clamp segment has two or more generally parallel mutually spaced recesses shaped to extend partially around respective ones of the elongate elements. The piggybacking clamp additionally has retainers that hold the clamp segments together when assembled, such that the assembled clamp segments apply clamping forces to the elongate elements in the recesses.

An alignment tool for aligning a secondary elongate element with a primary elongate element for subsea laying of the elements in a piggybacked arrangement is disclosed. The alignment tool comprises a support structure arranged to embrace the primary element. The support structure has an opening for accommodating the primary element such that the primary element can move longitudinally through the opening in a launching direction. The alignment tool further comprises attachment points for supporting the tool to maintain or control its longitudinal and/or angular position with respect to the primary element as the primary element moves through the opening.

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Inverurie, United Kingdom

Lee Karl Rolf