Transportation and Installation of Elongate Subsea Elements

摘要

A method of handling a discrete elongate subsea element of determinate length, such as a spool of rigid pipe is disclosed. The method includes shortening a tensile chord system acting on longitudinally-spaced locations on the element to apply longitudinally-compressive forces to the element. The compressive forces bend the element along its length against elastic recovery force to shorten the span of the element. One end of the element is anchored at a first anchorage before or after the element is bent. The other end of the element is anchored at a second anchorage, after the element is bent and while the element remains bent. The method is apt to be used during installation of the element, where the anchorages are both underwater, and during transportation of the element, where the anchorages are hang-off platforms of a surface vessel.

主权项

1. A method of handling a discrete elongate subsea element of determinate length for transport or installation, the method comprising:
shortening a tensile chord system acting on longitudinally-spaced locations on the element to apply longitudinally-compressive forces to the element, which forces bend the element along its length between said locations against elastic recovery force to shorten a span of the element; anchoring a first end of the element at a first anchorage before or after said bending of the element; and after said bending of the element and while the element remains bent, anchoring a second end of the element at a second anchorage.