Patents by Inventor Nicolas Monfort-Moros
Nicolas Monfort-Moros has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11168827Abstract: A system for coating a field joint of a pipeline places at least one body having a thermoplastics material around the field joint. The body is heated in a mould cavity around the field joint to effect thermal expansion of the thermoplastics material. Thermal expansion of the body in the mould cavity is constrained to apply elevated pressure between the body and pipe sections joined at the field joint. The elevated pressure improves bonding and fusing between the body, which forms a field joint coating, and the parent coatings and the exposed pipe sections of the pipe joints. The body need not be fully molten, which reduces the mould residence time including in-mould heating and cooling phases.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2019Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignee: Subsea 7 LimitedInventors: Philippe Benoit Jacques Hoffmann, Mike Gordon, Nicolas Monfort-Moros, Sylvain Popineau
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Patent number: 10865933Abstract: A method protects a field joint of a pipeline, where chamfered edges of thermally-insulating parent coatings on conjoined pipe lengths are in mutual opposition about a longitudinally-extending gap. The method includes manufacturing an hourglass-shaped inner layer around the pipe lengths, which layer may be moulded. The inner layer extends longitudinally along the gap between the chamfered edges and at least partially overlies the chamfered edges. A thermally-insulating solid insert is assembled from two or more parts to lie in the gap surrounding the inner layer, and pressure is applied radially inwardly from the insert to the inner layer. An outer layer of molten material is manufactured around the insert to form a watertight barrier and to form one or more melted interfaces with the inner layer. Corresponding field joint arrangements are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2019Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: Subsea 7 LimitedInventors: Nicolas Monfort-Moros, Sylvain Popineau, Philippe Benoit Jacques Hoffmann
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Patent number: 10479008Abstract: An injection molding apparatus has a mold tool that is positioned around a field joint of a pipeline to define a mold cavity. Two or more pumping chambers communicate with the mold tool. Each chamber is expansible to draw in molten polymer and contractible to drive the polymer into the mold cavity. Expansion of one chamber is synchronized with contraction of another chamber. The operation of supply and injection valves associated with the chambers is also synchronized, both with each other and with expansion and contraction of the chambers. In the embodiment described, two pumping chambers are defined within a common pressurizing cylinder, in which the chambers are separated by a piston. The piston is movable within the cylinder to determine and to synchronize expansion and contraction of the chambers.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2014Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: Subsea 7 LimitedInventors: Philippe Benoit Jacques Hoffmann, Mike Gordon, Nicolas Monfort-Moros, Sylvain Popineau
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Publication number: 20190271432Abstract: A method protects a field joint of a pipeline, where chamfered edges of thermally-insulating parent coatings on conjoined pipe lengths are in mutual opposition about a longitudinally-extending gap. The method includes manufacturing an hourglass-shaped inner layer around the pipe lengths, which layer may be moulded. The inner layer extends longitudinally along the gap between the chamfered edges and at least partially overlies the chamfered edges. A thermally-insulating solid insert is assembled from two or more parts to lie in the gap surrounding the inner layer, and pressure is applied radially inwardly from the insert to the inner layer. An outer layer of molten material is manufactured around the insert to form a watertight barrier and to form one or more melted interfaces with the inner layer. Corresponding field joint arrangements are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2019Publication date: September 5, 2019Inventors: Nicolas Monfort-Moros, Sylvain Popineau, Philippe Benoit Jacques Hoffmann
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Patent number: 10357910Abstract: A thermoplastics injection molding process coats a field joint of a pipeline by positioning a mold tool around the field joint to define a mold cavity. Thermoplastics material injected into the mold cavity forms a field joint coating that will set in the mold cavity. As the thermoplastics material shrinks in the mold cavity while the field joint coating sets, compacting pressure is applied radially inwardly within the mold cavity against a radially outer side of the field joint coating. A compacting fluid introduced into the mold cavity between the mold tool and the field joint coating may be used to apply pressure against the field joint coating. This accelerates and controls cooling of the field joint coating while maximizing quality.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2014Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: Subsea 7 LimitedInventors: Philippe Benoit Jacques Hoffmann, Mike Gordon, Nicolas Monfort-Moros, Sylvain Popineau
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Publication number: 20190186674Abstract: A system for coating a field joint of a pipeline places at least one body having a thermoplastics material around the field joint. The body is heated in a mould cavity around the field joint to effect thermal expansion of the thermoplastics material. Thermal expansion of the body in the mould cavity is constrained to apply elevated pressure between the body and pipe sections joined at the field joint. The elevated pressure improves bonding and fusing between the body, which forms a field joint coating, and the parent coatings and the exposed pipe sections of the pipe joints. The body need not be fully molten, which reduces the mould residence time including in-mould heating and cooling phases.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2019Publication date: June 20, 2019Inventors: Philippe Benoit Jacques Hoffmann, Mike Gordon, Nicolas Monfort-Moros, Sylvain Popineau
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Patent number: 10295111Abstract: A method protects a field joint of a pipeline, where chamfered edges of thermally-insulating parent coatings on conjoined pipe lengths are in mutual opposition about a longitudinally-extending gap. The method includes manufacturing an hourglass-shaped inner layer around the pipe lengths, which layer may be moulded. The inner layer extends longitudinally along the gap between the chamfered edges and at least partially overlies the chamfered edges. A thermally-insulating solid insert is assembled from two or more parts to lie in the gap surrounding the inner layer, and pressure is applied radially inwardly from the insert to the inner layer. An outer layer of molten material is manufactured around the insert to form a watertight barrier and to form one or more melted interfaces with the inner layer. Corresponding field joint arrangements are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2015Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Subsea 7 LimitedInventors: Nicolas Monfort-Moros, Sylvain Popineau, Philippe Benoit Jacques Hoffmann
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Patent number: 10215324Abstract: A method of coating a field joint of a pipeline places at least one body having a thermoplastics material around the field joint. The body is heated in a mold cavity around the field joint to effect thermal expansion of the thermoplastics material. Thermal expansion of the body in the mold cavity is constrained to apply elevated pressure between the body and pipe sections joined at the field joint. The elevated pressure improves bonding and fusing between the body, which forms a field joint coating, and the parent coatings and the exposed pipe sections of the pipe joints. The body need not be fully molten, which reduces the mold residence time including in-mold heating and cooling phases.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2014Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: Subsea 7 LimitedInventors: Philippe Benoit Jacques Hoffmann, Mike Gordon, Nicolas Monfort-Moros, Sylvain Popineau
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Publication number: 20170350551Abstract: A method protects a field joint of a pipeline, where chamfered edges of thermally-insulating parent coatings on conjoined pipe lengths are in mutual opposition about a longitudinally-extending gap. The method includes manufacturing an hourglass-shaped inner layer around the pipe lengths, which layer may be moulded. The inner layer extends longitudinally along the gap between the chamfered edges and at least partially overlies the chamfered edges. A thermally-insulating solid insert is assembled from two or more parts to lie in the gap surrounding the inner layer, and pressure is applied radially inwardly from the insert to the inner layer. An outer layer of molten material is manufactured around the insert to form a watertight barrier and to form one or more melted interfaces with the inner layer. Corresponding field joint arrangements are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2015Publication date: December 7, 2017Inventors: Nicolas Monfort-Moros, Sylvain Popineau, Philippe Benoit Jacques Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20170045178Abstract: A method of coating a field joint of a pipeline places at least one body having a thermoplastics material around the field joint. The body is heated in a mould cavity around the field joint to effect thermal expansion of the thermoplastics material. Thermal expansion of the body in the mould cavity is constrained to apply elevated pressure between the body and pipe sections joined at the field joint. The elevated pressure improves bonding and fusing between the body, which forms a field joint coating, and the parent coatings and the exposed pipe sections of the pipe joints. The body need not be fully molten, which reduces the mould residence time including in-mould heating and cooling phases.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2014Publication date: February 16, 2017Inventors: Philippe Benoit Jacques Hoffmann, Mike Gordon, Nicolas Monfort-Moros, Sylvain Popineau
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Publication number: 20160297125Abstract: An injection moulding apparatus has a mould tool that is positioned around a field joint of a pipeline to define a mould cavity. Two or more pumping chambers communicate with the mould tool. Each chamber is expansible to draw in molten polymer and contractible to drive the polymer into the mould cavity. Expansion of one chamber is synchronised with contraction of another chamber. The operation of supply and injection valves associated with the chambers is also synchronised, both with each other and with expansion and contraction of the chambers. In the embodiment described, two pumping chambers are defined within a common pressurising cylinder, in which the chambers are separated by a piston. The piston is movable within the cylinder to determine and to synchronise expansion and contraction of the chambers.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2014Publication date: October 13, 2016Inventors: Philippe Benoit Jacques Hoffmann, Mike Gordon, Nicolas Monfort-Moros, Sylvain Popineau
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Publication number: 20160279847Abstract: A thermoplastics injection moulding process coats a field joint of a pipeline by positioning a mould tool around the field joint to define a mould cavity. Thermoplastics material injected into the mould cavity forms a field joint coating that will set in the mould cavity. As the thermoplastics material shrinks in the mould cavity while the field joint coating sets, compacting pressure is applied radially inwardly within the mould cavity against a radially outer side of the field joint coating. A compacting fluid introduced into the mould cavity between the mould tool and the field joint coating may be used to apply pressure against the field joint coating. This accelerates and controls cooling of the field joint coating while maximising quality.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2014Publication date: September 29, 2016Applicant: SUBSEA 7 LimitedInventors: Philippe Benoit Jacques Hoffmann, Mike Gordon, Nicolas Monfort-Moros, Sylvain Popineau
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Patent number: 6960288Abstract: The invention concerns a sensor and a method for detecting microbiologically induced corrosion in a metal structure, which consists in performing the following steps: providing a sensor comprising at least a first circular electrode (4) and a ring-shaped electrode (2) concentric with the first electrode, proximate to the structure (30) in contact with a corrosive medium; imparting for a time interval t a conditioning current between the two electrodes so as to initiate corrosion, the current being such that the central electrode is cathode and the ring-shaped electrode is anode; after the time interval t, coupling the two electrodes and measuring the current between the two electrodes; calculating the speed of corrosion from the measurement.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2001Date of Patent: November 1, 2005Assignees: Institut Francais du Petrole, CNRS, IFREMERInventors: Rémy Marchal, Nicolas Monfort-Moros, Dominique Festy, Bernard Tribollet, Isabelle Frateur
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Publication number: 20030085136Abstract: The invention concerns a sensor and a method for detecting microbiologically induced corrosion in a metal structure, which consists in performing the following steps: providing a sensor comprising at least a first circular electrode (4) and a ring-shaped electrode (2) concentric with the first electrode, proximate to the structure (30) in contact with a corrosive medium; imparting for a time interval t a conditioning current between the two electrodes so as to initiate corrosion, the current being such that the central electrode is cathode and the ring-shaped electrode is anode; after the time interval t, coupling the two electrodes and measuring the current between the two electrodes; calculating the speed of corrosion from the measurement.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2002Publication date: May 8, 2003Inventors: Remy Marchal, Nicolas Monfort-Moros, Dominique Festy, Bernard Tribollet, Isabelle Frateur