Pipeline recovery tool ihc

Pipeline Retrieval Tools facilitate the laydown or recovery of subsea pipelines and are designed for lifting large diameter pipe and heavy loads. The laying of subsea pipelines involves the placement of large diameter tubulars in an environment where extreme forces or motions may result in buckling and flooding the pipeline.

In this event, the damaged pipe section must be removed and a repair process implemented. Back Close Operate and Consultancy.

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United States Patent An apparatus and method for closing the end of a pipe, such as a pipeline, and for raising and lowering the same in a body of water. The apparatus includes a housing arranged for generally co-axial connection to the end portion of the pipe.

Gripping means and sealing means are supported between the housing and the pipe whereby the housing is sealingly and frictionally engaged with the pipe. The apparatus also includes means for actuating the sealing and gripping means in response to fluid pressure.

The housing also has means for connecting a supporting line thereto whereby the pipe may be raised and lowered in a body of water. Certain embodiments of the invention may include means connected to the housing for supporting a pipeline pig for launching through the pipe and means for applying a pressurized fluid to force the pig from the housing along the pipe to thereby evacuate water or the like from the pipe so that the pipe may be more easily raised and lowered in the body of water.

Click for automatic bibliography generation. Download PDF What is claimed is 1. In apparatus for releasably closing the end of a pipe, the combination comprising: 2. In apparatus for releasably closing the end of a pipe and for raising and lowering the same in a body of water, the combination comprising: 3. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein: 4. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein: 5.

The invention as claimed in claim 2 wherein: 6. The invention as claimed in claim 2 including: 7. In apparatus for releasably closing the end of a pipe and for raising and lowering the same in a body of water, the combination comprising: 8.

The invention as claimed in claim 7 wherein: 9. The invention as claimed in claim 8 wherein: In a method for releasably closing the end of a pipeline and lowering and raising the same in a body of water, comprising the steps of: The invention as claimed in claim 10 including:.

Field of the Invention This invention generally relates to a pipeline recovery tool and method. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for making a connection to the end of a pipe, which pipe is to be raised and lowered in a body of water and which may be used to launch a pipeline pig to evacuate water or the like from the pipe. Description of the Prior Art During the laying of a pipeline along the sea bottom or the like, it is a usual practice to lay a section of pipe in a horizontal position on the floor of the sea bottom or the like while holding the end thereabove above the level of the water while at the same time maintaining sufficient tension on the pipeline so as to avoid kinking or bending of the pipeline.

The end of the pipeline which is held above the water may then be operated upon to either weld or otherwise attach additional sections of pipe. This type of pipe laying method is well developed and well known in the art. However, it sometimes becomes desirable to terminate pipe laying operations for various reasons, in which event the end of the pipeline may be lowered to the sea bottom and allowed to remain there until the pipe laying operations are to be resumed.

However, when pipe laying operations are again to be resumed there is a problem in recovering the end of the pipeline so that it may be properly raised to the work position, as for example, on top of a pipe laying barge or the like. Moreover, the pipeline which has remained in the water will itself become filled with water, thereby increasing the difficulty of raising the end of the pipeline for the resumption of pipe laying operations.

There has thus developed a need for a pipeline plug or the like which can be connected to the end of a pipeline and which can be used for raising and lowering the end of the pipeline in the body of water so that the pipeline can subsequently be recovered and the pipe laying operations commenced. Prior art devices have been developed for connection to the end of a pipeline and for supporting or connecting a supporting line thereto.

However, these prior art devices have not sealed the pipeline to prevent incursion of water thereto and did not include means for evacuating water from the pipeline which may have accumulated therein. The present prior art method of combating this problem is to provide a "nitecap" for a pipeline by welding a plug with a lifting eye on the end and lowering the same to the bottom of the water with a lifting line and buoy attached thereto.

This, of course, is expensive due to welding and loss of time of the lay barge and crew. In addition, it is very difficult and time consuming to cut the plug off. Briefly stated, the apparatus of this invention includes a housing arranged for generally co-axial connection to the end portion of the pipe. This connection may be either in the form of an internally fitting plug housing or an overfitting housing. Gripping means are supported by the housing between the housing and the pipe for frictionally engaging the pipe upon actuation thereof.

Sealing means are also supported by the housing between the housing and the pipe for sealing the annular space therebetween, with the seal means being cooperative with the housing for sealing and closing the pipe end upon actuation thereof.

Means are supported by the housing for actuating the gripping and seal means in response to the application of fluid pressure thereto. The apparatus includes means connected to the housing for attaching a supporting line thereto whereby the pipe end may be raised and lowered in the body of water by taking in and paying out on the line.

Certain embodiments of the invention may include means connected to the housing for supporting a pipeline pig or the like for launching through the pipe. These embodiments include means for applying a pressurized fluid to force the pig from the pipe supporting means and along the pipe to thereby evacuate water or the like from the pipe.

Briefly stated, the method of this invention generally includes supporting a housing generally co-axially proximate the end of the portion of the pipe which is to be raised or lowered in a body of water. It also includes the step of supporting pipe gripping means between the housing and the pipe and also supporting seal means between the housing and the pipe with the seal means being cooperative with the housing for closing the pipe end upon actuation thereof.

Thereafter, the gripping and seal means are actuated to gripping and sealing positions by applying a fluid actuated force thereto whereby the housing is sealingly and frictionally connected to the pipe. The method also includes connecting a supporting line to the housing whereby the pipe end may be lowered and raised in the body of water by paying out and taking in the line.

The method may also include the step of supporting a pipeline pig or the like in the housing and applying a pressurized fluid to the housing to thereby propel the pig from the housing along the pipe to thereby evacuate water or the like from the pipe. The end of pipeline 12 is shown being supported in the body of water by plug housing 13 which is connected to a cable 14 which is arranged for taking in and paying out by winch 15 mounted on barge It will thus be seen that if it becomes desirable to terminate pipeline laying operations, plug housing 13 may be inserted in the end of pipeline 12 and lowered to the bottom of the sea by paying out cable When cable 14 is fully paid-out, a bouy or the like may be attached thereto for subsequent recovery purposes and barge 11 may be free to go to shoreside or otherwise carry on other operations.

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