Patents Assigned to National Oilwell Varco Denmark I/S
  • Patent number: 8960239
    Abstract: An unbonded flexible pipe with a length and a center axis along its length includes an internal sealing sheath surrounding the center axis, and at least two tensile armor layers having cross wound elements surrounding the internal sealing sheath. The two tensile armor layers include a first tensile armoring layer having a plurality of first helically wound, elongate armoring elements, and a second tensile armoring layer having a plurality of second helically wound, elongate armoring elements. The first helically wound, elongate armoring elements consist of a first material or a first combination of materials and the second helically wound, elongate armoring elements consist of a second material or a second combination of materials, where the first material or the first combination of materials is different from the second material or the second combination of materials. The unbonded flexible pipe further includes a galvanic barrier layer between the first and the second tensile armoring layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco Denmark I/S
    Inventor: Kristian Glejbol
  • Publication number: 20150027580
    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: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco Denmark I/S
    Inventor: Kristian Glejbol
  • Patent number: 8891070
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flexible pipe system comprising an unbonded flexible pipe having a center axis and a sensor system at least partly integrated in the unbonded flexible pipe. The unbonded flexible pipe has a length and a longitudinal direction along the length and comprises an inner sealing sheath and at least a first sensor containing armoring layer. The first sensor containing armoring layer comprises a plurality of elongated armoring elements arranged around the internal sealing sheath. The sensor system comprises: a plurality of optical fiber sensor units, at least one light pump for the optical fiber sensor units, a data collecting unit, and a computing unit. The optical fiber sensor units are optically connected to the data collecting unit, and the data collecting unit is in data communication with the computing unit. At least one of the elongated armoring elements of the first sensor containing armoring layer is a sensor containing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco Denmark I/S
    Inventors: Nicky Weppenaar, Bo Asp Møller Andersen
  • Publication number: 20140305532
    Abstract: The invention concerns an unbonded flexible pipe for subsea transportation of fluids, the pipe comprises from inside and outwards a carcass, an inner sealing sheath, a pressure armor, and a tensile armor. The pressure armor comprises at least one helically wound elongate and interlocked element in the form of a strip with a cross-sectional profile comprising a planar mid section and a first and a second interlocking edge configured to have an angle to the planar mid section and to protrude in a direction away from the inner sealing sheath to provide a channel between the first and the second interlocking edges, the pressure armor further comprises at least one helically wound elongate and non-interlocked elongate element where windings of the non-interlocked elongate element are placed at least partly in the channel such that displacement with respect to the helically wound elongate and interlocked element is limited by the first and the second interlocking edges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: National Oilwell Varco Denmark I/S
    Inventor: Kristian Glejbol
  • Publication number: 20140196810
    Abstract: The invention relates to an armouring element for an unbonded flexible pipe. The armouring element has a longitudinal axis and an elongated outer shape along said axis. The armouring element further has a longitudinal recess configured for fully or partly taking up a sensor element. The recess has a recess surface area and at least a surface area fixing part of the recess surface area has a surface finish comprising a surface roughness Ra. The invention further relates to an armouring element assembly and an unbonded flexible pipe comprising the armouring element, and a method of producing an armouring element assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Kristian Glejbol, Nicky Weppenaar
  • Publication number: 20140158247
    Abstract: The invention relates to an unbonded flexible pipe for offshore applications comprising an internal sealing sheath and at least one armoring layer comprising at least one helically wound fibre containing elongate armoring element, wherein the fibre containing elongate armoring element comprises polymer material, and at least about 5% by weight of polypropylene fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventor: Mikael Kristiansen
  • Publication number: 20140124078
    Abstract: The invention relates to an unbonded flexible pipe comprising an internal sealing sheath and at least one armoring layer comprising at least one helically wound fibre containing elongate armoring element, wherein the fibre containing elongate armoring element comprises polymer material, and at least about 10% by weight of basalt fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Kristian Glejbol, Kristian Kassow
  • Publication number: 20140124079
    Abstract: The invention relates to an unbonded flexible pipe comprising a first pipe end, and a second pipe end. The pipe comprises a plurality of whole length layers extending from the first pipe end to the second pipe end and comprising at least a tubular inner sealing sheath, at least one armour layer, an outer protective layer and at least one thermally insulating layer arranged between the internal sealing sheath and the outer protective layer in an insulated length section. The at least one thermally insulating layer is terminated at a distal termination point in a distance from at least one of the first and the second pipe end of the unbonded flexible pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Svend Vogt Andersen, Charlotte Larsen
  • Publication number: 20140116565
    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: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventor: Søren Gundstrup
  • Publication number: 20140076450
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flexible unbonded pipe for sub sea fluid transfer. The pipe comprises an inner sealing sheath defining a bore and a centre axis. Inside the inner sealing sheath the pipe comprises a carcass. The pipe further comprises a pair of reinforcement layers consisting essentially of helically wound elongate armoring elements of fiber reinforced polymer material. The elongate armoring elements of the innermost of the pair of reinforcement layers are wound in a first winding direction with an angle ? to the centre axis, and the elongate armoring elements of the outermost of the pair of reinforcement layers are wound in a second winding direction with an angle ? to the centre axis, wherein ???f?/2, ? is about 65° or less. The pipe preferably comprises an anti-creep layer placed between the inner sealing sheath and the innermost of the pair of reinforcement layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventor: Kristian Glejbol
  • Publication number: 20140079512
    Abstract: The invention relates to an offshore system for transferring fluid at least partly below sea surface. The offshore system comprises a flexible transporting unit and a first movable structure fix-point with a nominal position and a second structure fix-point arranged at a distance to seabed and at a lower position relative to the sea surface than the first structure fix-point. The flexible transporting unit is fixed to respectively the first structure fix-point and the second structure fix-point to provide a catenary liftable length section of the flexible transporting unit extending between the first structure fix-point and the second structure fix-point, wherein the catenary liftable length section has a touch down point at seabed at nominal position and where the distance to the second structure fix-point can be increased sufficiently to lift the catenary liftable length section from the seabed to form a catenary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventor: Claus Dencker Christensen
  • Publication number: 20140014218
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flexible armored pipe for transportation of fluids, comprising an inner sealing sheath and at least one displacement reduced armor layer comprising a plurality of elongate elements comprising at least a female type elongate element comprising at least one recess in each opposite side and a male type elongate element comprising at least one protruding tongue in each opposite side and wherein each of the female type and the male type elongate elements are substantially symmetrical in a symmetry line substantially normal to the inner sealing sheath when the pipe is in a non-bended state and where said protruding tongues of said male type elongate element windings are engaged in said recesses of adjacent female type elongate element windings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Jonas Gudme, Kristian Glejbol, Christian Ditlev Cappeln
  • Publication number: 20140000748
    Abstract: An unbonded flexible pipe for transportation of fluids and comprising a tubular inner sealing sheath defining a bore. At least one armor layer surrounds the inner sealing sheath and a carcass is arranged in the bore to support the inner sealing sheath. The carcass comprises at least one profiled elongate element, which is helically wound to form directly and/or indirectly engaging elongate element windings along the length of the pipe. The carcass provides a quasi fluid permeable inner wall of the bore with discontinuities between successive turns of the wound elongate element(s). The discontinuities have an average width in the axial direction of the pipe which is about 3 mm or less when the pipe is in an unloaded and unbent condition, and the pipe can bend with a minimum bending radius of about 10 m or less in an unloaded condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Jonas Gudme, Karsten Gorm Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20130340877
    Abstract: The invention relates to an unbonded flexible pipe for sub sea transportation of fluids. The pipe has a length and comprises a tubular inner sealing sheath defining a bore and an axis of the pipe. In a pipe length section it comprises a second sealing sheath surrounding the inner sealing sheath and forming an annulus between the inner sealing sheath and the second sealing sheath. The annulus provides a primary maintaining passage along the length of the pipe length section with a first and a second end. The pipe comprises at least one secondary maintaining passage along the length of the pipe with a first and a second end. The secondary maintaining passage is arranged with an axial distance which is larger than the axial distance of the inner sealing sheath.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Kristian Kassow, Kristian Glejbol
  • Patent number: 8593636
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pipe system comprising a) a pipe, b) a fluid sensing station and c) a remote light detector system. The pipe comprises a flow channel and an annular fluid cavity surrounding the flow channel. The fluid sensing station comprises a sensing fluid cavity which is in fluid communication with the annular fluid cavity, and the sensing fluid cavity comprises a light emitter and a light receiver placed at a distance from each other. The light emitter and the light receiver are optically connected to each other and optically connected to the remote light detector system. The invention also relates to a fluid sensing system for sensing a fluid in an annulus cavity of a pipe, said fluid sensing system comprises a fluid sensing station and a remote light detector system. The fluid sensing station comprises a sensing fluid cavity comprising a light emitter and a light receiver placed at a distance from each other and optically connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco Denmark I/S
    Inventors: Mikael Kristiansen, Nicky Weppenaar
  • Patent number: 8590365
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pipe system comprising a pipe, a gas sensing station and a remote output system. The pipe comprises a pipe gas cavity, such as an annulus, extending lengthwise in part or all of the length of the pipe; the gas sensing station comprises a sensing gas cavity which is in gas communication with the pipe gas cavity: The sensing gas cavity comprises a photoacoustic spectroscope. The pipe system comprises at least one optical feeding fiber for feeding light to the photoacoustic spectroscope and a transmission path for transferring a signal from the photoacoustic spectroscope to the remote output system, the transmission path from the gas sensing station to the remote output system is an optical transmission path. The pipe may for example be a flexible pipe e.g. an umbilical or a pipe for the transportation of crude oil from a well to an off shore or on shore station, for example a ship or a platform. The gas sensing station may be integrated in the pipe, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco Denmark I/S
    Inventors: Nicky Weppenaar, Mikael Kristiansen
  • Publication number: 20130220468
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flexible pipe system comprising an unbonded flexible pipe having a centre axis and a sensor system at least partly integrated in the unbonded flexible pipe. The unbonded flexible pipe has a length and a longitudinal direction along the length and comprises an inner sealing sheath and at least a first sensor containing armoring layer. The first sensor containing armoring layer comprises a plurality of elongated armoring elements arranged around the internal sealing sheath. The sensor system comprises: a plurality of optical fiber sensor units, at least one light pump for the optical fiber sensor units, a data collecting unit, and a computing unit. The optical fiber sensor units are optically connected to the data collecting unit, and the data collecting unit is in data communication with the computing unit. At least one of the elongated armoring elements of the first sensor containing armoring layer is a sensor containing element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventors: Nicky Weppenaar, Bo Asp Møller Andersen
  • Patent number: 8505587
    Abstract: For use in the manufacture of reinforcement layers for flexible pipes which are capable of absorbing compressive or tensile forces, and which are used for the transport of oil and gas, a thermoplastic material is applied to a strength-imparting layer. The strength-imparting layers are reeled on reels, and following unreeling, are laminated by application of heat and in direct continuation applied to the pipe. The strength-imparting layer includes a polymer reinforced with at least 20% by volume of fibers. The thermoplastic is of a reversible type (it may change from being relatively soft, but non-sticky to being sticky by changes in temperature). The method allows manufacture of very strong reinforcements for flexible pipes which cannot be manufactured using solid material, e.g., steel, since high performing bending forces are required in shaping. A reinforcement element is provided which is capable of resisting instantaneous shock loads as the thermoplastic material is protective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco Denmark I/S
    Inventors: Kristian Glejbol, Jakob Wedel-Heinen
  • Publication number: 20130112308
    Abstract: The invention concerns an unbonded flexible pipe with a length and a center axis along its length. The unbonded flexible pipe comprises an internal sealing sheath surrounding the center axis, and at least two tensile armor layers comprising cross wound elements surrounding the internal sealing sheath. The two tensile armor layers comprise a first tensile armoring layer comprising a plurality of first helically wound, elongate armoring elements, and a second tensile armoring layer comprising a plurality of second helically wound, elongate armoring elements. The first helically wound, elongate armoring elements consist of a first material or a first combination of materials and the second helically wound, elongate armoring elements consist of a second material or a second combination of materials, where the first material or the first combination of materials is different from the second material or the second combination of materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventor: Kristian Glejbol
  • Publication number: 20130112307
    Abstract: The invention relates to a unbonded flexible pipe and a method for manufacturing such pipe. The unbonded flexible pipe has a length and a center axis along its length, and comprises an internal sealing sheath around its center axis, a carcass arranged inside the internal sealing sheath, and at least one armor arranged around the internal sealing sheath. The carcass comprises at least one helically wound elongate carcass reinforcement element providing a plurality of carcass reinforcement element windings along the length of the pipe wherein the carcass reinforcement element windings surround and/or are surrounded by a polymer structure, which polymer structure locks said carcass reinforcement element windings relative to each other. Accordingly the carcass reinforcement element windings need not be directly interlocked with each, but are mainly or totally locked to each other by the polymer structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventor: Kristian Glejbol