Portable reel pipelaying method

摘要

A method for laying a substantially continuous length of pipe on the sea bottom from a carrier vessel, in which a pipe carrying reel is rotatably mounted on the carrier vessel, pipe straightening means are mounted to the carrier vessel downstream of the reel in the direction of unspooling for movement in a direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the reel, and pipe guide means are mounted to the carrier vessel downstream of the straightener means in the direction of pipe unspooling for movement in a direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the reel, wherein the method comprises the steps of rotating the reel in a direction to unspool the pipe and maintain a substantially constant dynamic braking force on the reel to maintain tension on the pipe as it is unspooled.