Patents Assigned to Technip France
  • Patent number: 8733446
    Abstract: The invention relates to a riser pipe installation that comprises a flexible duct of the non-bound type, the duct being vertically arranged between a mechanical connection with a submerged buoy at the stub on the one hand, and a mechanical connection with the seabed at the bottom on the other hand, wherein fluid connections are provided at the stub and at the bottom for connecting the riser pipe with surface equipment on the one hand and bottom equipment on the other hand; the bottom of the pipe is located at a depth of at least 1000 m where it is submitted to a computable maximum reverse bottom effect F, while the buoy is oversized in order to generate at the bottom of the riser pipe a reaction tension T higher than at least 50% or even 100% of the computable maximum reverse bottom effect F applied at the bottom of the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventors: Philippe Espinasse, Alain Coutarel, Isabel Teresa Waclawek
  • Patent number: 8708605
    Abstract: A structure for transport and offshore installation of at least one wind turbine or underwater generator includes a U-shaped floating hull having lateral arms. Each lateral arm has at least one leg vertically movable by the hull in flotation, and at least one assembly for supporting a wind turbine or underwater generator. The assembly includes two shuttles opposite each other and each combined with a leg and each having higher and lower pairs of arms which are pivotably movable between a retracted position and an active position tilted against a mast of the wind turbine or underwater generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Cholley, Eric Luquiau
  • Patent number: 8708604
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventors: Michael Y. H. Luo, David N. Edelson, Steven Barras, Kostas F. Lambrakos, Anil K. Sablok
  • Patent number: 8678733
    Abstract: The structure (10) for transporting and installing or retrieving underwater equipment comprises a floating hull (11) equipped with legs (20) that can be moved vertically relative to the floating hull (11), a platform (60) carried by shuttles (30) each associated with a leg (20) and able to be moved vertically relative to the hull (11) by said legs (20), means of temporarily anchoring the equipment to the underside of the platform (60) and means (65, 66) of moving said equipment in the water between a first position pressed against the anchoring means and a second position away from said means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventors: Pierre-Armand Thomas, Jean-Marc Cholley
  • Patent number: 8657531
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an installation method to deploy the flexible pipe below the water, utilizing supporting equipment between a flexible pipe and intended connections. In addition, the method of connection and pull down can maintain control of the flexible pipe subsea throughout the method with limited or no surface intervention. This installation method provides a redundancy as the connector approaches in a subsea connection in at least one embodiment. The method utilizes combinations of buoyancy elements, hand-off sequences, and pull down equipment, such as subsea winches and wire rope, to accomplish such connections with limited or no surface intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventor: Carlos M. Rios
  • Patent number: 8651038
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an improved design for a multi-sectional truss spar hull platform having a truss and a spar hull. One or more sections can be transported to a designated location and off-loaded into water from an available transport vessel. The truss includes a skirt tank at the upper end of truss that can be coupled to the lower end of the hull. The skirt tank can provide buoyancy during float-off and mating operations to the hull. The skirt tank is designed to allow the portion above the water to be coupled to the hull in a first orientation, the truss with the skirt tank rotated with the hull in the water to a second orientation to expose the previously underwater portion, and then the previously underwater portion can be coupled together above the water. The integral skirt tank will be flooded after the spar hull is up-ended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventors: Michael Y. H. Luo, Zhengquan Zhou, Joseph M. Gebara
  • Patent number: 8640739
    Abstract: An undersea flexible pipe for conveying hydrocarbons, the pipe including from the inside to the outside an inner sealing sheath, at least one ply of traction armors wound about the inner sealing sheath, a deformable holding layer including at least one flexible ribbon or holding band wound about the traction armor ply, and at least one tubular structure surrounding the holding layer, wherein the ribbon includes fiber strands oriented substantially in the longitudinal direction of the ribbon. The ribbon is covered by a reinforcing layer of a polymer material for the deformation resistance of the holding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventors: Anh Tuan Do, Patrice Joël Louis Jung, Alain Coutarel
  • Patent number: 8627713
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for evaluating the fatigue life of a polymer composition, including the following steps: i) providing a polymer composition; ii) manufacturing a plurality of axisymmetric test tubes cut from said composition; iii) subjecting said test tubes to a uniaxial traction fatigue test including a plurality of loading and unloading cycles for the test tube, the geometry of the test tube making it possible to subject the material to triaxial stresses, in the area of the test tube cut, simulating the stress conditions for the pressure sheath of a flexible pipe, particularly for off-shore use; and iv) predetermining the number of cycles until the rupture of said polymer composition. The invention is related to the use of said polymer composition selected through the predetermining method for manufacturing pipes or conduits to convey a pressurized and/or corrosive fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignees: Arkema France, Technip France
    Inventors: Gilles Hochstetter, Lionel Hugon, Frédéric Demanze, Stéphanie Pignoc-Chicheportiche
  • Patent number: 8596919
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a disk for reducing scour around a pile, such as a monopole, installed in the seabed. The disk has a pile opening through which the pile protrudes. The disk includes a peripheral skirt for embedding into the seabed below the portion of the disk installed above the seabed. The disk can include partitions for segmenting chambers of the disk. The disk can include mesh on the top, bottom, or both surfaces with one or more fill bags installed in the chambers. The disk can include chambers that can be filled with fluidized fill material, such as grout or concrete. The fill material can be inserted into the fill bags through conduits with valves that can be remotely operated with an ROV. The fill material can also be injected below the disk using the conduits for support on the seabed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventor: Peter Graham Harris
  • Patent number: 8596912
    Abstract: A device includes a hollow rigid member (40) and a curvature limiter (42) movable relative to the hollow rigid member (40). A releasable device (46) for axial immobilization of the curvature limiter (42) on the flexible line (18) in at least one first direction along a travel axis (X-X?). The axial immobilization device (46) includes a locking member (90) axially secured to the flexible line (18), and a member (92) for fitting the locking member (90), axially secured to the curvature limiter (42). Those members (90, 92) are movable relative to each other around the travel axis (X-X?) between a configuration for axial immobilization of the flexible line (18) on the curvature limiter (42), and a configuration for axial travel of the flexible line (18) across the curvature limiter (42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventors: Sylvain Routeau, Tegwen De Kerdanet
  • Patent number: 8590472
    Abstract: This installation comprises a transport conduit which is at least partially submerged in a body of water, a device for conveying fluid between the vessel and the conduit, and a floating platform for securing the vessel. The platform comprises a carrier structure which is partially submerged in the body of water. The carrier structure comprises an open-work trellis which delimits internal spaces which are for circulation of water and which open in the body of water. The floating platform further comprises flexible lines for anchoring the carrier structure to the bottom of the body of water. The ratio of the volume of the internal spaces to the total of the volume of the open-work trellis and the volume of the internal spaces is greater than 0.9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventors: Jean-Pascal Biaggi, Virginie Lehning
  • Patent number: 8585097
    Abstract: A pipe stalk for a pipe-in-pipe pipeline, the pipe stalk including an outer pipe and at least one inner pipe located within the outer pipe, and having a retaining assembly moveable between a first configuration for preventing axial movement of the inner pipe with respect to the outer pipe in a downwards direction and a second configuration for allowing axial movement of the outer pipe with respect to the inner pipe, whereby axial movement of the inner pipe with respect to the outer pipe can be prevented when the outer pipe is held during welding to an adjacent pipe stalk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Technip France SA
    Inventors: Arunkumar Pillai, Barry Presley, Alexandra Sperber, Patrick Renaud, Jean-Louis Hoss
  • Patent number: 8573888
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for mounting a buoyancy module onto a rigid pipe having a clamp. In one embodiment the clamp includes pads for clamping onto the outer surface or coating of the rigid pip, the pads having a teeth or serrations formed thereon for gripping the outer surface of the pipe. In a second embodiment, the clamp includes one or more coil springs formed from a resilient material adapted to be wound around the outer circumference of the pipe. The method for mounting a buoyancy module onto a rigid pipe includes the steps of reducing the outer diameter of the pipe at a location of the pipe to which a buoyancy module is to be attached and subsequently mounting a buoyancy module at such location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Technip France SA
    Inventors: Sylvain Denniel, Richard Alan Leslie Ross
  • Patent number: 8567330
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of assembling and installing a very large floating barge (1) and includes manufacturing each side portion (10) and each connection portion (15) separately, placing each side portion (10) on the water, moving the connection portions (15) between the side portions (10), moving the connection portions (15) vertically, fixing the connection portions (10) to the side portions (15) and taking the barge (1) to the operation site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventors: Pierre-Armand Thomas, Jean-Marc Cholley
  • Patent number: 8561648
    Abstract: A flexible pipe and a method of producing it. The pipe has two tubular structures, internal and external, and a tubular axial blocking layer. The tubular blocking layer comprises two section wires each having a trapezoidal cross section. The trapezoidal cross section defines a base and two sloping lateral flanks. The base of one of the two section wires is oriented toward the internal tubular structure. The base of the other section wire is oriented in the opposite direction. The section wires are wound side by side forming contiguous coils. The internal tubular structure includes a wire having a wound structure to form transversely blocked coils. One of the two section wires is wound against said structure coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventors: Fabrice Bectarte, Alain Coutarel, Pascal Estrier, Patrice Joël Louis Jung, Jean Rigaud
  • Patent number: 8555982
    Abstract: A method includes the positioning of a rising column (22) in a vertical configuration and the total immersion of a buoy for retaining the rising column (22). The method includes the insertion of a male connecting member (62) borne by the buoy in a female connecting member (64) borne by the rising column (22) and the immobilization of the male connecting member (62) in a receiving passage (92) defined by the female connecting member (64). The female connecting member (64) includes at least one surface (98) for guiding the male connecting member (62) towards the receiving passage (92). The insertion step including the guiding of the male connecting member (62) towards the receiving passage (92) by contact with a guiding surface (98) of the female connecting member (64) which has a vertical section diverging away from the receiving passage (92) towards the male connecting member (62).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventor: Ange Luppi
  • Patent number: 8552245
    Abstract: This method includes the separation of an upstream partly condensed cracked gas stream in an intermediate separator (44B) in order to recover an intermediate liquid (136), and an intermediate cracked gas stream (138) and the introduction of the intermediate liquid (140) into an intermediate demethanization column (68). The method comprises the sampling of a portion of the intermediate liquid (136) and the expansion of at least one first fraction (194) obtained from the sampled portion (190). It comprises the putting of the first expanded fraction in a heat exchange relationship with the intermediate head stream (146) from the column (68) for at least partly condensing the intermediate head stream (146). The method includes the separation of the intermediate partly condensed head stream in a first reflux separator (76) in order to form a liquid stream (148) introduced into the intermediate column (68) and a combustible gas stream (150).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventors: Yvon Simon, Jean-Paul Laugier
  • Patent number: 8540459
    Abstract: A structure (20) for loading and unloading at least one fluid transport ship (1): a ship (1) mooring platform (21), comprising at least one concrete caisson (22) having an opening and closing device for moving the caisson by filling water, between a flotation position for transporting the platform, and a position anchored at the bottom of the sea. The platform comprises a submerged lower anchoring portion and an upper portion, partially outside of the water, for berthing the ship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventor: Jean-François Patinet
  • Patent number: 8539970
    Abstract: The present disclosure comprises a platform and a manifold, the latter being intended to be connected to a fluid tank. The manifold comprises a length of rigid tube defining a pipe of approximately horizontal axis and a length of connecting tube for connection to a transfer line connected to the length of rigid tube. The length of connecting tube is permanently attached to the length of rigid tube and is hinged to the length of rigid tube to allow movement relative to the length of rigid tube between: —a retracted rest position in which the length of connecting tube extends entirely inside the inner edge; and —a first or filling position, in which the free end of the length of connecting tube projects out from the outer edge of the support platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventors: Pierre-Armand Thomas, Jean-Pascal Biaggi, Jean-François Patinet
  • Patent number: 8517637
    Abstract: The invention relates to a structure for the transport, installation and dismantling of an oil rig deck, of the type comprising a floating hull provided with legs which can move vertically in relation to the buoyant hull and a shuttle associated with each of said legs and intended to be applied against the lower face of the deck, whereby said shuttle can be moved by the corresponding leg between a low position on the buoyant hull and a high rig deck lifting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventors: Pierre Armand Thomas, Jean-Marc Cholley