Patent ID: 7544013
Filing Date: 2009-06-09
Classification: B63B,F16L

Abstract:
1. An installation for manufacturing a wound rigid tubular pipe, the wound rigid tubular pipe being intended to be installed subsea by a laying ship, the installation comprising: the laying ship; an assembly unit operable for assembling a plurality of rigid tubes end to end to obtain tube lengths, the assembly unit being further operable for assembling the tube lengths to form a rigid tubular pipe; a first float separate from the laying ship, the first float being positioned between the assembly unit and the laying ship; an intermediate winding and deforming apparatus arranged on the first float, the intermediate winding and deforming apparatus being operable to plastically deform the rigid tubular pipe and to wind the rigid tubular pipe onto the intermediate winding and deforming apparatus after the rigid tubular pipe has been formed; a connector connecting together the first float and the assembly unit such that the first float is aligned with the assembly unit, the connector including an articulated mount mounted on the first float and on the assembly unit, the articulated mount being operable to allow relative movement of the first float and the assembly unit at least in a vertical direction; and a storage reel positioned on the laying ship, the rigid tubular pipe being wound onto the storage reel after being plastically deformed by the intermediate winding and deforming apparatus.