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EP-4739935-A1 - METHOD FOR INSTALLING AT LEAST ONE SLEEVE AROUND A PORTION OF AN UNDERWATER PIPE FOR TRANSPORTING FLUIDS

EP4739935A1EP 4739935 A1EP4739935 A1EP 4739935A1EP-4739935-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for installing at least one sleeve around a portion of an underwater pipe for transporting fluids, the sleeve being formed by two half-shells (8a, 8b), the method comprising maintaining, in a mainly vertical position, the pipe, the two half-shells of the sleeve being gripped on the side of their inner face by means of a sleeve-loading system (100) positioned on one side of the pipe, aligning the two half-shells with the axis (Y-Y) of the pipe, gripping the two half-shells by their outer face by means of a sleeve positioning and unlocking system (200) positioned on a side of the pipe opposite that of the sleeve-loading system, pivoting each half-shell about an inner axis (Z-Z) aligned with the axis of the pipe in order to close it onto a portion of the pipe, positioning the sleeve along the axis of the pipe, fully closing and locking the two half-shells onto the pipe portion, and removing the sleeve positioning and unlocking system.

Inventors

  • BAYLOT, MICHEL
  • DELAPLACE, Thomas
  • HUOT, EMMANUEL

Assignees

  • SAIPEM S.A

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240704

Claims (19)

  1. 1. A method of installing at least one sleeve around a portion of an underwater fluid transport pipe, the sleeve (8) being formed by two half-shells (8a, 8b) each having an inner face intended to be in contact with the pipe (10) and an outer face opposite the inner face, the method comprising: a) maintaining the pipe (10) in a mainly vertical position; b) gripping the two half-shells (8a, 8b) of the sleeve (8) on their inner face side by means of a sleeve loading system (100) which is positioned on one side of the pipe; c) aligning the two half-shells of the sleeve with the axis (Y-Y) of the pipe by positioning them on either side of the pipe; d) gripping the two half-shells of the sleeve by their external face by means of a sleeve positioning and locking system (200) which is positioned on a side of the pipe opposite that of the sleeve loading system; e) pivoting by means of the sleeve positioning and locking system of each half-shell of the sleeve about an internal axis (Z-Z) aligned with the axis of the pipe to close it at least partially on a portion of the pipe; f) positioning the sleeve (8) thus assembled along the axis of the pipe by means of the sleeve positioning and locking system; g) completely closing and locking the two half-shells of the sleeve on the portion of the pipe; and h) removing the sleeve positioning and locking system.
  2. 2. Method according to claim 1, in which the sleeve loading system (100) is located on the side of the respective internal face of the half-shells of the sleeve, while the sleeve positioning and locking system (200) is located on the side of the respective external face of the half-shells of the sleeve.
  3. 3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, in which step c) comprises a rotational movement of the sleeve loading system (100).
  4. 4. Method according to claim 3, further comprising, prior to step d), a step of translating the system for positioning and locking the sleeves (200) in a substantially horizontal direction.
  5. 5. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, in which step c) comprises a rotational movement followed by a translational movement of the sleeve loading system (100) in a substantially horizontal direction.
  6. 6. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, in which step c) comprises a rotational movement followed by a vertical translational movement, followed by a translational movement of the sleeve loading system (100) in a substantially horizontal direction.
  7. 7. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which, during step a), the pipe (10) is maintained in a position forming an angle of between 45° and 100° relative to horizontal.
  8. 8. System for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising - a sleeve loading system (100) which is intended to be positioned on one side of a pipe (8) and which comprises means (102) for gripping the two half-shells (8a, 8b) of the sleeve on the side of their respective internal face; and - a system for positioning and locking the sleeves (200) which is intended to be positioned on an opposite side of the pipe and which comprises means (202) for gripping the two half-shells of the sleeve on the side of their respective external face.
  9. 9. System according to claim 8, in which the gripping means of the sleeve loading system (100) comprise gripping fingers (102) capable of cooperating with orifices made in the respective internal face of the half-shells of the sleeve.
  10. 10. System according to one of claims 7 and 8, in which the gripping means of the system for positioning and locking the sleeves (200) comprise at least one pair of clamps (202) each capable of gripping a half-shell of the sleeve by its external face.
  11. 11. System according to claim 10, in which each of the clamps (202) is mounted on a cradle (204) which is intended to receive a half-shell of the sleeve and which is articulated around an internal axis (Z-Z) aligned with the axis (Y-Y) of the pipe, said cradle being able to be pivoted around its internal axis to at least partially close the half-shell of the sleeve on a portion of the pipe.
  12. 12. A system according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the sleeve loading system (100) comprises a pivoting support (104).
  13. 13. System according to any one of claims 8 to 12, in which the system for positioning and locking the sleeves (200) comprises a support (206) capable of moving in a direction substantially parallel to the axis (Y-Y) of the pipe in order to be able to adjust the position of the sleeves along said pipe.
  14. 14. System according to claim 13, in which the system for positioning and locking the sleeves (200) further comprises a structure capable of moving in a mainly horizontal direction making it possible to approach the pipe in a manner substantially perpendicular to the axis thereof.
  15. 15. Use of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 for the installation of a plurality of positive buoyancy sleeves forming buoys (8) around a portion of an underwater pipe (10) providing a bottom-surface connection for the transport of hydrocarbons or another fluid.
  16. 16. Use according to claim 15, in which the underwater pipeline is constructed by a J-laying technique, the buoys being installed around a portion of the pipeline prior to the descent of this portion into the sea.
  17. 17. Use according to claim 16, wherein the subsea pipeline is constructed on a laying vessel (2) using a J-lay, the buoy positioning and locking system (200) being positioned in a J-lay tower (4), the buoy loading system (100) being positioned on a loading arm (6) of the pipeline sections.
  18. 18. Use according to one of claims 16 and 17, in which buoys are installed around the portion of the pipe, being spaced from each other or being adjoining each other.
  19. 19. Use of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 for the installation of sleeves for suppressing vortices from the current and associated vibrations around a portion of an underwater pipe providing a bottom-surface connection for the transport of hydrocarbons or another fluid.

Description

Description Title of the invention: Method for installing at least one sleeve around a portion of an underwater fluid transport pipe Technical Domain [0001] The present invention relates to the general field of subsea fluid transport pipes providing the bottom-surface connection for the transfer of hydrocarbons, for example oil and gas, from subsea production wells. This type of bottom-surface connection can also be used to transfer other fluids between the surface and the seabed, such as for example treated water or carbon dioxide. [0002] It relates more specifically to a method of installing buoys (or sleeves for suppressing vortices from the current surrounding the pipe and associated vibrations) around a portion of an underwater bottom-surface connection pipe, as well as a system for implementing such a method, and uses of such a method. Previous technique [0003] In the field of offshore oil and gas production, subsea pipes called "risers" are pipes that are usually rigid or solid, but sometimes also flexible, providing the connection between a floating support, such as a floating production, storage and offloading unit (or FPSO for "Floating Production, Storage and Offloading"), and the seabed, particularly at great depths. [0004] Among this type of risers, the steel catenary riser (or SCR for "Steel Catenary Riser" in English) is known, which is a common method of connecting a subsea pipeline to a deep-water floating oil production platform. SCRs are used to transfer fluids such as oil, gas, injection water, etc. between platforms and subsea pipelines. [0005] Also known is the "Steel Lazy Wave Riser" (or SLWR) which is a steel pipe used in such a way as to allow a certain flexibility to absorb the movements caused by waves and ocean currents. The so-called "lazy wave" configuration refers to the specific shape given to this type of underwater pipe. Indeed, this pipe is deliberately arranged in such a way as to form one or more undulations (wave shapes) in order to allow greater flexibility and better absorption of the movements of the float due to currents or waves. [0006] These undulations are obtained by placing a plurality of buoyancy modules (buoy type) around a portion of the pipe, either by being spaced from each other (according to a distributed distribution of buoyancy), or by being joined to each other (according to a continuous distribution of buoyancy). [0007] A SLWR pipeline has several advantages over an SCR pipeline. It reduces the mechanical stresses on the pipeline, which increases its service life and reduces the risk of failure. It allows for greater vertical or lateral offsets of the floating unit to which it is connected at the surface. In addition, it offers better protection against severe weather events such as storms, by allowing the pipeline and float to move more freely. This additional freedom is particularly important at great depth where the impact of surface and pipeline movements is greater on stress levels in the steel. [0008] Furthermore, the subsea bottom-surface connecting pipes can be constructed from unit length pipe elements which are assembled on board the laying vessel, then connected to the already constructed pipe portion and finally lowered into the sea as they are connected. This laying can be carried out by means of a J- or S-shaped laying tower positioned on the laying vessel. [0009] With J-lay, the subsea pipeline is typically lowered from the laying vessel in a nearly vertical position. This type of laying requires a tower substantially vertical on which the individual pipe elements are brought one after the other by means of a loading arm from a horizontal position on the deck of the laying vessel to be assembled and welded to the already constructed pipe portion and held from the laying tower. After the welding operations and application of a coating to improve protection against corrosion or to apply thermal insulation, the new individual pipe element thus connected to the already constructed pipe portion is lowered into the sea by moving the laying vessel forward by a feed corresponding generally to the length of the individual pipe element. [0010] The pipe is thus lowered gradually into the water and deposited on the bottom by gradually joining pieces of pipe there. The welding and coating operations are typically carried out in an assembly station located under the main part of the tower and above the portion of pipe being laid. The individual pipe elements are thus typically brought by the loading arm into a vertical position in the tower above the assembly station, transferred to said tower via the (pipe gripping) clamps of said arm and those of the tower, then translated vertically to be joined at the assembly station to the portion of pipe already assembled and being laid in the water. [0011] There are several methods of installing buoyancy modules around a SLWR pipeline constructed using the J-lay. [0012] For distributed distribution, the bu