Patents Assigned to GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
  • Patent number: 10895133
    Abstract: A gas production line including: an inlet; an outlet; and a wet gas condenser connected between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the wet gas condenser includes: a condensing chamber; a condensing surface; and a collecting chamber, wherein, in use, water vapour in wet gas passing over the condensing surface is condensed into liquid water, the liquid water flowing along a predetermined flow path into the collecting chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventor: Matthew Edmund Stone
  • Patent number: 10851606
    Abstract: A subsea flying lead containing a fluid line including a tubing, wherein, in use, an electric current is transmitted along the tubing. Such a flying lead may be used in an apparatus and method for transmitting electricity to a component of an underwater hydrocarbon extraction facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: GE OIL & GAS UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Charles Anthony August, Robert Dalziel
  • Patent number: 10808483
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include a system for directing the flow of fluids via a production tree. The production tree extends upwardly from a lower surface to an upper surface and at least partially enclosing an upper section of a production bore and an upper section of an annulus bore, wherein one of a lower section and the upper section of the production bore includes a first production valve, the upper section of the production bore includes a second production valve, and the upper section of the annulus bore includes a second annulus valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: Stanley Hosie, Paul White, Simon Corrigan, Brian Craig, Bobby Voss, Michael Ross
  • Publication number: 20200300725
    Abstract: A first embodiment of a detection apparatus arranged to detect defects within a flexible pipe body comprises a signal generator, a receiver, a correlator and a processor. A second embodiment of a detection apparatus arranged to detect defects within a flexible pipe at least partially surrounded by seawater comprises an impedance monitor and a processor. Methods of detecting defects within a flexible pipe body, a pipeline apparatus and methods of forming pipeline apparatuses are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: Geoffrey Stephen Graham, Phillip Edward Harley, William James Shephard
  • Patent number: 10774950
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for at least partially repairing a defect in a tubular composite layer. The apparatus comprises a plurality of independently movable abutment elements (3820) each supported in a spaced apart relationship via a respective one of at least one support member (3810). Each abutment element is associated with a respective drive axis along which the abutment elements are movable and the drive axes of all abutment elements extend outwardly from a common centre point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: David Andrew Finch, James Latto, John Fulcher, Neville Dodds, Vineet Jha
  • Patent number: 10712229
    Abstract: A first embodiment of a detection apparatus arranged to detect defects within a flexible pipe body comprises a signal generator, a receiver, a correlator and a processor. A second embodiment of a detection apparatus arranged to detect defects within a flexible pipe at least partially surrounded by seawater comprises an impedance monitor and a processor. Methods of detecting defects within a flexible pipe body, a pipeline apparatus and methods of forming pipeline apparatuses are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: Geoffrey Stephen Graham, Phillip Edward Harley, William James Shephard
  • Patent number: 10683951
    Abstract: An elongate tape element (508), a flexible pipe body and method of producing a flexible pipe body are disclosed. The tape element has a cross-sectional profile comprising a body portion (510) for being positioned between collapse resistant tape windings such that each body portion lies at least partially in a gap (512) between adjacent collapse resistant tape windings (501); and at least one wing portion (516) extending from an end region of the body portion (510), the at least one wing portion (516) configured to span the gap (512) and respectively abut with a radially inner surface of an adjacent collapse resistant tape winding (501).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Peter Roberts, Paul Snowdon, Philip Stephenson, Stephen Burgess, Suranjith Warnakulasuriya
  • Patent number: 10682706
    Abstract: A method, a component part of an end fitting and a preformed member for manufacturing a component part of an end fitting are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of, via an additive process, providing a near net shape (NNS) precursor corresponding to a component part of an end fitting layer-by-layer and subsequently performing at least one post NNS processing operation on the NNS precursor to provide the component part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: Richard Clements, John Gerard Rafferty, Paul Snowdon
  • Patent number: 10663422
    Abstract: A detection apparatus and method arranged to detect defects within a flexible pipe at least partially surrounded by seawater. The detection apparatus comprises a seawater electrode, an impedance monitor and a processor. The seawater electrode is arranged to be in contact with seawater surrounding at least part of a flexible pipe. The impedance monitor is arranged to measure the impedance between a metallic structural component of the flexible pipe extending at least partially along the length of the flexible pipe and the seawater electrode in response to an electrical test signal applied to the seawater electrode. The processor is arranged to determine the distance from the seawater electrode to a pipe defect electrically connecting the metallic structural component to seawater using the measured impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: John Cross McNab, Geoffrey Stephen Graham, Philip Michael Hunter Nott, Phillip Edward Harley, William James Shepherd
  • Patent number: 10527210
    Abstract: A flexible pipe and method of producing a flexible pipe are disclosed. The method includes bending armour wires of a flexible pipe body about 10 to 50 degrees from a longitudinal axis of the pipe body using a temporary collar member; inserting a further collar member radially inwards of the bent armour wires such that a portion of the armour wires lay over the further collar member; and mating the flexible pipe body and further collar member with an end fitting body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: Fernando Bezerra Paulo, Italo de Lemos Souza, Valdeir Tinoco da Silva
  • Publication number: 20190390794
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a clamping device and method of securing a clamping device. The clamping device is suitable for clamping an elongate member, and includes a body portion for surrounding the elongate element and configured to apply a compressive force on the elongate member. The body portion includes at least two outwardly curved plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Applicant: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: David Legg, Andrew Powell, Richard David Carverhill
  • Patent number: 10495437
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for determining a bending radius of a flexible pipe. The apparatus includes at least one bend sensor element comprising an elongate flexible substrate and at least one bend sensitive element on the substrate that has at least one electrical characteristic that is responsive to angular displacement of the substrate. The apparatus also comprises a flexible crush resistant elongate housing that supports and surrounds the bend sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: John McNab, Philip Michael Nott, Geoffrey Stephen Graham, Andrew Wharton
  • Patent number: 10479033
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus of manufacturing flexible pipe body (100) is disclosed. The method includes the step of winding at least one composite body having a substantially helical innate shape around an underlining pipe layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: Neville Dodds, Majeed Al-Zubaidy
  • Patent number: 10465824
    Abstract: An elongate tape element, a flexible pipe body and method of producing a flexible pipe body are disclosed. The tape element (508) has a cross-sectional profile comprising a body portion (510) for being positioned between collapse resistant tape windings (501) such that each body portion (510) lies at least partially in a gap (512) between adjacent collapse resistant tape windings (501); and at least one wing portion (516) extending from an end region of the body portion, the at least one wing portion configured to span the gap and respectively abut with a radially inner surface of an adjacent collapse resistant tape winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: GE OIL & GAS UK LIMITED
    Inventor: Suranjith Warnakulasuriya
  • Patent number: 10364925
    Abstract: A seal ring, a method of providing a fluid seal and end fitting are disclosed. The seal ring which provides a fluid seal between a polymer layer and an end fitting of a flexible pipe comprises an annular body that has a cross section comprising a first arm portion (500) and further arm portion (510) extending in a spaced apart relationship away from a body end portion (530).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: GE OIL & GAS UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew Peter Roberts, Zhimin Tan
  • Publication number: 20190226614
    Abstract: A vent arrangement for a flexible pipe body. The vent arrangement comprises a vent valve and an annular region flushing valve. The vent valve is arranged to couple to an annular region access port of a flexible pipe end fitting such that the vent valve can vent fluid from the pipe body annular region. The annular region flushing valve is in fluid communication with the vent valve and the annular region access port. The annular region flushing valve is arranged to inject fluid into the vent arrangement for flushing the vent valve, the annular region access port or the pipe body annular region. An end fitting incorporating the vent arrangement, a flexible pipe comprising the end fitting and a flexible pipe body coupled to the end fitting, and a method of manufacturing a flexible pipe are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Applicant: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: Matthew Carney, Andrew Wharton, Michael Kelly
  • Publication number: 20190195025
    Abstract: A buoyancy compensating assembly and method of deploying a riser assembly are disclosed. The buoyancy compensating assembly for connection to a portion of flexible pipe, comprises at least one rigid buoyancy module for connection to a riser; and at least one regulating element configured to control the pressure within the at least one rigid buoyancy module in use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: Zhimin Tan, Yucheng Hou, Jiabei Yuan, Linfa Zhu
  • Patent number: 10324057
    Abstract: A detection apparatus and method arranged to detect defects within a flexible pipe at least partially surrounded by seawater. The detection apparatus comprises a seawater electrode, an impedance monitor and a processor. The seawater electrode is arranged to be in contact with seawater surrounding at least part of a flexible pipe. The impedance monitor is arranged to measure the impedance between a metallic structural component of the flexible pipe extending at least partially along the length of the flexible pipe and the seawater electrode in response to an electrical test signal applied to the seawater electrode. The processor is arranged to determine the distance from the seawater electrode to a pipe defect electrically connecting the metallic structural component to seawater using the measured impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: John Cross McNab, Geoffrey Stephen Graham, Philip Michael Hunter Nott, Phillip Edward Harley, William James Shepherd
  • Patent number: 10293562
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a composite layer of a flexible pipe are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a layer inspection station comprising at least one sensor, located down stream of and in an in-line configuration with an extrusion station or pultrusion station or winding station or deposition station for providing a tubular composite layer over an underlying substantially cylindrical surface via a continuous process. The inspection station automatically and continuously determines if at least one parameter of the tubular composite layer satisfies a respective predetermined condition in at least one region of the tubular composite layer as the tubular composite layer is transported proximate to the inspection station and indicates in real time at least one of a type, size and/or location of a defect in the tubular composite layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: GE OIL & GAS UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Vineet Jha, Neville Dodds, James Latto, David Andrew Finch
  • Patent number: 10274396
    Abstract: A flexible pipe body comprising an elongate curvature sensor and a tensile armor layer. The elongate curvature sensor incorporates a strain sensor arranged to provide an indication of bending strain applied to the curvature sensor. The tensile armor layer comprises helically wound tensile armor wires. The curvature sensor is positioned within the tensile armor layer helically wound adjacent to at least one tensile armor wire such that bending strain applied to the flexible pipe body is transmitted to the curvature sensor. The curvature sensor is smaller than an adjacent tensile armor wire in at least one of depth and width and arranged to slide longitudinally relative to the adjacent tensile armor wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas UK Limited
    Inventors: Philip Michael Hunter Nott, Suranjith Warnakulasuriya, John Cross McNab, Geoffrey Stephen Graham