METHOD OF LAYING AN UNDERWATER FLOWLINE

摘要

Method of delivering a flowline (1) to an underwater location, comprising the steps of: releasably attaching a carrier pipe (2) of substantially continuous elongate cross section to the flowline; charging the carrier pipe with a fluid having a specific gravity lower than that of seawater effective to provide buoyancy to the flowline; towing the pipe and the attached flowline to an underwater location; deploying the flowline to the sea bed at the desired underwater location by at least partially flooding the carrier pipe and/or the flowline with seawater; at least partially flooding any unflooded region of the carrier pipe with the sea water; etaching the carrier pipe from the flowline; and recovering the carrier pipe.