Method of forming a field joint for a subsea pipeline and a method of laying and positioning such subsea pipeline

• US 8,714,879 B1
• Filed: 08/26/2011
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trendsetter Engineering, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trendsetter Engineering, Inc.
• Inventors: Lugo, Mario R., Garmulewicz, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinnock, Tara M.
• Application Number:
  US13/218,762
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 405/169, 405/170, 428/73, 428116-118
• US Class Current: 405/170
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 58/181 for non-disconnectible pipe joints in general F16L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24157 Filled honeycomb cells [e.g., solid substance in cavities, etc.]

Abstract

A method of forming a field joint for a subsea pipeline includes the steps of positioning an end of a first pipe adjacent to an end of a second pipe, welding the end of the first pipe to an end of the second pipe, and applying a coating material over an exterior surface of the first pipe, over the welding, and over an exterior surface of second pipe such that the coating material is in sealing relationship therewith. The coating material has air-filled glass spheres therein. A mold is placed over the adjacent pipe sections and the coating material is injected under pressure into the mold.

Claims

1. A method of forming a field joint for a subsea pipeline, the method comprising:

positioning an end of a first pipe adjacent an end the second pipe;

welding said end of said first pipe to an end of said second pipe;

wrapping a honeycomb wrap material around said exterior surfaces of said first and second pipes at said ends thereof so as to extend over the weld, said honeycomb wrap material having open spaces therein, said open spaces opening to an outer surface and to an inner surface of said honeycomb wrap material; and

applying a coating material over an exterior surface of said first pipe and over an exterior surface of said second pipe and over the weld through the open spaces of said honeycomb wrap material such that said coating material is in sealing relationship therewith, said coating material having glass spheres therein, said coating material applied into the open spaces of said honeycomb wrap material through the outer surface thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, said coating material being of an epoxy material, said glass spheres having air therein.

3. The method of claim 1, said first pipe having an insulator material extended therearound and radially outwardly a distance from said exterior surface, said insulator material having an end spaced from an end of said first pipe, said second pipe having an insulator material extending therearound and radially outwardly for a distance from said exterior surface of said second pipe, said insulator material of said pipe having an end spaced from an end of said second pipe, said coating material extending between said ends of said insulator material.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

affixing a radio frequency identification tag adjacent to said ends of said first and second pipes.

5. The method of claim 1, said step of applying comprising:

placing a mold around said exterior surface of said first pipe and over said welding and over said exterior surface of said second pipe;

injecting said coating material under pressure into said mold; and

curing said coating material such that said coating material is bonded to said exterior surfaces of said first and second pipes.

6. A method of forming a field joint for a subsea pipeline, the method comprising:

positioning an end of a first pipe adjacent to an end of a second pipe;

welding said end of said first pipe to said end of the said second pipe;

wrapping a wrap material around said exterior surfaces of said first and second pipes at said ends thereof;

forming a coating material having air-filled glass spheres mixed therein; and

applying said coating material over an exterior surface of said first pipe and over said welding and over an exterior surface of said pipe such that said coating material is in sealing relationship therewith, said glass spheres embedded in said coating material, said step of wrapping being prior to said step of applying, said wrap material being of a honeycomb configuration, said honeycomb configuration having open spaces therein that open to an outer surface thereof, said coating material applied into the open spaces through the opening on the outer surface thereof.

7. The method of claim 6, the step of applying comprising:

placing a mold around said exterior surface of said first pipe and over said welding and over said exterior surface of said second pipe;

injecting said coating material under pressure into said mold; and

curing said coating material such that the coating material is bonded to said exterior surfaces of said first and second pipes.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

affixing a radio frequency identification tag adjacent to said ends of said first and second pipes.

10. The method of claim 8, the steps of sending and receiving comprising:

directing said sonar signals towards said coating material at said joints of said plurality of pipe sections of said pipeline.

9. A method of laying and positioning a subsea pipeline comprising:

forming a pipeline of a plurality of pipe sections joined together in end-to-end relation, said plurality of pipe sections having a joint formed between adjacent pipe sections, said joint having a coating material extending thereover, said coating material having glass spheres therein, the step of forming further comprising;

wrapping a honeycomb material around said joint, said honeycomb material having open spaces therein, said open spaces opening to an outer surface of said honeycomb material; and

injecting said coating material into said open spaces of said honeycomb material through the openings at the outer surface thereof;

discharging said plurality of pipe sections sequentially outwardly of a ship and into the water, said pipeline having a portion defining a touchdown point on a subsea floor;

positioning a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) in the water in an area adjacent to said pipeline; and

sending and receiving sonar signals toward and from said pipeline by said ROV so as to ascertain said touchdown point.

11. The method of claim 9, said step of forming further comprising:

affixing a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag onto or into said coating material at each of the joints, said ROV having an RFID tag reader thereon.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

flying said ROV along said pipeline so as to receive data from the RFID tags at the joints of said pipeline.

13. The method of claim 9, the step of forming further comprising:

positioning a mold over the adjacent pipe sections at the joint thereof;

injecting an epoxy material having said glass spheres therein under pressure and into an interior of said mold and over said joint; and

curing said epoxy material such that said coating material is in sealing relationship over the joint.