Patents Assigned to National Oilwell Varco Denmark
  • Patent number: 11339902
    Abstract: An end-fitting and an unbonded flexible pipe, where the unbonded flexible pipe includes from the inside and out an internal pressure sheath, at least one armor layer and an outer sheath, the end-fitting further includes a sealing element. The sealing element includes a seal casing concentrically arranged around the internal pressure sheath, the seal casing includes a recess in which a first sealing element is concentrically arranged around the internal pressure sheath such that the surface of the first sealing element at least forms a line contact with the internal pressure sheath, and a second sealing element is concentrically arranged around the internal pressure sheath in the recess such that the surface of the second sealing element at least form a line contact with the surface of the seal casing and form a line contact with the surface of the first sealing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Jesper Ries, Martin Halsteen, Lars Rohbock, Bo Bøgelund
  • Patent number: 11300237
    Abstract: An assembly comprising an end-fitting and an unbonded flexible pipe comprising several layers. The unbonded flexible pipe has an end-part entering the end-fitting at the front end and the layers of the unbonded flexible pipe being terminated in the end-fitting. The unbonded flexible pipe further comprises a first electrically conductive layer and a second electrically conductive layer, where the first electrically conductive layer is electrically insulated from the second electrically conductive layer. The end-fitting comprises a first electric zone electrically connected with the first electrically conductive layer, and a second electric zone electrically connected with the second electrically conductive layer, the first electric zone is electrically separated from the second electric zone, and the end-fitting comprises a third electric zone, the third electric zone being electrically separated from first electric zone and the second electric zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Thorsten Holst, Tom Larsen, Anders Straarup
  • Patent number: 11187359
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an assembly including an end-fitting for terminating an unbonded flexible pipe and an unbonded flexible pipe. The unbonded flexible pipe includes a first and a second armour layer co-axially arranged, and an electric heating system. The end-fitting includes means for mechanically anchoring the first armour layer to the end-fitting and includes electrical connections for connecting the first armour layer to a power-source. The end-fitting also includes means for mechanically anchoring the second armour layer to the end-fitting. The first and the second armour layers are electrically insulated from each other by at least one electrically insulating layer in the end-fitting and the end-fitting includes a local volume in the end-fitting adjacent to the electrically insulating layer adapted for injection of a functional fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco Denmark l/S
    Inventor: Kristian Glejbol
  • Patent number: 11162618
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flexible armoured pipe having a centre axis and including an internal pressure sheath and an outer sheath, where the radial distance between the internal pressure sheath and the outer sheath defines an annulus. The annulus includes at least one tensile armour layer surrounded by at least one retaining layer constituted by an elongate metallic strip wound around the at least one tensile armour with a winding angle of at least 65° in respect of the centre axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Karl-Johan Lolk Westhoff, Jon Moller Andersen
  • Patent number: 11092264
    Abstract: A flexible pipe system includes an unbonded flexible pipe connected to a floating vessel and a sensor system with an optical fibre integrated in the unbonded flexible pipe. Interrogating equipment transmits optical signals into the fibre, receives optical signals reflected from the fibre and detects a parameter of the unbonded flexible pipe. A turret connects the flexible pipe rotationally to the floating vessel via a swivel device that provides a fluid transfer passage between the turret and the vessel. The interrogating equipment is arranged on the turret and is further configured to transfer signals indicative of the detected parameter to receiving equipment on the floating vessel. In this way, optical signals reflected from the fibre can reach the interrogating equipment without distortion in the swivel, so that parameters can be detected with sufficient quality also for floating vessels equipped with a turret mooring system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Bo Asp Moller Andersen, Michael Eilersen, Nicky Weppenaar
  • Patent number: 11054067
    Abstract: Disclosed is an unbonded flexible pipe for subsea transportation of fluids. The pipe has a length and a centre axis and includes a plurality of layers including at least one polypropylene based layer including a modified polypropylene compound including: at least about 50% by weight of a base polypropylene (base PP) which consists of polypropylene including up to about 10% by weight of one or more co-monomers other than propylene, and at least about 1% by weight of a plastomer including a propylene and at least one co-monomer other than propylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK l/S
    Inventors: Inger-Margrete Procida, Allan Boye Hansen
  • Patent number: 10975629
    Abstract: An offshore installation comprising a riser pipe and a bend stiffener. The riser pipe comprises a flexible pipe body having a pipe length and an end fitting and the riser has a longitudinal pipe axis. The bend stiffener comprises a helically shaped body arranged to surround a stiffened length section of the flexible pipe body. The bend stiffener has a root end and a far end, wherein the root end is closer to the end fitting than the far end and the root end is locked at an axial distance to the end fitting, determined along the longitudinal pipe axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventor: Jens Rordam Thomsen
  • Patent number: 10962148
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of testing an unbonded flexible pipe. The unbonded flexible pipe has a length and a longitudinal axis and comprises, from the inside and out, an internal armour layer, an internal pressure sheath, at least one external amour layer and an outer sheath. At least one of the layers comprises an optical sensor connected to an optical monitoring system and at least one of the armour layers is a metallic and electrically conductive amour layer. The method makes it possible to test an electrical heating system and an optical sensor substantially simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Kristian Glejbol, Michael Eilersen, Anders Straarup, Christian Ditlev Cappeln
  • Patent number: 10941621
    Abstract: An unbonded flexible pipe for offshore fluid transportation is disclosed. The pipe includes from inside and outwards a sealing sheath, a pressure armor layer, at least one tensile armor layer, at least one support layer and an extruded external protective polymer sheath. The at least one support layer includes at least one support strip which is helically wound with a winding angle ? of at least about 80 degrees to the longitudinal center axis to provide strip windings along the length of the pipe and the at least one support strip includes a thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventor: Inger-Margrete Procida
  • Patent number: 10865931
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system comprising a floating unit for processing, handling or storing a fluid and at least one unbonded flexible pipe for transporting said fluid to the floating unit. The unbonded flexible pipe comprises an electric heating system, and the temperature of the fluid in the unbonded flexible pipe is measured and the measured temperature is used to control the electrical input to the electric heating system in the unbonded flexible pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Kristian Glejbol, Michael Hjorth, Bo Asp Moller Andersen, Nicky Weppenaar, Christian Ditlev Cappeln
  • Patent number: 10851918
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an unbonded flexible pipe having a length and a longitudinal axis and comprising, from the inside and out, a carcass made from an electrically conductive material, an internal pressure sheath made from an extruded polymer, at least one external armor layer and an outer sheath, in which the carcass is adapted for connection to an electric power source for conducting an electric current. Moreover, at least a part of the external armor layer is electrically conductive, the carcass and the external armor layer allowing a difference in electric potential to be established partly or fully over the internal pressure sheath, wherein the internal pressure sheath is partly or fully covered by a conforming cover layer made from a material which is electrically conductive and has a bulk resistance larger than the specific resistance of the electrically conductive material of the carcass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventor: Anders Straarup
  • Patent number: 10655772
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an assembly including an end-fitting and an unbonded flexible pipe, which end-fitting is adapted for connecting the unbonded flexible pipe to a connector. The end-fitting has a through-going opening with a centerline and a front end and a rear end, and the end-fitting further provides for establishing an electrical connection to a least one electrical heating system in the unbonded flexible pipe. Moreover, the end-fitting includes at least one first metallic part having a first surface contacting a second surface of at least one second part in the end-fitting, wherein the first surface of the first metallic part, at least in the vicinity of the through-going opening, includes a coating having a high electrically resistivity. The invention also relates to a method for providing an end-fitting having good properties in respect of reducing galvanic corrosion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Tom Larsen, Thorsten Holst
  • Patent number: 10544892
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an assembly comprising an end-fitting and an unbonded flexible pipe having a length and a longitudinal axis, said flexible pipe comprising, from the inside and out, an internal armour layer, an internal pressure sheath, at least one external armour layer and an outer sheath, the first end of the unbonded flexible pipe being terminated in the end-fitting, and the end-fitting comprising means for connecting the internal armour layer to an external electrical power source. The means comprise connection points to the internal armour layer in the unbonded flexible pipe and connection points to the electrical power source wherein the connection points for the electrical power source are mounted in a housing adapted to an outer surface-part of the end-fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Thorsten Holst, Anders Straarup, Tom Larsen
  • Patent number: 10513896
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of installing an unbonded flexible pipe with a bore for transportation of fluid wherein the unbonded flexible pipe comprises an outer sheath, an inner sealing sheath inside the outer polymer sheath, an annulus between said outer sheath and said inner sealing sheath and at least one metallic armor layer comprising iron located in said annulus, wherein the method comprises filling at least a part of the annulus with a corrosion promoting liquid before or after installing the unbonded flexible pipe between a first installation and a second installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Jonas Gudme, Adam Rubin, Marie Haahr
  • Patent number: 10197198
    Abstract: The invention concerns a flexible pipe for offshore applications, such as for use as a riser in oil production. The flexible pipe has a longitudinal axis and contains a pressure resilient core pipe structure with an inner surface defining a bore, and at least a pair of cross wound and non-bonded tensile armor layers surrounding said core pipe structure. The pressure resilient core pipe structure contains an embedded pressure armor structure, wherein the embedded pressure armor structure contains a plurality of layers of helically wound continuous fibers, wound with a winding angle of about 60 degrees or more relative to the longitudinal axis of the pipe and embedded in a cured polymer matrix. The fibers are individually bonded to the cured polymer matrix. Preferably each of said layers of helically wound continuous fibers have a fiber density of at least about 40%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventor: Kristian Glejbol
  • Patent number: 10113673
    Abstract: The invention relates to an elongate reinforcement element for reinforcing an unbonded flexible pipe, a method of producing the elongate reinforcement element and an unbonded flexible pipe comprising the elongate reinforcement element. The reinforcement element comprises a plurality of elongate armor strips and an elongate support element comprising a channel, wherein the plurality of elongate armor strips are arranged in the channel of the elongate support element. Preferably the elongate armor strips are arranged to be superimposed in the channel and the plurality of superimposed elongate armor strips are displaceable in relation to each other upon bending of the elongate reinforcement element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventor: Kristian Glejbol
  • Patent number: 10088079
    Abstract: An assembly is described. A flexible pipe of the assembly comprises at least one optical fiber for mounting to a processing system or another waveguide. The unbonded flexible pipe comprises a plurality of layers. The optical fiber is arranged outside an innermost sealing sheath. At least an outermost armor layer is terminated and secured by securing material in a housing cavity of an end-fitting. The end-fitting comprises a fiber exit cavity with an entrance end and an exit opening through which the fiber can exit and the fiber is applied in an overlength in said fiber exit cavity. The assembly makes it very simple and effective to connect an optical fiber of an unbonded flexible pipe via an end-fitting to a processing system which can operate with the fiber to pump light into the fiber and collect signals and analyze the collected signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Bo Asp Moller Andersen, Niels Juul
  • Publication number: 20180231163
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an assembly comprising an end-fitting and an unbonded flexible pipe having a length and a longitudinal axis, said flexible pipe comprising, from the inside and out, an internal armour layer, an internal pressure sheath, at least one external armour layer and an outer sheath, the first end of the unbonded flexible pipe being terminated in the end-fitting, and the end-fitting comprising means for connecting the internal armour layer to an external electrical power source. The means comprise connection points to the internal armour layer in the unbonded flexible pipe and connection points to the electrical power source wherein the connection points for the electrical power source are mounted in a housing adapted to an outer surface-part of the end-fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco Denmark I/S
    Inventors: Thorsten Holst, Anders Straarup, Tom Larsen
  • Publication number: 20180231149
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of testing an unbonded flexible pipe. The unbonded flexible pipe has a length and a longitudinal axis and comprises, from the inside and out, an internal armour layer, an internal pressure sheath, at least one external amour layer and an outer sheath. At least one of the layers comprises an optical sensor connected to an optical monitoring system and at least one of the armour layers is a metallic and electrically conductive amour layer. The method makes it possible to test an electrical heating system and an optical sensor substantially simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco Denmark I/S
    Inventors: Kristian Glejbol, Michael Eilersen, Anders Straarup, Christian Ditlev Cappeln
  • Patent number: 10001228
    Abstract: The invention relates to an unbonded flexible pipe for offshore applications. The pipe comprises an inner sealing sheath defining a bore and at least one armoring layer comprising metal, wherein the metal of the armoring layer is manganese steel with a composition comprising in mass % of the total steel composition about 9-30% manganese (Mn) about 1-4% aluminum (Al) about 0-6% silicium (Si) about 0-4% copper (Cu) about 0-4% nickel (Ni) about 0-1% carbon (C) the remainder is iron and impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventor: Søren Gundstrup