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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8186910 | Universal method and apparatus for deploying flying leads In one embodiment, the subsea deployment system may be used to install flying leads with integral buoyancy. In another embodiment, the subsea deployment system may be used to install flying leads with separate buoyancy modules. The installation sling assembly may be... | 05/29/2012 |
| 8075223 | Deployment system for fiber-optic line sensors A system for deploying a fiber optic line sensor is provided that includes a launch vehicle to which three sections are attached. The first section is a buoy antenna section. The second section is an electronics canister section having control electronics. These sec... | 12/13/2011 |
| 7993077 | Towing and subsea installation of long articles An elongate article (100) such as a prefabricated pipeline of several kilometers length is towed through water. The article is provided along its length with buoyancy adjusting material (102) fitted closely to the article. The buoyancy adjusting materi... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7572085 | Device for upper connection between two submarine fluid transporting pipelines The invention concerns a device for upper connection connecting two terminal endpieces (9, 10) of two submarine fluid transporting pipelines (2, 4) used in offshore hydrocarbon exploitation, a riser supported by at least one buoyant element (6) ... | 08/11/2009 |
| 7559721 | Towing and installation method for deepwater pipelines and risers A deepwater pipeline is towed to a predetermined position by a bottom towing method with a leading end of the pipeline attached to a towing vessel and the trailing end of the pipeline attached to a trailing vessel. The trailing end is supported near the seabed using... | 07/14/2009 |
| 7510349 | Ocean bottom seismic station installation Storage and installation systems used in storage, deployment or retrieval of a seismic cable array include one or more baskets adapted for being stacked. Each basket is dimensioned to allocate, in an ordered arrangement, a number of seismic stations interconnected b... | 03/31/2009 |
| 7455478 | Method for cutting and removing underwater pipelines and apparatus for implementing the same A method is provided for cutting and removing underwater pipelines. The method comprises (a) determining the position of the underwater pipeline to be removed;(b) positioning, on the line a guide for positioning a cutter and a device for recovering the cut pipe sect... | 11/25/2008 |
| 7438502 | Telescoping underwater guide An underwater guiding device comprised of one or combination of a plurality of rigid guide segments, and/or telescoping guide segments where one or plurality of segments are of fixed length and one or plurality of segments are telescoping permitting use of either a ... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7430979 | Method of transporting an elongate member The present invention provides a method for transporting an elongate member through water. The elongate member has a first end portion and a second end portion. The method comprises the steps of: adjusting the buoyancy of the elongate member to ensure that the elong... | 10/07/2008 |
| 7351010 | Method and apparatus for salvaging underwater pipelines A method of salvaging a pipeline in a marine environment is disclosed. The method provides a frame having a perimeter that surrounds a pair of opposed cutting blades, the frame having a gate that enables the frame to be selectively placed around or removed from a se... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7314572 | Methods of and apparatus for low-angle-tray settling with multi-zone configuration Settleable-particles are separated from a dirty flow of settleable-particles and fluid by trays having a planar section configured with opposed ends and opposed sides, and an entrance edge and an exit edge on opposed ends. The section has opposed side edges, and an ... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7311151 | Substantially neutrally buoyant and positively buoyant electrically heated flowlines for production of subsea hydrocarbons A flowline is described for producing hydrocarbons from a subsea well that is comprised of a substantially neutrally buoyant tubular composite umbilical. The flowline may possess electrical heating apparatus within the tubular walls of the tubular composite umbilica... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7308868 | Protective cage A cage includes side panels, each having top and bottom edges extending along a length of the cage. Coextensive top and bottom panels have sides extending along a length of the cage and are engaged with the side panels, defining a cavity therebetween. End panels are... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7281880 | Subsea vehicle assisted pipeline commissioning method The present invention is directed to a method for completing the commissioning of a subsea pipeline by purging with a compressed gas to dewater and dry the line wherein the operation is done on the seabed. More specifically, the method is carried out with a subsea v... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7255515 | Marine pipelay system and method The marine pipelaying system for vertical or near vertical laying of an offshore pipeline includes a main supporting structure; a pipe connecting station, wherein a pipe section is connected to an uppermost end of a previously launched pipeline; a static clamp adapt... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7246971 | Stabilisation of submarine elongate structures A stabilization system (10) for a section of submarine pipeline (11) comprising an end restraint (15) at each end of the section of pipeline and intermediate restraints (20) between the two end restraints (15) for limiting lateral ... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7226244 | System for overload protection for pipe or cable laying structures The invention is vessel with a tower adapted to be inclined for handling of tubulars mad of a vessel, a tower with a mast that can be inclined, a pipe reel for storing passing tubulars, a strut with a sleeve for engaging and enabling tower inclination, and a tension... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7222549 | Systems and methods for determining the location of a pig in a pipeline The location of a pig in a conduit, e.g., an underwater pipeline, may be determined by measuring an amount of a fluid displaced by the pig from the conduit and calculating the location of the pig in the conduit based on that amount of fluid. In particular, the amoun... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7210503 | Method and device for increasing safety during pipelaying A method and device for preventing water from penetrating into the rising part/intermediate section (12) of a pipe (6) when laying the pipe (6) on or near the seabed (8) by means of a pipelay vessel (1), and where a plug (22... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7204661 | Pipeline system utilizing cold bends An expansion loop for an above-ground pipeline that utilizes cold bent pipe sections having a bend angle of less than 90 degrees and a bend rate (in degrees per foot) of relatively low severity. ... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7200973 | Wire reinforced thermoplastic coating A structural reinforcing layer made from wire, a structural reinforcing composite layer made from wire, and the resulting load bearing structures made from or retrofitted with wire reinforced plastics and cements. Said layers and structures made from monofilament me... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7189028 | Underwater pipe-laying A pipe-laying vessel includes an upwardly extending tower (14) assembly defining a path down which the pipe passes as a pipeline (40) is being laid by the vessel, and a lower guide arrangement for guiding the pipeline after it has passed down the tower... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7184365 | Unitary multi-cable towing system In one aspect the invention comprises a system and a method for marine geophysical exploration, which includes a first cable connected to a vessel and a plurality of streamer cables connected to the first cable. The first cable includes all towing strength members a... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7182550 | Abandonment and recovery head apparatus An abandonment and recovery head apparatus comprises a head member. A lift member is moveably coupled to the head member. A retaining device is operable to hold the lift member in an accessible position. ... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7178226 | Wire installation tool An electrician's tool generally comprises a plate having a hole formed therein, the hole defined by an inner edge. The edge includes means for safely sliding wire through the hole and past the edge. In one embodiment the means for safely sliding the wire includes at... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7169312 | Methods of and apparatus for collecting sludge from the floor of a settler basin A system meets material collection needs by significantly increasing the flow rate through a header that collects sludge. Telescopic pipes stay in a line adjacent to the bottom of a basin and do not float upwardly into or against equipment in the basin. A bearing is... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7159724 | Apparatus for collecting sludge from the floor of a settler basin A system meets needs in sludge collection by significantly increasing the flow rate through a header that collects sludge without causing problems in priming. Telescopic pipes stay in a line adjacent to the bottom of a basin and do not float upwardly into or against... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7156583 | Compensating suspension element configuration A compensating suspension element that includes a flexible cable, a flexible pipe and a catenary riser pipe and a connecting device connecting the flexible cable, the flexible pipe and the riser without buoyancy. ... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7156170 | Methods and apparatus for severing nested strings of tubulars An apparatus and method for use in severing casing as it is pulled from a wellbore. In one aspect, the apparatus, includes a clamping assembly, a drilling assembly and a cutting assembly. The apparatus is disposed at the end of a telescopic arm, with the components ... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7152632 | Systems and methods for pipeline rehabilitation The present disclosure is directed to methods and systems for pipeline rehabilitation. The methods and systems disclosed herein permit the rehabilitation of long lengths of previously installed pipe and minimize the need for creating multiple access points to the pi... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7147402 | Submarine pipeline spoiler A method and apparatus for stabilizing and burying a conduit in a waterbed is disclosed. A plurality of spoilers are placed on the conduit at longitudinally and radially different positions to promote self-burial, reduce vortex-induced vibration, prevent upheaval bu... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7114883 | Offshore fluid transfer system and method Apparatus (12) for transferring fluid between floating vessels (10, 11) is described, comprising a submerged rigid transfer arm (13) carrying a fluid pipeline (16). The apparatus (12) is provided with thrusters (21) and posi... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7111686 | Vessel provided with a device for removing and/or installing a sub-structure of a drilling or production platform The invention relates to a vessel (1) provided with a deck (2) and with a device (3) for removing and/or installing a sub-structure (4) of a drilling or production platform, wherein said device comprises a supporting structure (5) ... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7112009 | Apparatus and method for horizontal subsea connection An apparatus for substantially horizontal connection of a conduit to a subsea structure: A frame connectable to and supportable by the subsea structure, the frame has a docking device operable to allow a horizontal connection device, including one of a remotely oper... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7112008 | Floating construction for launching pipelines even in low-depth conditions A floating construction for launching pipelines, even in low-depth conditions, comprises at least a hollow floating body, engageable with a supporting framework, comprising removably coupling means for providing a removable coupling with a pipeline, removable latchi... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7105096 | Collection of sludge from the floor of a basin with multiple balanced-flow headers A method meets needs in material collection by significantly increasing the flow rate through headers that collect sludge without causing problems in priming. Telescopic pipes stay in a line adjacent to the bottom of a basin and do not float upwardly into or against... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7104728 | Method for deploying seafloor equipment A method for deploying and retrieving seafloor equipment modules is disclosed. A conveyor has a fixed end and a free end. The conveyor is deployed into a body of water until the free end reaches, or is proximate to, the seafloor. The conveyor is dragged through the ... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7101116 | Cable or pipe retrieval and burial apparatus and methods An apparatus for retrieving a cable or pipe buried under water in bed material comprises a shank (2) having a first surface and a fluke member (5) having a second surface. When the apparatus is towed in a towing direction, the fluke member (5) a... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7090019 | Casing cutter A subsea well casing cutting tool for use as part of a well abandonment procedure, the casing cutting tool deployable from a vessel located at a water surface, where in certain embodiments the casing cutting tool comprises a casing gripper; a rotary cutter drive ass... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7086807 | Subsea connection apparatus Apparatus for connecting a conduit to a subsea structure includes a frame connectable to the subsea structure by a docking mechanism, a conduit handling mechanism on the frame to facilitate positioning of the conduit for attachment to the subsea structure and a seco... | 08/08/2006 |
