Repairing a wet buckle in a pipeline

摘要

A method of repairing a length of pipeline which has experienced a wet buckle during deployment is disclosed. The method includes: severing the pipeline at locations which are spaced apart on opposite sides of a buckle and removing the buckled section to leave spaced severed ends; locating a pipeline pig in a pig deployment device; releasably coupling a pig insertion member of the pig deployment device to the pig; releasably coupling the pig deployment device to one of the severed ends; operating the pig deployment device to cause the pig insertion member to translate the pig out of the deployment device and into the pipeline through said severed end; releasing the pig insertion member from the pig and retracting the pig insertion member, leaving the pig in place within the pipeline; releasing the pig deployment device from said severed end; and welding the severed ends together.

主权项

1. A method of repairing a length of pipeline which has experienced a wet buckle during deployment from a pipelaying vessel towards a seabed, the method comprising the steps of:
severing the pipeline at locations which are spaced apart on opposite sides of a buckle and removing the buckled section to leave spaced first and second severed ends; locating a pipeline pig in a pig deployment device; releasably coupling a pig insertion member of the pig deployment device to the pig; releasably coupling the pig deployment device to one of the severed ends; operating the pig deployment device to cause the pig insertion member to translate the pig out of the deployment device and into the pipeline through said severed end; releasing the pig insertion member from the pig and retracting the pig insertion member, leaving the pig in place within the pipeline; releasing the pig deployment device from said severed end; welding the severed ends together; and then applying fluid pressure to the pig to translate the pig along the pipeline towards an end of the pipeline which is located distally from the vessel, to remove contaminants within the pipeline resulting from the severing process.