Abstract: An underwater connection installation (26) and a laying method for connecting a riser and a flexible pipe (22) that are intended for carrying hydrocarbons. A post (28) is attached to a float (20) to suspend the riser (12) below the surface. The post (28) supports a gooseneck shape pipe (54) that has a bent-over outlet free end (58) ending in a first coupling (60). A coupling end piece (32) mounted on the flexible pipe (22) includes a second coupling (86). The coupling end piece (32) and the post (28) define mechanical guides including complementary frustoconical rings (64, 84). The driving of the coupling end piece (32) and of the bent-over free end (58) toward each other causes the frustoconical rings (64, 84) to engage one another to bring about coaxial alignment of the couplings (60, 86).

Abstract: The invention relates to the production of a connector intended for a pipe, including an end piece which is mounted to the end of a pipe. The connector includes a sleeve covering said pipe end in order to crimp same onto the mounting end. According to the invention, the sleeve includes an annular chamber, while the armoring wires have free ends which are folded back against the outer polymer sheath, said sealed annular chamber surrounding the aforementioned pipe end. The annular chamber is then dilated with the injection of a fluid in order to maintain the free ends engaged between the outer polymer sheath and the sleeve.

Abstract: A termination assembly for a steel tube umbilical, wherein a plurality of the elongated umbilical elements which compose the umbilical are steel tubes, said termination assembly comprising a cavity through which said tubes pass, said cavity being filled with a filler material, at least one of said tubes having at least one region of increased localized diameter at a location within said cavity to define at least one load bearing face on the tube to anchor said at least one tube within said cavity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method that keeps a barge and grillage system on the barge in compression with a topsides supported by the grillage system during the transport, while providing a quick release system between the barge, grillage system, and topsides during an installation procedure that transfers the topsides to an offshore platform. The quick release system can be in tension to apply a compressive force between the grillage system and the topsides until the quick release system is released.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for thermally cracking a hydrocarbon feed in an installation comprising a radiant section and a convection section, wherein a hydrocarbon feed stock is fed to a feed preheater present in the convection section, the heat pick-up of the feed preheater is controlled by regulating the heat exchange capacity of an economiser, said economiser being located in the convection section between the feed preheater and the radiant section, and wherein the feed heated in the preheater is thereafter cracked in the radiant section. The invention further relates to an installation for the cracking of a hydrocarbon feed.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an independent support of outlet system in a steam reformer furnace. The thermal expansion of the firebox and/or header box that occurs during operation of a reformer is decoupled from the manifold. The manifold is supported independently on a separate saddle support that supports and allows the manifold to move, while the manifold is still substantially enclosed in the header box. The header box is allowed to expand thermally into different configurations without forcing a substantial change in the manifold configuration. Further, the present invention allows the transfer lines coupled to the manifold through connection tees to laterally move the manifold and reduce lateral stress on the manifold. Thus, the invention provides for independent support of the manifold that allows vertical, lateral, and longitudinal thermal expansion of associated components without overstressing the manifold and causing failures.

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: Piping for use as a pyrolysis tube in a cracking furnace, wherein the tube is formed such that it has at least one section whose centerline curves in three dimensions, to induce swirl flow in the tube. The tube can be formed as a helix.

Abstract: A subsea flexible pipe, including an internal sealing sheath (18), at least one tensile pressure armor layer (14, 16) wound around the internal sealing sheath, a retaining layer (12) having at least one reinforcing strip (34), the reinforcing strip having filamentary strands (36) directed substantially longitudinally. The filamentary strands (36) having polymer fibers (38). The polymer fibers have, at room temperature, an elastic modulus in excess of 55 GPa so that the reinforcing strip is able to prevent radial expansion of the armor layer, when the armor layer experiences radial force; and the polymer fibers furthermore have an elongation at break in excess of 4% such that the reinforcing strip is able to undergo deformation without breaking.

Abstract: An apparatus for venting an annular space between a liner and a pipeline of a subsea riser used for conveying hydrocarbons, the apparatus comprising a permeate recovery device for recovering permeate passing through the liner into the annular space. The permeate recovery device includes a first vent port in a wall of the pipeline at or adjacent a lower region of the pipeline and communicating with a permeate recovery line defining a flow path between the annular space and a permeate collection vessel. A one-way valve is associated with the permeate recovery line for preventing flow from the permeate recovery line into the annular space. A gaseous permeate recovery line connected to a second vent port at an upper region of the pipeline defining a flow of gaseous permeate from the annular space.

Abstract: The present invention reduces loads and saves steel on topsides and grillage of a catamaran system by creating a lifting force from a barge to the topsides to offset a sagging bending moment of the self-weight on the topsides during transportation. The present invention can reduce the span of the supports on the topsides on the catamaran float-over barges and move the reaction forces toward inner edges of the float-over barges. The lifting force can cause a reduction of stress on the topsides' and grillage's members caused during the topside offloading and transportation. The stress reduction can result in the members withstanding the additional dynamic load caused by a catamaran system without increasing member sizes adequate for an offloading operation. The reduction results in a significant savings, given the size of a typical topsides for a Spar hull or other offshore structure.

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: 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 device for measuring the movement of a subsea pipeline. The measuring device has an accommodating mount anchored in the sea bed to accept the subsea pipeline. The subsea pipeline is liable to be made to move over a determined travel with respect to the accommodating support as the pipelines deforms. The movement has an amplitude that varies according to the deformation of the subsea pipeline. A plurality of frangible elements secured to one of either the deformable subsea pipeline and the accommodating mount. The frangible elements are intended to be broken in succession by the other of either the deformable subsea pipeline and the accommodating mount when the pipeline is caused to move.

Abstract: A method of installing an underwater riser includes anchoring an installation to the seabed; coupling a tubular pipe to the installation; equipping the installation with a submersible float; submerging the float and the pipe, while the float and the pipe are being held from a surface vessel; a cable and a return device are installed on the seabed installation so that the cable can be connected to the pipe; attaching a submerged hauling buoy to the hauling cable; then removing ballast from the float in order to compensate for the tensile forces corresponding to the weight of the float and the pipe and to some of the load applied to the cable; and finally, anchoring of the hauling buoy to the installation and gradually releasing the float.

Abstract: A method for the drainage of permeate gases from a flexible tubular pipe and a pipe embodied for carrying out the method. The pipe comprises at least one inner pressure sleeve, for the transport of hydrocarbons, which contain permeate gases which diffuse across the wall of the inner pressure sleeve. The pipe has an outer sleeve and several reinforcement layers, arranged in an annular zone between the outer sleeve and the inner pressure sleeve. The annular zone has transport ducts in which the permeate gases can circulate towards the removal. The method comprises a forced circulation of the permeate gases in the annular zone through the transport ducts towards the removal.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a system and method for locking and unlocking an extendable column to a deck. A deck-to-column connection assembly includes a pawl and shim used in a sequential de-ballasting and ballasting of the column to the deck that can easily lock and unlock the column with the deck. Generally, the locking method includes ballasting the column to insert a pawl between the column and the deck, de-ballasting the column to raise the column relative to the deck and create a vertical gap between the column and the deck, inserting a shim to fill the gap and secure the pawl in a deployed position, and further de-ballasting the column to raise the deck connected to the column. Generally, the unlocking method lowering the deck to float on water, de-ballasting the column to remove compressive stress on the shim, removing the shim, ballasting the column, and retracting the pawl.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a wind energy system with one or more floating modules having at least two vertical wind turbines mounted thereon. A multipoint mooring system couples the floating module to a seabed, the mooring system having at least two mooring points with at least two lines positioned at location s around the floating module with the wind turbines. A rotation system is coupled to the floating module and adapted to twist the floating module relative to wind direction while the multipoint mooring system is coupled between the seabed and the floating module. The rotation system can include induced gyroscopic torque from counter-rotating wind turbines and a self-adjusting induced gyroscopic torque differential from varying wind directions. Other rotation systems can include winches and translating assemblies that can be activated to tighten or loosen mooring lines in the multipoint mooring system coupled to the floating module in a catenary manner.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a deck tensioning system, supporting multiple risers, that is coupled to an offshore platform and compensated for heave and horizontal movement. Such a tensioning system provides simplified access to the production trees on the risers. The tensioning system provides tensioning for a tensioning deck to which the multiple risers are coupled, while reducing the tensioning cylinders for individual risers. The deck tensioning system further provides a simplified tension flex connector (“TFC”) with an intermediate movable member for each riser. The TFC assists in absorbing and/or adjusting for forces that may cause the tensioning deck to pitch and roll from the interactions between the multiple risers coupled to the tensioning deck as a unitary structure. If a fire or other event causes damage to the tension flex connector, the tension flex connector is designed to maintain a supporting connection with the riser without the intermediate movable member.

Abstract: The invention relates to piping for use as a pyrolysis tube in a cracking furnace. The tube is formed such that it has at least one section whose centreline curves in three dimensions, to induce swirl flow in the tube. Preferably, the tube is formed as a helix, more preferably a low-amplitude helix.