Abstract: A method of manufacturing a mechanically lined pipe (MLP) having an outer pipe and an inner liner comprising at least the steps of: (a) forming the outer pipe as a single length; (b) forming an inner liner former being wholly or substantially the same length as the outer pipe of step (a); (c) locating the inner liner former of step (b) within the outer pipe; and (d) expanding the inner liner former within the outer pipe to form the MLP.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an assembly including a supporting buoy and an anchoring assembly (28) comprising a base (100) attached to the bed (12) of the expanse of water. The assembly comprises a flexible anchoring line (30) connecting the anchoring assembly (28) to the supporting buoy (26). The anchoring line (30) comprises a lower section (84) made of chain links (92). The anchoring assembly (28) comprises a device (110) for guiding the lower section (84). The lower section (84) is movably mounted in the guide device (110) relative to the base (100), between an extended configuration and a contracted configuration, and a locking member (114) which can be released from the anchor line (30) on the anchoring assembly (28).

Abstract: This method comprises connecting a downstream point (40) of a pipe (24) to a buoy (26) and completely submerging the buoy (26). It comprises deploying in the body of water (12) an intermediate section (30) of the pipe (24) from the downstream point (40) to at least as far as an upstream point (38), anchoring the upstream point (38), and tensioning the intermediate section (30) to keep it vertical. The connecting step includes activating a traction unit (96) to raise the downstream point (40) on the buoy (26). During the connecting step, the buoy (26) is carried in the body of water (12) virtually exclusively by its own floatability.

Abstract: This installation comprises an upper structure (12), and a flexible hose (16) capable of moving through the expanse of water (11 B) between an upper connected configuration and a lower disconnected configuration. The installation comprises a lower structure (14) having a base (60) extending at a distance from the bottom (11A) of the expanse of water (11 B). The upper structure (12) is capable of moving relative to the lower structure (14) between an extraction position and an evacuation position. The base (60) defines a passage (68) for travel of the flexible hose (16) as it moves between the upper connected configuration and the lower disconnected configuration and a stop (74) for retaining a connection head (92) of the hose (14), disposed in the travel passage (68), to keep the connection head (92) at a distance from the bottom (11A) of the expanse of water (11 B) in the lower disconnected configuration.

Abstract: A method for installing a self-supporting tower at a sea bed. An anchoring mechanism (32) is installed on the bed. A float (18) and a tubular pipe (68) are submerged and then driven towards the bed (12) to attach to one of the ends (72) of the anchoring mechanism (32), while the float (18) is fastened to the other (70) of the ends keeping the pipe (68) vertical above the anchoring mechanism (32). The tubular pipe (68) and the float (18) are supplied separately. The float (18) is kept submerged at a distance away from the anchoring mechanism (32). The tubular pipe (68) is suspended from the float via the other (70) of the ends of the pipe.

Abstract: Methods of reel-laying a mechanically lined pipe (MLP) are described. These include the steps of: spooling the MLP (12) onto a reel (10) in the complete or substantial absence of internal pressure above ambient pressure in the MLP; spooling off the MLP from the reel; aligning and straightening the spooled off MLP, in the complete or substantial absence of internal pressure above ambient pressure, to provide an MLP for laying; and/or the steps of: spooling the MLP (12) onto a reel (10) resulting in the formation of wrinkles in the spooled MLP; spooling off the MLP from the reel; aligning and straightening the unspooled MLP to provide an MLP for laying having wrinkles <4 mm high, removing wrinkles, if any, while performing the hydrotest which is used to check fluid tightness of the line.

Abstract: This method comprises a separation of a feed stream (16) into a first fraction (41A) and a second fraction (41B). It comprises injecting the first cooled feed fraction (42) into a first separating flask (22) to produce a light head stream (44). The method comprises expanding a turbine feed fraction (48) resulting from the light head stream (44) in a first turbine (26) up to a first pressure and injecting the first expanded fraction (54) into a distillation column (30). The method comprises expanding the second fraction of the feed stream (41B) in a second turbine (40) up to a second pressure substantially equal to the first pressure. The second expanded fraction (91A) from the second dynamic expansion turbine (40) is used to form a cooled reflux stream (91B) injected into the column (30).

Abstract: The present invention increases the heave resistance rate of a barge system from wave motion, as the system is used to install a topsides to offshore structures. One or more heave plates can be coupled at a location below the water surface to one or more barges to change the period of motion of the barge(s) relative to the period of wave motion to better stabilize the barge(s) and resist the heave. A heave plate can be coupled between the barges, or on end(s) or side(s) of the barge(s). In at least another embodiment, each barge can have a heave plate and the heave plates can be releasably coupled to each other. Further, the heave plate can be rotated to an upward orientation during transportation of the topsides to the installation site to reduce drag, and then rotated to a submerged position during the installation of the topsides.

Abstract: A suspension device (14) for suspending an oil pipe on an underwater float (12) between a seabed and a sea surface and a method for installing such a device. The device (14) includes two hitching members (16,18) that respectively comprise a connection end (22, 22) and an attachment end (24, 24). The hitching members are respectively attached to the float (12) and to the coupling end (10) of the pipe by the fastener thereof while the connection ends (24, 24) are connected by connectors (20, 20). The connection end (22, 22) of each hitching member (16, 18) comprises two hooks (44, 46, 44, 46). The connectors include two independent links (20) for parallel adjustment so as to connect, two by two, the hooks (44, 46, 44?, 46?) of the two hitching members (16, 18).

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an installation (10) that includes a floating top structure (20) and a fully submerged bottom structure (22). The top structure is mobile between a production position and an evacuation position. The installation (10) retains the top structure (20) in its production position which includes at least one rigid rod (90) carried by the top structure (20), at least one rod abutment (92) carried by the rigid rod (90) in the vicinity of its lower end and at least one complementary abutment (94) secured to a base (60) of the bottom structure (22). Each rod abutment (92) and each complementary abutment (94) are mobile in rotation relative to one another between an engaged configuration in which urging of the rigid rod (90) towards its top position (20) retains the top structure in its production position, and a disengaged configuration releasing the top structure (20) from the bottom structure (22).

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method and system of installing subsea well trees, comprising: creating a glory hole having a depth below a seabed at a well location of a hydrocarbon reservoir; moving a floating offshore platform coupled with a foundation, the platform having a topsides and a caisson with downwardly extending walls defining an inner volume between the walls, the foundation coupled to the caisson walls, and the caisson walls having adjustable buoyancy; lowering the offshore platform with the foundation into the glory hole; drilling from the topsides into the hydrocarbon reservoir below the foundation to create a well; installing a well tree on the well, the well tree being disposed in the glory hole below the height of the seabed; coupling the well tree to a flow line; releasing the offshore platform from the foundation; and reusing the offshore platform to install other foundations at other predetermined well locations.

Abstract: An umbilical for deep water applications, which includes a plurality of power cables and other elements bundled together within a sheath. The umbilical further includes an end termination at some or all of the power cables, the termination including a resin ferrule disposed around the cable to provide a connection between the cable and an installation to which the umbilical is connected.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus to be mounted on a vessel for laying a marine pipeline having accessories on the end of the pipeline and/or at one or more intermediate locations along the pipeline, the apparatus including a launch ramp having a guide for guiding and controlling the movement of a pipeline along a pipeline firing line in the direction of the seabed, a clamp downstream of the guide for selectively clamping and supporting the launched pipeline, wherein the launch ramp is provided with an opening downstream of the guide and upstream of the clamp for passage of an accessory between a storage position and an installation location in the pipeline firing line to allow the accessory to be connected to an end of the pipeline supported by the clamp.

Abstract: An umbilical for use, for example, in deep water applications includes a plurality of power cables and may include other elements bundled together and within a sheath. An end termination at each of the power cables or at a plurality of the power cables includes a resin ferrule around the cable at the end termination and provides a connection between the cable and an installation to which the umbilical is connected.

Abstract: A method of spooling a marine pipeline (90) including a plurality of bi-metallic pipe sections (10) (66) onto a reel (60) including at least the steps of: (a) filling a first pipe section with a fluid (12); (b) spooling the first pipe section onto the reel; (c) filling a second pipe section with a fluid (78); (d) joining the first pipe section with the second pipe section wherein at least one of the first and second pipe sections maintains the fluid (12,78) therein; and (e) spooling the second pipe section onto the reel.

Abstract: A spar hull for a floating vessel can include a hard tank having a belly portion, a fixed strake coupled to the outer surface of the tank and a folding strake coupled to the belly portion of the tank, the folding strake having one or more strake panels and one or more support frames. A method for installing folding belly strakes on a spar hull may include providing a floating spar hull having a hard tank with a belly side, rotating the spar so that the belly side is in a first workable position, coupling at least one folding strake to the belly side of the spar, and coupling the strake in a folded position for transport. The method may include positioning the spar hull offshore in a transport position, upending the spar hull, unfolding the strake, fixing the strake in the unfolded position and installing the spar hull.

Abstract: A facility for producing and processing fluids, including a boat with a system for rotatable single-point mooring via a turret pivotably mounted in a shaft which extends vertically through the hull of the boat. The turret includes an upper portion having a rotary device for receiving and supporting incoming fluid-transfer pipes, and an upper bearing, smaller in diameter than the shaft, positioned between a head portion of the upper portion of the turret and a supporting structure connected to the hull of the vessel. The upper bearing of the turret is located above the rotary device for receiving and supporting the incoming fluid-transfer pipes.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a semi-submersible offshore platform with columns having an enlarged base on the bottom of each column with pontoons coupled between the columns. The enlarged column base can be at least as high as a height of the pontoon and on at least embodiment can be about 50% of the draft of the platform. The enlarged base can change a current flow shape around the base and columns for lower VIM. An outside corner of the base can be trimmed at an angle. Alternatively, the lower portions of the columns can be extended horizontally outward to form an effectively enlarged base having similar characteristics. In some embodiments, the pontoon volume can be reduced inversely proportional to the base enlargement to have comparable total buoyancy.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method and system of coupling end-to-end at least two existing mooring lines (12A, 12B) that are already deployed from the floating platform (56) to the seabed or other connecting structure to create a single shared line from the two lines. The shared lines then form a single looped line with both ends deployed to the subsea connections. The shared length provides enough payout of line to loosen one line sufficiently, while the other line becomes correspondingly tighter using the catenary length of the tight line. In part, the line can be loosened while the other is tightened because the lines are generally in the same overall direction to the seabed, such as in a same quadrant around the platform. Thus, the lines share their available lengths to provide the necessary payout for the repairs.

Abstract: A method and a facility for manufacturing rigid tubular pipes having a double casing for hydrocarbon transport. The pipes include an inner rigid tube (42, 242, 342, 442) that is inserted into an outer rigid tube (16, 216, 316, 416). The facility includes a supporting frame (12, 212, 312, 412) for an inlet end of the outer rigid tube and a movable apron (22, 222, 322, 422). The apron includes a catch (38, 238, 338, 438) for catching the rigid tube and inserting it in the outer rigid tube. The apron includes storage members (68, 268, 368, 468) for receiving stored heating cables (69, 269, 369, 469) and the driving force of the apron makes it possible to deploy a portion having the length of the stored heating cables (69, 269, 369, 469) so as to be able to apply the deployed portion, having the length of the heating cables, along the inner rigid tube (42, 242, 342, 442).