Method for installing an elongate element in a stretch of water, and associated device and installation

{
  "publication_number": "US9809943B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Method for installing an elongate element in a stretch of water, and associated device and installation",
  "abstract": "A method for installation of an elongate element in a stretch of water, the method including reversible fastening of a connecting member (34) at a first end (16) of the elongate element (10); arranging the elongate element (10) in a substantially horizontal configuration; reversibly engaging the connecting member (34) in a retaining member (36); pivoting the elongate element (10) about a substantially horizontal axis to move the elongate element (10) into a substantially vertical configuration, while the connecting member (34) remains engaged in the retaining member (36); joint lowering of the retaining member (36), the connecting member (34) and the elongate element (10) in the stretch of water (12) with the help of a lowering line (152); detaching the connecting member (34) of the first end (16) of the elongate element (10), and joint raising of the retaining member (36) and the connecting member (34).",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method for installing an elongate element in a stretch of water, comprising the following steps: reversibly fastening of a connecting member at a first end of the elongate element; arranging of the elongate element in a substantially horizontal configuration along a surface facility; reversibly engaging of the connecting member in a retaining member projecting with respect to the surface facility; pivoting the elongate element about a substantially horizontal axis to move the elongate element into a substantially vertical configuration, while the connecting member remains engaged in the retaining member, wherein the substantially horizontal axis for pivoting the elongate element is located in a vicinity of the first end of the elongate element selected for enabling the pivoting of the elongate element into the substantially vertical configuration; jointly lowering of the retaining member, the connecting member and the elongate element in the stretch of water with a lowering line carried by the surface facility; detaching of the connecting member of the first end of the elongate element, and jointly raising of the retaining member and the connecting member; and suspending the retaining member from a support frame via the lowering line, whereby the support frame for the retaining member is fixed to the surface facility and projects with respect to the stretch of water.",
    "2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reversible engagement of the connecting member in the retaining member comprises the suspension of the connecting member and the first end of the elongate element under the retaining member.",
    "3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reversible engagement of the connecting member in the retaining member comprises the releasable locking of the connecting member in the retaining member.",
    "4. The method according to claim 1, comprising engaging a first movement line on the connecting member and engaging a second movement line at a second end of the elongate element, wherein the elongate element is suspended between the first movement line and the second movement line, wherein the arrangement of the elongate element in its substantially horizontal configuration along the surface facility is performed by maneuvering the first movement line and/or the second movement line.",
    "5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reversible attachment of the connecting member comprises the insertion of a connecting head of the connecting member in an end housing located at the first end of the elongate element and the reversible locking of the connecting head on the first end of the elongate element without drilling of the elongate element upon insertion and locking.",
    "6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the connecting member includes an articulation element, the connecting head being pivotally connected to a first region of the articulation element, and the method comprising engaging a first movement line of the elongate element on a second region of the articulation element, and the reversible engagement of a third region of the articulation element on the retaining member.",
    "7. A device for introduction of an elongate element in a stretch of water, comprising: a connecting member adapted to be reversibly attached to a first end of the elongate element; an assembly for moving the elongate element into a substantially horizontal configuration along a surface facility; a retaining member intended to project with respect to the surface facility, the connecting member being reversibly movable between a starting position in which it is disengaged from the retaining member and a lowering position in which it is engaged in a reversible manner in the retaining member; a mechanism to pivot the elongate element about a substantially horizontal axis in order to move the elongate element into a substantially vertical configuration, wherein the connecting member remains engaged in the retaining member, wherein the substantially horizontal axis for pivoting the elongate element is located in a vicinity of the first end of the elongate element selected for enabling the pivoting of the elongate element into the substantially vertical configuration; and an assembly comprising the retaining member, the connecting member and the elongate element for joint lowering into the stretch of water having a lowering line carried by the surface facility, wherein the retaining member is suspended from a support frame via the lowering line by which the support frame for the retaining member is fixed to the surface facility and projects with respect to the stretch of water.",
    "8. The device according to claim 7, wherein in the lowering position, the connecting member is suspended from the retaining member.",
    "9. The device according to claim 7, wherein the connecting member includes a reversible locking assembly in the retaining member.",
    "10. The device according to claim 7, wherein the movement assembly includes a first movement line to be engaged on the connecting member and a second movement line to be engaged at a second end of the elongate element in order to suspend the elongate element between the first movement line and the second movement line, wherein the movement assembly comprises a maneuvering device for the first movement line and/or the second movement line.",
    "11. The device according to claim 7, wherein the connecting member comprises an insertion head for insertion without drilling in a housing provided at the first end of the elongate element, and a reversible locking mechanism able to operate without drilling of the insertion head in the housing.",
    "12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the connecting member includes an articulated element, the connecting head being pivotally connected to a first region of the articulation element, the articulation element having a second region intended to be engaged by a first movement line of the moving assembly, and a third region of the articulation element for engaging with the retaining member.",
    "13. The device according to claim 7, wherein the retaining member comprises an upper part intended to be carried by the lowering line and a lower engagement hook of the connecting member.",
    "14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the upper part and the lower hook are rotatable with respect to one another along at least three axes.",
    "15. The device according to claim 7, comprising a frame intended to project with respect to the surface facility.",
    "16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the retaining member is suspended under the frame.",
    "17. An installation for introduction of an elongate element in a stretch of water, comprising: a device according to claim 7, carried by the surface facility.",
    "18. The installation according to claim 17, wherein the surface facility floats on the stretch of water.",
    "19. A method for installing an elongate element in a stretch of water, comprising the following steps: reversibly fastening of a connecting member at a first end of the elongate element; engaging a first movement line on the connecting member and engaging of a second movement line at a second end of the elongate element, the elongate element being suspended between the first movement line and the second movement line; maneuvering the first movement line and/or the second movement line to arrange the elongate element in a substantially horizontal configuration along the surface facility; reversibly engaging of the connecting member in a retaining member projecting with respect to the surface facility; pivoting the elongate element into a substantially vertical configuration by lowering the second movement line and the second end of the elongate element with a crane under the stretch of water and under the first end of the elongate element, the second movement line remaining stretched and taking up a part of the weight of the elongate element, the retaining member remaining substantially vertically stationary during the lowering; jointly lowering of the retaining member, the connecting member and the elongate element in the stretch of water with a lowering line carried by the surface facility; detaching of the connecting member of the first end of the elongate element, and jointly raising of the retaining member and the connecting member; suspending the retaining member from a support frame via the lowering line, whereby the support frame for the retaining member is fixed to the surface facility and projects with respect to the stretch of water."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a method for positioning an elongate element in a stretch of water.\n\nThe stretch of water is, for example, a sea, an ocean, or lake.\n\nSuch a method is intended in particular to install the elongate element in a large stretch of water, such as anchor piles for a fluid-operated device in a stretch of water, or other components of such an installation.\n\nThe anchor piles are inserted at the bottom of the stretch of water. They are intended, for example, to retain offshore structures, such as semi-submersible platforms, of the floating-type column type (“SPAR”), or the cable-tensioned type (“Tension Leg Platform” or “TLP”) or floating installations of the FPSO type. Alternatively, the offshore structure is a fixed platform such as a “jack up platform” or any anchor element on the seabed.\n\nTo ensure retention of an offshore structure, each elongate element has a substantial length in a horizontal position and therefore a significant height when it is in a vertical position. The horizontal length is, for example, longer than 10 m and in particular in the order of 50 m to 150 m.\n\nThe elongate element has, for example, a diameter greater than 1 m, and especially greater than 5 m.\n\nWhen the elongate element is made of base metal, it therefore has a significant weight of several hundred tonnes.\n\nTherefore, the elongate element cannot simply be manoeuvred using a crane, since the crane would have to have too great a height and lifting capacity to be mounted on a surface laying facility, such as a laying vessel.",
  "cpc": [
    "E02B 17/02",
    "B63B 27/10",
    "B63B 35/003",
    "B63B 35/44",
    "E02B 2017/0039",
    "E02B 2017/0047",
    "E02B 2017/0056",
    "E02B 2017/0095",
    "E02D 27/42"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B63B 35/44",
    "E02B 17/02",
    "B63B 27/10",
    "B63B 35/00",
    "E02D 27/42"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Technip France SAS"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Didier Bonnemaison"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2014-02-19",
  "publication_date": "2017-11-07",
  "grant_date": "2017-11-07",
  "priority_date": "2013-02-27",
  "application_number": "US-201414770587-A",
  "family_id": "48613825",
  "cited_by_count": 3,
  "citations": [
    "US5433273A",
    "US20030123936A1",
    "US20110262229A1",
    "WO2010138622A2",
    "US20110258829A1",
    "WO2012120381A2"
  ]
}