UNDERWATER PIPE-LAYING APPARATUS AND METHOD

摘要

A pipe-laying apparatus (4) and method for laying or raising a pipeline (7) from a vessel (1). The apparatus (4) includes a first pipe gripping assembly (5) disposed on a pipe­ laying path along which pipeline passes during laying, a second pipe gripping assembly (6) disposed on the 10 pipe-laying path, and a drive unit for causing relative movement in a direction along the pipe-laying path between the first pipe gripping assembly and the second pipe gripping assembly. The first pipe gripping assembly (3) includes both a pipe gripping arrangement (51) for gripping a pipe during pipe-laying and a cable gripping arrangement (52) for gripping a cable during an operation when a cable is connected to a length of pipeline (7).