Subsea pipeline recovery clamp
First Claim
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1. A pipe clamp for attaching a lifting means to a subsea pipe which is severed in the vicinity of a raised circumferential ridge, the clamp comprising:
- an aligning means which is capable of surrounding an open end of the severed subsea pipe;
at least one latching means which is connected to the aligning means and, when the aligning means is placed over the pipeline end, is capable of sliding over the circumferential ridge, and latching against the circumferential ridge to prevent the clamp from sliding off the pipeline; and
a means for attaching the clamp to the lifting means.
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Abstract
A clamp is disclosed which is capable of latching on to a buckle arrestor on a subsea pipeline which has been severed in the vicinity of the buckle arrestor. By severing the pipe in this location and utilizing the buckle arrestor to latch the clamp on to the pipe, a simple and reliable clamp is used. A method to recover such a subsea pipeline by severing the pipeline in the vicinity of the buckle arrestor and utilizing such a clamp is also disclosed.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A pipe clamp for attaching a lifting means to a subsea pipe which is severed in the vicinity of a raised circumferential ridge, the clamp comprising:
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an aligning means which is capable of surrounding an open end of the severed subsea pipe; at least one latching means which is connected to the aligning means and, when the aligning means is placed over the pipeline end, is capable of sliding over the circumferential ridge, and latching against the circumferential ridge to prevent the clamp from sliding off the pipeline; and a means for attaching the clamp to the lifting means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method to recover a pipe having buckle arrestors from a sea floor comprising the steps of:
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locating a buckle arrestor which has undamaged pipe on each side of the buckle arrestor; severing the pipe in the vicinity of the located buckle arrestor on the side of the buckle arrestor opposite the portion of pipe to be recovered; providing a clamp comprising; an aligning means which is placed over the open end of the severed pipe, a latching means connected to the aligning means which is capable of latching on to the buckle arrestor, and a means to attach the clamp to a lifting means; placing the clamp over the severed end of the pipe to be recovered; latching the latching means on to the buckle arrestor; and lifting the pipe from the sea floor by a lifting means which is attached to the clamp. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification