Method for making buoyancy members

Abstract

Buoyancy members in the form of a segment of a hollow cylinder are produced by providing a cylindrical mold having two longitudinally extending flanges spaced apart by not more than 180.degree.; forming a layer of fiber-filled uncured polymeric material on the surface of the mold between the flanges, with the layer being continuous, extending over the surfaces of the flanges and including an overhang at the edge of each flange; assembling on the uncured layer a plurality of rigid elongated tubular elements disposed in side-by-side relationship with the assembly of tubular elements filling the angular space between the portions of the layer carried by the flanges; bending the overhand portions of the layer to overlie the corresponding outer edges of the assembly of tubular elements; applying at least one flexible reenforcing member transversely across the assembly of tubular elements with the reenforcing member extending across the flanges and being held under tension; applying a layer of fiber-filled uncured polymeric material over the exposed surfaces of the assembly of tubular elements until the assembly of tubular elements is completely enclosed in a shell of the fiber-filled uncured polymeric material; and curing the polymeric material. The buoyancy members are particularly useful to control the overall buoyancy of subsea risers.