Abstract:
A method of deploying a communications cable below the surface of the body of water includes loading the cable around a reel within a housing, lowering the housing and the reel into the body of water, retrieving the connector of the cable from the housing, moving the connector and the attached cable to a position away from the housing, and connecting the connector to a subsea communications connection. An umbilical line is extended over a crane structure extending over the side of an offshore structure. The umbilical line is electronically connected to the communications cable. A remotely operated vehicle or a diver will intercept the connector and deliver the connector to the subsea communications connection.

Description:
RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not applicable. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to offshore communications systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for connecting a fiberoptic cable to a sub sea connection. Additionally, and furthermore, the present invention relates to methods for establishing a communications connection between offshore structures and sub sea connections. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There is a need for fiberoptic connections to be made sub sea by using underwater mateable connectors. These underwater connectors are available from various manufacturers. These connections are typically made by divers or by remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). 
     Offshore industries are increasing their use of fiberoptic sensors and technology. The oil and gas industry has begun to adopt fiberoptic technology in order to provide reliable and high-speed communications connections to its subsea wells and production equipment. Fiberoptic cable technology is also being deployed to provide communications links from offshore facilities to onshore bases by way of submarine fiberoptic cables that run from the offshore site to the shore and then connecting to terrestrial fiberoptic systems and networks. 
     Various governmental and scientific organizations are also beginning to use fiberoptic cables and subsea connectors to access a wide variety of cables, sensors and subsea systems. As with the oil and gas industries, these connections are being made in ever increasingly deep water. This makes the deployment of the fiberoptic cables more complex and more expensive. In particular, it is a major challenge to get the fiberoptic cable from the surface, through the water column and to the sea floor in a reliable and cost effective manner. This challenge increases with the depth of the water in which communications equipment is to be placed. 
     One method of quickly connecting fiberoptic systems to the cables and equipment on the sea floor involves the use of a dedicated cable system. This is commonly known as a “riser.” These risers are designed to be permanently installed on the structure so as to access the fiberoptic system below the surface. These risers are generally long lead time items. These risers must be permanently installed at a considerable expense. In the event of failure, the riser system may be offline for extended periods of time while replacement risers are being produced and installed. There is a need in the industry to provide the offshore industries with a simple cost-effective method of delivering a fiberoptic cable to the sea floor with a reusable and easily deployed device that can be quickly replaced or repaired. 
     Various patents have issued relating to such systems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,085, issued on Feb. 6, 2002 to Bath et al., describes a cable deployment system and method of laying a cable on the sea floor. The cable deployment system includes a cable having a first cable section connected to the riser cable section. The riser cable section includes an arm that is connected to a drum capable of containing the required length of the first cable section. A stinger is attached to the drum and shaped to allow the first cable section to exit the drum. The cable deployment system also includes a tension device attached to the drum. The tension device is capable of maintaining a tension in the first cable section during the deployment of the first cable section from the drum. The method of deploying the cable in deep water from the surface includes the steps of containing the first cable section within the drum and lowering the drum from the surface vessel. An end of the first cable section is secured to the sea floor and the first cable section is deployed from the drum onto the sea floor. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,026, issued on Feb. 19, 1998 to J. M. Valette, teaches a device for pulling the end of a fiberoptic cable. This device includes a hollow anchoring body having an axial passage formed in the front end thereof suitable for receiving an end of the cable. The anchoring body has an integral hollow cylindrical skirt coaxially extending rearwardly therefrom. The skirt receives an axially positioned insulating ring and a clamping assembly that is located radially inwardly of the ring. A removable hollow cover axially abuts the anchoring body and covers the cylindrical skirt. A terminal plate is located at an end of the hollow casing opposite the cylindrical skirt so as to connect stripped fibers thereto. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,530, issued on May 26, 1998 to D. L. Garren, teaches a cable laying apparatus for an underwater cable burial machine. This apparatus utilizes a pivotally liftable depressor wheel located within a feed shoe which tracks the groove by the plow. A pair of arcuate cable guides assist the guidance of both cables and bodies without permitting either to bind. When the assembly to which the depressor wheel is attached is raised upward and rearward, the guides prevent the cable from escaping while allowing a body to pass through the opening which is formed. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,102, issued on May 5, 1998 to T. D. Barron, describes an apparatus for connecting an underwater vehicle and a free floating communications pod. This apparatus includes a communication cable depending from the pod and extending to a buoy of greater buoyancy than the pod. The cable carries communication signals between the pod and the buoy and extends generally vertically in a column of water between the pod and the buoy. The buoy is in communication with a distal station. The apparatus further includes a mobile unmanned underwater vehicle having therein guidance means for directing the vehicle to the cable. The vehicle is in communication with a control vessel. A connector means is mounted in a nose section of the vehicle and is adapted to intercept the cable. The connector means further is adapted to permit the cable to slide therethrough as the vehicle continues movement after intercepting the cable. A complementary alignment means on the vehicle and the pod is adapted to cause the vehicle to engage the pod in a pre-selected orientation and azimuth. When the communications component of the underwater vehicle and the pod are in alignment, the control vessel will be in communication with the distal station. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and cost effective method of delivering a fiberoptic cable to the sea floor with a reusable and easily deployed device that can be quickly repaired and replaced. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of deploying a fiberoptic cable for which the communications connections can be established in a very fast manner. 
     It is further object of the present invention to provide a fiberoptic cable management system and method whereby the cable can be easily connected and disconnected from a subsea communications connection. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a method of deploying a communications cable below the surface of a body of water comprising the steps of: (1) loading the cable around a reel within a housing so as to have a connector positioned at an end of the cable; (2) lowering the housing and the reel into the body of water for a desired distance; (3) retrieving the connector of the cable from the housing; (4) moving the connector and the attached cable to a position away from the housing; and (5) connecting the connector to a subsea communications connections. 
     In the present invention, the housing and the reel are positioned off of the side of a structure positioned above the surface of the body of water. The cable is connected to a communications device on the structure. An umbilical line is extended over a crane structure on a side of the structure. This umbilical line is electronically connected to the communications cable. The umbilical line is secured through a winch positioned on the structure. The winch is rotatable so as to lower the housing and the reel into the body of water. 
     In the present invention, the structure that is located above the body of water can be either an offshore oil rig or a vessel. The reel is actuated so as to unwind the cable from the reel such that the connection moves away from the housing. 
     In the present invention, the step of retrieving includes deploying a remotely operated vehicle below the surface of the body of water and intercepting the connector by the remotely operated vehicle. The remotely operated vehicle is controlled so as to deliver the connector to the subsea communications connection. Alternatively, the present invention can utilize a diver in place of the remotely operated vehicle if the subsea connection is not too deep below the surface of the water. 
     Also, the present invention includes the step of releasing the connector from the subsea communications connection, reeling the communications cable and connector back into the housing, and then lifting the housing and reel outwardly and above the surface of the body of water. 
     In the present invention, the communications cable is a fiberoptic cable. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an illustration of the initial steps associated with the method of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an illustration showing the intermediate steps associated with the method of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is and illustration of finishing steps associated with the method of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown the fiberoptic cable management system  10  in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The combination of the components of the system  10 , along with the method of operation, provides a unique capability for the deployment and connection of fiberoptic cables in the ocean environment. The system  10  includes a launch and recovery system  12 , a composite umbilical line  14 , a subsea unit  16 , a fiberoptic cable  18 , and underwater mateable fiberoptic connector  20 . Each of these systems are arranged so as to allow proper connection to a subsea communications connection  22  through the use of a remotely operated vehicle (or diver)  24 . 
     With reference to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the launch and recovery system  12  is mounted on the platform  26  of an offshore oil rig  28 . The oil rig  28  is positioned above the surface  30  of the body of water  32 . In the position shown in FIG. 1, the launch and recovery system  12 , the composite umbilical line  14 , and the subsea unit  16  are all positioned above the surface  30  of the body of water  32 . The arrangement shown in FIG. 1 is prior to the deployment of the fiberoptic cable  18  and the underwater mateable fiberoptic connector  20 . 
     The launch and recovery system  12  includes a winch  34  rotatably mounted upon the platform  26  of the offshore oil rig  28 . An A-frame crane support  36  is pivotally mounted relative to the winch  34  so as to have sheave  38  extending outwardly beyond the side edge  40  of the platform  26 . As a result, the composite umbilical cable  14  will extend beyond the side  40  of the offshore oil rig  28  and is in a proper position for deployment. The winch  34  is suitably rotatable by controls located on the platform  26  so as to allow the winding and unwinding of the umbilical line  14  around the winch  34 . When it is desired to deploy the subsea unit  16 , the drum of the winch  34  will rotate in one direction so that the umbilical line  14  is unwound therefrom such that the subsea unit  16  will lower downwardly into the body of water  30  below the surface  30 . The offshore oil rig  28  contains communications equipment thereon. In the illustration of FIG. 1, it is desired to connect the communications equipment with the subsea communications connector  22 . Ideally, the umbilical line  14  will include fiberoptic elements that will suitably connect to the communications system on the platform  26  of the offshore oil rig  28 . 
     The umbilical line  14  provides the fiberoptic cable link to the on-board communications system of the offshore oil rig  28  and is also used to lower and retrieve the subsea unit  16 . The composite umbilical line  14  also can include control cables thereon so as to operate the various controls within the subsea unit  16 . 
     The subsea unit  16  includes a housing  42  in which a reel  44  is positioned. Reel  44  is part of an underwater winch and cable management system. The housing  42  can also include power systems, sensors and other controls required to operate the subsea units  16 . The subsea unit  16  is connected to the umbilical line  14 , as shown in FIG. 1, above the surface  30  and the body of water  32 . The subsea unit  16  is used to deploy and manage the fiberoptic cable which links the subsea connection  22  to the underwater mateable fiberoptic connector  20 . The fiberoptic cable is stored around the reel  44  of the winch within the housing  42  as the subsea unit  16  is lowered to the desired water depth. The fiberoptic cable around the reel  44  can then be deployed as the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) or diver pulls the cable  18  toward its destination. When it is desired to disconnect the connector  20  from the subsea connection  22 , the reel  44  can be suitably actuated so as to retract the cable back into the housing  16  while the umbilical line  14 , and its associated winch  34 , pulls the housing  42  upwardly out of the body of water  32 . 
     In FIG. 1, it can be seen that there is a vessel  46  floating on the surface  30  of the body of water  32 . Vessel  46  includes a control cable  48  extending therefrom to the remotely operated vehicle  24 . The remotely operated vehicle  24  includes an arm  50  extending therefrom and which is actuatable by an operator on the vessel  46  through the signals provided by the control cable  48 . 
     The subsea communications connection  22  is suitably connected to a buried cable  52  resting below the bottom  54  of the body of water  32 . The subsea communications connection  22  includes suitable quick-connect elements  56  thereon which will easily allow the connector  20  to be joined thereto. 
     In FIG. 2, it can be seen that the arm  50  of the ROV  24  has grasped the underwater mateable fiberoptic connector  20  attached to the end of the fiberoptic cable  18 . Control signals are passed through the control cable  48  from an operator on the vessel  46 . In FIG. 2, it can be seen that the ROV  24  is pulling the cable  18  toward the subsea communications connection  22 . 
     The fiberoptic cable  28  is electronically connected to the fiberoptic lines associated with the umbilical line  14 . The fiberoptic cable  18  is wound around the reel  44  until it is deployed into the body of water  32 . Once the subsea unit  16  has reached its desired location below the surface  30  of the body of water  32 , the cable  18  is deployed, and unreeled, by the reel  44  as the ROV  24  requires slack in order to route the cable  18  toward the subsea connection  22 . The length of the fiberoptic cable  18  will depend upon specific application. Normally, the cable  18  will have a length of between several hundred feet to many miles. 
     In FIG. 3, it can be seen that the remotely operated vehicle  24  has moved the connector  20  at the end of the fiberoptic cable  18  to the subsea communications connection  22 . The arm  50  of the ROV  24  can suitably manipulate the connector  20  so as to engage the quick-connect (or quick-disconnect) of communications connection  22 . Once the connector  20  is joined to the subsea communications connection  22 , the fiberoptic cable  18  can transmit signals back to the subsea unit  16  and back to the offshore oil rig  28  by way of umbilical line  14 . The arm  50  of the ROV  24  can then be released from the connector  20  and returned to the surface. The relationship between the connector  20  of the fiberoptic cable  18  and the subsea communications connection  22  allows for a secure and proper connection for the purposes of offshore communications. The system  10  of the present invention can provide the offshore industry with a simple and cost-effective method of delivering the fiberoptic cable  18  to the sea floor  54  with a reusable and easily deployable device that can be repaired or easily replaced. When communications are no longer necessary, to its home, the ROV  24  can be returned to the sea floor  24  so as to grasp the connector  20  and separate the connector from the subsea communications connection  22 . The reel  44  within the housing  42  of the subsea unit  16  can then reel the fiberoptic cable  18  thereinto. Once the fiberoptic cable  18  has been returned to the interior of the housing  42 , the umbilical line  14  can be suitably retracted through the reverse turning of the winch  34 . The subsea unit  16 , and its associated fiberoptic cable  18 , can then be stored upon the platform  26 , or other locations on the offshore oil rig  28 . 
     It should be noted that the present invention is equally applicable to other offshore structures and/or vessels, other than the oil rig  28  illustrated in the figures of the present application. 
     The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof. Various changes in the details of the illustrated construction can be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the true spirit of the invention. The present invention should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents.