Did You Know...
...that in the early 1940s GE engineer James Wright was charged with a task of utmost importance to the war effort: develop a cheap substitute for rubber that could be used to produce tires, gas masks and a whole host of military gear. Wright tackled the task diligently -- and wound up inventing Silly Putty.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8172480 | Node storage, deployment and retrieval system A marine vessel is provided. The marine vessel comprises a cable handling system disposed on the marine vessel between a leading end and a trailing end of the vessel. The cable handling system comprises a cable handler positioned proximate the trailing end and a cab... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8142107 | Offshore system This invention relates to an offshore system, comprising a drilling vessel, e.g. a semi-submersible drilling vessel comprising a deck on which a drilling tower for performing drilling operations is mounted. The vessel is furthermore provided with a support for a til... | 03/27/2012 |
| 8087848 | Powered sheave for node deployment and retrieval A method and apparatus for deploying a plurality of seismic sensor units into a water column is described. The method includes providing a length of flexible cable from a cable storage device disposed on a vessel to a powered sheave, the cable having a plurality of ... | 01/03/2012 |
| 8061933 | Lay ramp actuating device and method for an underwater-pipeline laying vessel, and relative pipeline laying vessel An actuating device (23) for a lay ramp (6) of a vessel (1) for laying underwater pipelines “(2) has a runner (28), and a carriage (29) connected to the lay ramp (6) and which runs along the runner (28) to li... | 11/22/2011 |
| 8052350 | Sacrificial stinger impact absorber A marine pipelaying vessel with a pipeline stinger connected to said vessel, preferably pivotable, and forming a downwardly directed support for pipeline to be laid. The vessel further includes a stinger suspension assembly between the stinger and the vessel from wh... | 11/08/2011 |
| 8021080 | Containerized geophysical equipment handling and storage systems, and methods of use Systems and methods for marine seismic cable deployment and retrieval are described. One system comprises a plurality of portable containers, each container temporarily storing a marine seismic component, at least some of the containers able to be removably fastened... | 09/20/2011 |
| 7955028 | Marine pipelaying system and method for installing an offshore pipeline that includes one or more accessories Marine pipelaying method and system for installing an offshore pipeline (1) that includes one or more accessories (10). The method includes the steps of providing a vessel (2), launching the pipeline (1) in a firing line from the vessel (... | 06/07/2011 |
| 7883292 | Node storage, deployment and retrieval system A method and apparatus for storing, deploying and retrieving a plurality of seismic devices is described. The apparatus includes a ramp device coupled to a portion of a trailing end of a vessel, a cable handling device positioned between the ramp device and a leadin... | 02/08/2011 |
| 7862255 | Marine pipelaying system for laying an offshore pipeline A marine pipelaying system and method for installing an offshore pipeline that includes one or more accessories. The system comprises a vessel (1), a pipeline launch device (10) for launching the pipeline (2) from the vessel in the direction of ... | 01/04/2011 |
| 7806628 | Apparatus and methods for laying of elongate articles from a vessel This invention relates to apparatus and methods for laying of elongate articles from a vessel. The vessel includes a tower (2), on which is supported tensioning means (20,21), straightening means (19), and a hold-off clamp (14). The hold-... | 10/05/2010 |
| 7722294 | Crane assisted pipe lay The present invention relates to a method for laying a pipeline using a vessel (1) comprising a crane (2) comprising the following steps lifting a new pipe section (8) using the crane, placing a new pipe section on an existing pipeline (9... | 05/25/2010 |
| 7641421 | Offshore vessel An offshore vessel suitable for laying a pipeline on the seabed, having a pipeline-laying installation of the S-lay type. The offshore vessel has one or more connecting stations disposed on a working deck. The connecting stations are for connecting pipeline sections... | 01/05/2010 |
| 7581904 | Pipelaying vessel There is disclosed a variety of arrangements for laying of rigid pipe from reeled storage and/or on-board welding fabrication. Thirteen independent aspects of the invention are identified. In one particular arrangement (FIGS. 3a-3b), a ti... | 09/01/2009 |
| 7363671 | Method of moving a component underneath a bridge assembly with a cable A method of using a cable to move a component underneath a bridge assembly. The bridge assembly includes an access area through which the connection between the component and the cable may be moved. The method includes connecting the component to the cable, using th... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7350584 | Formed tubulars A method of lining a drilled bore comprises running a tubular into a drilled bore and then corrugating the tubular in the bore. The tubular may also be expanded in the bore. In other aspects of the invention the tubular is corrugated prior to running into the bore a... | 04/01/2008 |
| 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 |
| 7234410 | Buoyancy control systems for tubes A buoyancy control system for controlling the buoyancy of a tube may includes generally tubular length of buoyancy control material having a selected buoyancy characteristic. The length of buoyancy control material may be attached to a section of the length of the t... | 06/26/2007 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 7178708 | Longitudinal load varying device for elongate members A tensioner for deploying a member such as a pipe or cable, such as a sub-sea cable deployed from a ship, comprises an endless track and drive means for driving the track. The track includes a plurality of traction elements mounted thereon for movement with the trac... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7163367 | Multi-position height adjustment system for a pipe handling apparatus A system for adjusting the height of a boom on a pipe handling apparatus. A cavity is formed in the base between proximal and distal ends. The boom is nestable in said cavity and has a distal end guided along the base. A pivoting member is pivotally coupled to said ... | 01/16/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7100438 | Method and apparatus for determining a site for an offshore wind turbine A method for determining a site for an offshore wind turbine includes determining a plurality of possible site locations, and positioning an offshore assembly at at least one of the possible site locations, wherein the assembly includes a floating support structure,... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7066686 | Automatic control methods for positioning the lower end of a filiform structure, notably an oil pipe, at sea Method intended for automatic control of an underwater pipe for connecting the lower end of the pipe to a wellhead, wherein the following stages are carried out: Stage 1: determining a mathematical model expressing the position of ... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7055609 | Handling and assembly equipment and method A handling and assembly system and method for use in deploying tubing in a subterranean environment. A framework is used to linearly engage sequential tubular members as a tubing string is formed and run into a subterranean environment. The system also facilitates t... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7044228 | Flowline jumper for subsea well A subsea well system has a flowline jumper that extends between components on the sea floor. The jumper has connectors on each end for connecting to the two components and has a curved portion. At least a portion of the jumper is buoyant to cause it to assume a vert... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7029356 | Buoyancy control systems for tubes Buoyancy control methods for tubes are described. In one embodiment, a buoyancy control method can include a composite tube and a buoyancy control material for controlling the buoyancy of the composite tube. The composite tube can include an internal liner an extern... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7029206 | Reel type pipeline laying ship and method A pipeline laying ship and an improved method of laying a pipeline in a marine environment is disclosed. The pipeline laying ship is a dynamically positioned barge or self-propelled dynamically positioned vessel with a hull having a deck area that supports a pair of... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7025534 | Marine seismic surveying A method of performing a seismic survey of a hydrocarbon reservoir in the earth formations beneath a body of water includes deploying a seismic cable from a drum carried by a remotely operated vehicle on the seabed. The cable is deployed into a lined trench, which i... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7021865 | Apparatus and method for use in laying or recovering offshore pipelines or cables During recovery of an offshore pipeline, to a floating vessel for repair, for example, the pipeline is secured to a hang-off clamp. Due to the motion of the vessel, oscillating bending moments can be caused in the pipeline below the clamp. To reduce these bending mo... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7006905 | Method and device for allocating thrust Force balance and moment balance associated with thrust of air and water craft equipped with thrust generators are preset in view of non-linear characteristics and dynamic characteristics of thrust generators. A performance index for minimizing thrusts generated by ... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6953141 | Joining of tubulars through the use of explosives Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods and apparatus of connecting wellbore tubulars by explosive welding, using a frangible anvil, and reforming a surface of wellbore tubulars at a connection. In one embodiment, a first tubular is aligned ... | 10/11/2005 |
| 6937030 | Testing electrical integrity of electrically heated subsea pipelines Method is provided for testing electrically heated subsea pipelines that are “electrical-ready,” that is, equipped for applying electrical power when it is needed for heating the pipeline at any time during the life of the pipeline. Time domain reflectometer app... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6910848 | Erector for J-Lay pipe laying system A system for laying a pipeline from a floating vessel onto the ocean floor in relatively deep ocean water which provides an erector for raising new pipe sections to be added to a pipeline which is depending from the system, the pipe sections being raised into accura... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6910830 | Method for pipelaying from a coil to the sea bed, controlling thermal expansion A method for laying a pipeline on the sea bed from a lay barge in order to achieve controlled thermal expansion, comprises the following steps: Feeding out of the pipeline having a radius of initial residual curvature from a pipeline reel, preferably via a stinger t... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6907652 | Pipe connecting method A method of connecting a first pipe to a second pipe having an end part fitting into an end part of the first pipe, comprising arranging the end part of the second pipe within the end part of the first pipe, arranging a sleeve of a deformable material between said e... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6908260 | Receptable assembly and method for use on an offshore structure A receptacle 20 is removably secured to hull 12 of an offshore structure 10, and supports an elongate member 14, which may be a riser string, extending downward to the sea bed or to another structure. The elongate member 14 include... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6796742 | Apparatus for the connection and laying of the successive parts of an offshore supply line from a vessel and applications thereof A device for laying submarine pipeline from a vessel at sea. The device has a support or laying tower that can be inclined in a variable manner. The device has a workstation for assembling the successive parts of an offshore pipeline with the workstation attached to... | 09/28/2004 |
| 6776560 | Flex J-Lay tower A method for j-laying a pipeline from an offshore vessel to the floor of the ocean comprising a multiplicity of winches for supporting the upper end of the pipeline at its natural hanging angle, a mast in a fixed angle to the vessel, holding new pipe section in the ... | 08/17/2004 |
