Abstract: A damping device (1) for pipelines (2) includes a compression ring (3) with three ring segments (4) that can be positioned around a pipe (2). Each ring segment (4) forms a damper seat (8) that receives at least one damping element (9) made of elastomeric material intended to be radially compressed against an outer surface of the pipe (2). The damper seat (8) is in shape connection with the damping element (9) so as to prevent the damping element (9) from being released from the damper seat (8) in an axial direction and in a radial direction.

Abstract: A method of installing at sea a double-walled preheated undersea pipe for transporting fluids, wherein for each new pipe section to be assembled to a pipe that is already installed at sea: the method involves preheating the inner wall unit element inside the outer wall unit element of the new pipe section; assembling the inner wall unit elements of the new pipe section to the inner wall of the pipe that is already installed at sea; assembling the outer wall unit element of the new pipe section to the outer wall of the pipe that is already installed at sea; lowering the new pipe section into the sea; and repeating the above for other new pipe sections to be assembled so as to prestress the pipe while it is being installed at sea.

Abstract: Method of stopping production and making safe an undersea bottom-to-surface connection production pipe having a first pipe portion on the sea bottom from a well head to the bottom end of a second pipe portion extending to a ship or floating support. After stopping production, depressurization of the entire undersea bottom-to-surface connection production pipe is performed. Thereafter, the following steps are preformed: isolating the first production pipe portion from the second pipe portion, and leaving the production fluid in the first production pipe portion, but not in said second pipe portion, depressurizing the first production pipe portion filled with production fluid by reducing the pressure in the first pipe portion and by discharging more completely the gas contained in the production fluid that it contains.

Abstract: Methods for enzyme-enhanced CO2 capture include contacting a CO2-containing gas with an aqueous absorption solution at process conditions—such as high temperature, high pH, and/or using carbonate-based solutions—in the presence of Thermovibrio ammonificans carbonic anhydrase (TACA) or functional derivative thereof for catalyzing the hydration reaction of CO2 into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions and/or catalyzing the desorption reaction to produce a CO2 gas. The TACA may be provided to flow with the solution to cycle through a CO2 capture system that includes an absorber and a stripper.

Abstract: A blower device includes a Coanda effect fluid flow amplifier having a suction opening, an outlet opening to provide an amplified fluid flow, an inner passage along an amplifier central axis passing through the suction opening and the outlet opening. An inlet conduit inputs pressurized fluid into the inner passage for drawing the ambient fluid from the suction opening to the outlet opening by Coanda effect, achieving amplified flow. A diffuser downstream of the amplifier includes diffuser side walls that delimit a diffuser inner side surface extending about a diffuser central axis arranged along the amplifier central axis and terminates with a first flow inlet open end facing the outlet opening, and an opposite second flow outlet open end delivers further amplified fluid flow. At least one side opening is upstream of the second flow outlet open end to allow additional ambient fluid to be sucked into the diffuser.

Abstract: A method of applying protective sheeting of polymer material to a pipeline, such as on a J-lay rig, includes the steps of driving a carriage along an annular path about the pipeline; extruding and simultaneously winding the protective sheeting about the pipeline via an end extrusion die fitted to the carriage; compressing the protective sheeting on the pipeline, directly downstream from the end extrusion die, so the protective sheeting adheres to the pipeline; and controlling the drive, extrusion, and compression steps so that the time lapse between expulsion of a cross section of protective sheeting from the end extrusion die and compression of the same cross section of protective sheeting is less than one second.

Abstract: A die for casting junctions of a coating of a pipeline is configured to be coupled to the pipeline to form an annular shaped closed compartment about a tubular joint portion comprising a tubular wall, which extends about a designated axis; a plurality of centering devices configured to align the axis of the tubular wall with a longitudinal axis of the pipeline; two annular walls arranged respectively at the opposite ends of the tubular wall; and two pluralities of vent openings arranged along the tubular wall respectively at each of the annular walls; and at least one feeding port configured to supply polymer material into the closed compartment.

Abstract: An integrated process for production of urea and urea-ammonium sulphate (“UAS”) comprises: a urea synthesis step carried out in a urea synthesis reactor; a recovery and concentration step, wherein a urea solution produced in the urea synthesis step is progressively concentrated in at least one recovery section and in a concentration section, recovering unreacted ammonia and carbon dioxide and water from said urea solution; a step of producing ammonium sulphate by reaction of sulphuric acid and ammonia in an ammonium sulphate production apparatus; a step of mixing said ammonium sulphate with concentrated urea coming from the concentration section to produce a UAS mixture; in the ammonium sulphate production step, at least a part of the ammonia is provided by at least one off-gas containing ammonia and recovered from the recovery and concentration step.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a pipe-laying vessel including a pipe-laying tower extending upwardly from the vessel, and the vessel includes at least three separate workstations spaced apart along the length of the tower. The disclosure also provides a pipe-laying vessel including a pipe-laying tower extending upwardly from the vessel, and the vessel includes at least two clamping assemblies for clamping a pipeline, the clamping assemblies being mounted along the length of the tower, and at least one workstation mounted on the tower. The workstation is mounted on the tower below a lowermost clamping assembly. The disclosure also provides a method of J-laying pipeline from a vessel, a method of abandoning a product from a vessel, and a method of recovering a previously abandoned product to a vessel.

Abstract: A supporting system for a floating unit in shallow water exerts controlled stresses on the floating unit hull and includes supporting structure for the hull. An extendable supporting device operatively connects to the supporting structure and is suitable to support a predetermined weight of the floating unit and load when entirely supported by the extendable supporting device and when the extendable supporting device rests on a bed of a water body. An actuator device connects to the supporting structure and operatively connects to the extendable supporting device for extension or contraction. A control device operatively connects to the actuator device to control the extraction or contraction movement of the extendable supporting device. The system includes at least one hull stress monitoring device operatively connected to the control device. A device to monitor the stress, or load, on the extendable supporting device operatively connects to the control device.

Abstract: A desulfurization gas process includes water vapor, CO2 and SOx (x=2 and/or 3). In a treatment unit, the gas contacts a cooled alkaline aqueous solution having a temperature lower than an initial gas temperature, water and a carbonate of an alkali metal, to cool the gas, condense some water vapor and absorb SOx in the carbonate-containing solution, produce an SOx-depleted gas and an acidic aqueous solution including sulfate and/or sulfite ions. The SOx-depleted gas and a portion of the acidic aqueous solution can then be withdrawn from the treatment unit. Carbonate of the alkali metal can be added to remaining acidic aqueous solution to obtain a made-up alkaline aqueous solution. This solution can be cooled and reused as the cooled alkaline aqueous solution. An SOx absorbent solution includes a bleed stream from a CO2-capture process, sodium or potassium carbonate, and an acidic aqueous solution obtained from desulfurization.

Abstract: An apparatus configured to apply protective sheeting of polymer material around a cutback on a pipeline has a frame located close to a pipeline extending along a longitudinal axis; a manipulator fitted to the frame and having a guide system movable between a rest position at a distance from the pipeline, and a work position in which the guide system is fitted around the pipeline; and an extrusion die movable selectively along the guide system and around the pipeline to supply and apply protective sheeting around the cutback on the pipeline.

Abstract: A method of emptying an undersea fluid transport pipe (2) that is submerged and full of water, by pumping out at least a portion of the water present inside the submerged pipe using a submersible pump unit (6) connected to a point of the pipe, the volume of water pumped out from the inside of the pipe being compensated by a gas injected under pressure into the submerged pipe from a point (18) thereof that is situated higher than the connection point (12; 14) to the submersible pump unit. The invention also provides an installation for performing such a method.

Abstract: A method of laser beam welding two pipes together, the method including the steps of arranging two pipes such that a gap is provided between opposed surfaces of the pipes, heating at least one of the pipes by induction heating while the gap is provided between the opposed surfaces of the pipes, and subsequently laser beam welding the opposed surfaces of the pipes together.

Abstract: The invention provides a heater station (2) for heating fluids flowing in an undersea pipe network, the station comprising at least one heater duct (6) made of conductive material designed to be connected to an undersea pipe (4) for transporting fluids, and at least one solenoid (8) wound around a portion of the heater duct and electrically powered to heat the heater duct portion by electromagnetic induction.

Abstract: A method of joining a first pipe section to a second pipe section includes positioning the two pipe sections in an end-to-end configuration to define therebetween a joint to be welded, measuring the degree of alignment of the pipe sections when they are in the end-to-end configuration in a position ready for welding, ascertaining the relative movement required of the pipe sections in order to improve their alignment, effecting the relative movement so ascertained, and welding together the two pipe sections. The method may include the use of geometric data of the end of the pipes in order to ascertain the relative movement required of the pipe sections. A control unit may be used to calculate, using such data, a target orientation that lines up the pipe sections. The measuring step may be performed using, for example, a laser or a camera and backlight.

Abstract: A method of aligning first and second pipes end-to-end in a position ready for welding. Each pipe has an end bevelled with a shape scanned and stored in memory of a control unit. At least one of the pipes has machine readable codes distributed around their circumference of the pipe. The method includes effecting relative movement of the ends of the first and second pipes towards each other, reading at least one of the codes with a reader, and ascertaining the relative movement required to align the pipes in accordance with a target orientation. The relative movement is ascertained with information provided by the read code and the shapes of the bevelled ends stored in the control unit memory. In other aspects, a closed loop control method and machine-learning may be used to align the pipes. A pipe-laying vessel including pipe handling equipment and the control unit is also provided.

Abstract: A process is described for obtaining high-purity 1-butene starting from C4 hydrocarbon mixtures containing isobutene, n-butane, isobutane, 1,3-butadiene, 1-butene, 2-butenes and also optionally C3 and C5 hydrocarbons, comprising the following stages: conversion of isobutene effected in a double stage, wherein each stage consists of one or more reactors followed by a distillation column for the recovery of the reaction product; recovery of the excess alcohol; recovery of 1-butene using at least two distillation columns; characterised in that it also uses a further conversion stage, consisting of one or more reactors in series, for completing the isobutene removal.

Abstract: A method of monitoring thermomechanical behavior of an undersea pipe (2) transporting fluid under pressure and made by assembling unit pipe elements (4), comprising determining a mechanical signature specific to each unit pipe element, using a measurement cable (16) having an optical fiber sensor using Brillouin backscattering to measure deformation of the pipe element while it is subjected on land to various mechanical stresses in predetermined directions and magnitudes, and establishing a stiffness matrix associated with the mechanical signature of each pipe element, a step of determining a thermal signature specific to each unit pipe element, which step consists in measuring the temperature changes of the unit pipe element while it is being subjected on land to various different electrical heating powers, and in establishing a thermal transfer function associated with the thermal signature of each pipe element, and a monitoring step consisting of recovering.

Abstract: A method of monitoring mechanical behavior of an undersea pipe (2) transporting fluid under pressure and made by assembling a plurality of unit pipe elements (4). A calibration step is performed consisting of using a measurement cable having an optical fiber sensor to measure deformations experienced by each pipe element while it is subjected on land to various mechanical stresses in predetermined directions and magnitudes, and, on the basis of the measurements, establishing the mechanical signature of each pipe element. A monitoring step is performed consisting of using a measurement cable (18) having an optical fiber sensor that makes uses Brillouin backscattering and is helically positioned at constant pitch (p) on each pipe element with the handedness of the helical pitch alternating for two adjacent pipe elements to recover variations in optical signal injected into the sensors while the pipe is in service.