Abstract:
The apparatus includes a tower ( 10 ) provided with tensioning apparatus ( 20 ) which suspends a pipeline being laid into the sea. The tower is mounted on a pivot in order to allow it to be inclined at an angle away from vertical to match the axis of the pipeline being laid. The apparatus also includes a hang-off clamp ( 22 ) and abandonment apparatus ( 36 - 42 ) for abandoning the pipeline to the seabed after laying. The abandonment apparatus can be operated independently in order to suspend or lower articles along an abandonment axis (B) which is spaced from the inclined pipeline laying axis (C). Also, the apparatus is capable of aligning the abandonment axis and the hang off clamp with one another while supporting the article. The clamp ( 22 ) is tillable into a stowed configuration, in which it is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the vessel.

Description:
FIELD &amp; BACKGROUND DISCUSSION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to apparatus for lowering elongate articles such as pipelines from a vessel, and methods of laying elongate articles from a vessel. 
         [0002]    In a pipeline laying operation, once the required length of pipeline has been deployed from the vessel, it is necessary to abandon that length of pipeline, in a controlled fashion, from the vessel to the sea bed. This is normally performed using an abandonment cable on a suitable winch. Abandonment requires that the pipeline being laid is cut at the appropriate point (which depends upon the particular application of the pipeline being laid). This leaves a lower portion of pipeline (which is to be abandoned) below the cut, and an upper portion of pipeline (to be used in the next section of laid pipeline in a subsequent pipeline laying operation) above the cut. Clearly, once cut, the lower portion is suspended directly below the pipeline laying equipment, normally using a hang off clamp. This makes it very difficult and time consuming to connect a suitable abandonment cable to the top of the lower portion because the cable must either pass through, or somehow bypass, the pipeline laying equipment thereabove. A similar problem also occurs in J-Lay operation. 
         [0003]    Currently one way of attempting to overcome this problem is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,674 to Maloberti et al. As depicted in attached  FIG. 20 , this method of abandonment involves feeding a pipe follower through the tensioners  20  on the tower. In order to do this, the pipeline being laid must be cut and reeled back onto the main reel in the direction indicated by arrows A in  FIG. 20 . Once the rigid pipeline has been reeled back, a piece of flexible pipe P is fed from a carousel C in the direction B up over the top of the aligner wheel  32 , through the tensioners  20  and then connected to the suspended pipeline ( FIG. 21 ). The flexible pipe P is then reeled out in order to abandon the pipeline to the sea bed. Once the pipeline has been abandoned, the flexible pipe P is reeled back in and the rigid pipe is fed back onto the aligner wheel  32  from the reel ( FIG. 22 ). This process is very time-consuming (often taking in the region of 8 hours to complete). Furthermore, the order of steps used in this method results in the firing line not being able to be used until the flexible pipe P has been fully recovered. 
         [0004]    As shown in  FIG. 23 , an alternative to the procedure described above, is to run an abandonment and recovery (A&amp;R) cable  40  between the pipeline being laid and the tensioners  20 . This requires that the tensioners  20  are opened and the pipeline being laid is braced aside to make room for the cable  40 . Again, this change in configuration is time consuming and results in the firing line not being able to be used until the abandonment and recovery cable has been fully recovered. 
         [0005]    As shown in  FIG. 24 , another method of abandonment involves inserting the winch sheave W between the tensioners  20  and hang-off clamp  22 . This allows the winch cable  40  to be passed directly between the tensioners  20  and hang off clamp  22  thereby completely bypassing the tensioners  20  during abandonment and recovery. As well as the disadvantages of the previously described methods, this method has the further disadvantage that only a very limited height remains between the hang of clamp  22  and the bottom of the tensioners  20 . This severely limits the size of structures, such as PLET or ILT modules, which may be installed on the pipeline being laid. 
         [0006]    United States Patent Publication No. US2003/0147699 (Long et al) describes a system where the lower section of pipeline being laid can be moved to one side on an extension of the tower, in order to allow connection to an abandonment wire. In the Long et al vessel, the entire pipelay tower is arranged to move from side to side for other reasons. The A&amp;R arrangement described therein is not well suited to use in more conventional lay apparatus. WO 2004/05898 of the present applicant describes a vessel having a more conventional lay tower, in which the hang-off clamp is mounted on a trolley and movable transverse beam to allow bulky articles to be attached to the cut end of the suspended pipeline. These articles are to be suspended from a separate crane, however. 
         [0007]    One problem with this type of arrangement is that the weight of the suspended pipeline being laid, as well as the weight of a termination module, is suspended from a point off the centre line of the vessel. This can cause instability of the vessel in the sea. Furthermore, such asymmetrical loading requires particular engineering in the pipeline laying tower. The side-by-side arrangement also requires an especially broad opening to be made in the working deck. 
         [0008]    According to the present invention, there is provided apparatus for lowering an elongate article from a vessel, the apparatus comprising;—
       a tower mounted on the vessel and including tensioning apparatus for suspending an article being laid into the sea, the tower mounting defining a pivot axis permitting the tower to be inclined at an angle away from vertical to match an inclined axis of the article being laid;   a hang-off clamp   abandonment apparatus for abandoning said elongate articles to the seabed after laying;   wherein the abandonment apparatus is operable independently to suspend or lower articles along an abandonment axis which is spaced from said inclined axis while remaining in a vertical plane containing said inclined axis, and wherein the apparatus is capable of aligning the abandonment axis and the hang off clamp with one another while supporting the article.       
 
         [0013]    This apparatus could be used, for example, in a reel-lay or J-lay operation. 
         [0014]    The abandonment apparatus may be capable of operating substantially simultaneously with the tensioning apparatus in order to permit abandonment or recovery of the article substantially simultaneously with a pipe laying operation. 
         [0015]    The hang off clamp may be selectively moveable along the centreline of the vessel between a forward position, in which it is substantially aligned with the inclined axis, and a rearward position in which it is substantially aligned with the abandonment axis. Typically, the hang off clamp is moveable on the vessel centreline along a sliding rail. 
         [0016]    The tower of the vessel may be capable of tilting inboard in order to align the abandonment axis and the hang off clamp with one another. 
         [0017]    The tower may also comprise pipe laying apparatus including a straightener, and an aligner wheel mounted toward the top of the pipeline laying tower. 
         [0018]    The abandonment apparatus may comprise, winch means, winch cable and sheave, an abandonment trolley capable of restraining the winch cable along the height of the tower, and an underwater hook. 
         [0019]    The abandonment trolley is provided with a sheave. In the case where the abandonment axis is angled away from the tower angle, this sheave assists movement of the winch cable and allows the winch cable to be diverted, above the sheave, in line with the tower axis. 
         [0020]    The pipeline laying apparatus and the abandonment apparatus may be provided on separating apparatus which provides the spacing between the inclined laying axis and the abandonment axis. 
         [0021]    The hang off clamp may be tiltable in order to correspond with the inclined laying axis. In addition, the hang off clamp may be further tiltable into a storage position in which its longitudinal axis is substantially aligned with the centreline of the vessel. 
         [0022]    According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a method of lowering an elongate article from a vessel, the method comprising;—
       providing a tower mounted on the vessel, the tower including tensioning apparatus for suspending an article being laid into the sea;   pivoting the tower on a pivot axis at the tower mounting in order to incline the tower at an angle which is away from vertical and which matches an inclined axis of the article being laid;   providing a hang-off clamp   providing abandonment apparatus for abandoning said elongate articles to the seabed after laying;   suspending and lowering, from the abandonment apparatus, articles along an abandonment axis which is spaced from said inclined axis while remaining in a vertical plane containing said inclined axis; and   selectively aligning the abandonment axis and the hang off clamp with one another while supporting the article.       
 
         [0029]    The step of aligning the abandonment axis and the hang off clamp with one another may be performed by tilting the tower inboard until the abandonment axis is aligned with the hang off clamp. 
         [0030]    Alternatively or additionally, the step of aligning the abandonment axis and the hang off clamp with one another may be performed by moving the hang-off clamp along the vessel centreline until it is line with the abandonment axis. 
         [0031]    The step of aligning the abandonment axis and the hang off clamp may be performed using a combination of tilting the tower and moving the hang off clamp. This is particularly necessary when the tower is configured to lay at very shallow angles. 
         [0032]    The method may further comprise
       cutting the pipeline being laid at an appropriate length and abandoning the pipeline to the sea bed. The step of abandoning can further involve suspending the cut length of pipeline from the hang off clamp, moving the hang off clamp and suspended pipeline along the pipeline laying vessel centreline until it is substantially aligned with the abandonment axis, connecting the pipeline to the abandonment apparatus and lowering the pipeline toward the sea bed using the abandonment apparatus.       
 
         [0034]    After abandonment of the pipeline being laid, the method may further comprise
       retrieving the abandonment apparatus toward the vessel and, substantially simultaneously, preparing on the tower a second piece of pipeline to be laid. The step of preparing the second piece of pipeline to be laid may also include the step of lowering, toward the sea bed, a first end of the second piece of pipeline to be laid.       
 
         [0036]    The method may additionally include
       tilting the hang off clamp relative to the deck of the pipeline laying vessel in order to accommodate changes in the inclined axis. Additionally, the method may involve selectively tilting the hang off clamp into a storage position in which its longitudinal axis is substantially aligned with the laying vessel centreline.       
 
         [0038]    According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for selectively clamping pipeline being laid from a pipeline laying vessel along a pipeline laying axis, the apparatus comprising;—pipeline clamping means tiltable between an operational configuration, in which the clamping means is substantially aligned with the pipeline laying axis, and a stowed configuration, in which the clamping means is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the vessel. 
         [0039]    The clamping means may be translatable in its stowed configuration along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the vessel and may also be tiltable and translatable in a combined tilting and translating movement. 
         [0040]    Alternatively, the clamping means is tiltable and translatable in separate tilting and translating movements. 
         [0041]    Typically, the clamping means comprises a hang off clamp mounted on sliding rails on the vessel. 
         [0042]    A longitudinal recess may be provided in a portion of the deck in order to store the clamping means substantially flush with the vessel deck in the stowed configuration. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0043]    Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0044]      FIG. 1  is a schematic transverse view of the pipeline laying apparatus according to the present invention; 
           [0045]      FIG. 2  is a further view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  illustrating the different positions of the hang off clamp; 
           [0046]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of the rear portion (transom) of the vessel of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0047]      FIG. 4  is a rear end view of a vessel provided with pipe laying apparatus according to the present invention; 
           [0048]      FIGS. 5 to 7  are schematic transverse views of the apparatus of  FIGS. 1 and 2  where the tower is angled inboard at 60, 45 and 30 degrees respectively relative to the deck of the vessel; 
           [0049]      FIG. 8  is a schematic transverse view of the apparatus of  FIGS. 5 to 7  where the tower is angled outboard at an angle equal to or greater than 90 degrees relative to the deck of the vessel; 
           [0050]      FIG. 9  is a plan view of the transom and hang off clamp according to the third aspect of the present invention; 
           [0051]      FIG. 10  is a rear end view of the hang off clamp of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0052]      FIG. 11  is a schematic transverse view of the transom showing the hang off clamp in various operational configurations; 
           [0053]      FIG. 12  is a plan view of the hang off clamp at the rear of the pipe laying vessel; 
           [0054]      FIG. 13  is a rear view of the hang off clamp of  FIG. 13 ; 
           [0055]      FIG. 14  is a side view of the hang off clamp of  FIG. 13 ; 
           [0056]      FIG. 15  is a schematic transverse view of the hang off clamp in a forwardly tilted position; 
           [0057]      FIG. 16  is a schematic transverse view of the hang off clamp in a neutral position; 
           [0058]      FIG. 17  is a schematic transverse view of the hang off clamp in an intermediate position as it moves from an operational position to a stowed position; 
           [0059]      FIG. 18  is schematic transverse view of the hang off clamp in a stowed position; 
           [0060]      FIG. 19  is a transverse view of abandonment and recovery equipment mounted on the top of the pipe laying tower; 
           [0061]      FIGS. 20 to 22  are schematic diagrams illustrating a method of abandonment, not in accordance with the present invention, where a flexible pipe follower is passed through the main tensioners; 
           [0062]      FIG. 23  is a schematic diagram illustrating an alternative method of abandonment not in accordance with the present invention where the upper section of pipe is braced aside to allow abandonment using a winch cable passed through the tensioners; 
           [0063]      FIG. 24  is a schematic diagram illustrating a further alternative method of abandonment, not in accordance with the present invention, where the abandonment is performed using a swivelling sheave located below the tensioners; 
           [0064]      FIG. 25  is a schematic diagram illustrating a method according to the present invention, where the abandonment and recovery axis and pipe laying axis are offset from one another; 
           [0065]      FIGS. 26A ,  27 A,  28 A,  29 A, and  30 A show the sequence of abandoning a pipeline to the sea bed provided by the method of the present invention; and 
           [0066]      FIGS. 26B ,  27 B,  28 B,  29 B, and  30 B show a more detailed view of the vessel configuration at each step of the sequence depicted by  FIGS. 26A ,  27 A,  28 A,  29 A, and  30 A. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0067]      FIGS. 1 to 4  show pipelaying apparatus mounted in a tower  10  provided at the rear of a pipeline laying vessel V. The vessel V is installed with pipeline laying equipment including reels (not shown), tensioners  20 , hang off clamp  22  and a pair of tower adjuster legs  16 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , in the embodiment shown, the vessel V has an opening  14  in the form of a slot in the vessel deck transom. The slot has width W, length L and height H. As will be described subsequently, the laying tower has an abandonment and recovery axis aligned with point B and a pipeline laying axis aligned with point C ( FIG. 3 ) where points B and C are deliberately spaced apart from one another along the longitudinal axis (centreline) of the vessel V. 
         [0068]      FIGS. 5 to 8  show the tower in different angles of inclination, from a steep but inclined laying configuration in  FIG. 5  to a very shallow or transit position in  FIG. 7 . In  FIG. 8  the tower is shown inclined beyond vertical, in a hoisting operation by which particularly large modules can be overboarded. 
         [0069]    The hang off clamp  22  is shown in more detail on  FIGS. 9 to 18 . The hang off clamp  22  is mounted in a U-shaped recess of the opening  14  and is connected to its mountings at a pivot point P which defines a pivot axis. An actuation arm  24  extends from the mounting recess to the bottom of the hang off clamp  22  and is operable by any suitable means, for example pneumatics or hydraulics. As shown in  FIG. 18 , a storage area  26  is provided level with the recess in order to accept the hang off clamp in a stored position where it is flush with the vessel deck surface. 
         [0070]      FIGS. 4 and 19  show in more detail abandonment and recovery (A&amp;R) apparatus which operates along the displaced axis through point B as mentioned above. In order to maintain the abandonment and recovery axis and the pipeline laying axis in a longitudinally spaced apart relationship, separating apparatus  30  ( FIG. 19 ) is arranged to provide separate routes for each line. Aligner wheel  32  in conjunction with the straightener  34  causes the pipeline being reeled off the reels (not shown) to pass down toward the vessel firing line along the inclined pipeline laying axis C in a substantially known manner. Abandonment and recovery tackle  36  allows an abandonment and recovery cable  40  to pass along the axis B past an abandonment and recovery trolley  38 . A hook  42  is provided on the lower end of the cable  40  whilst the upper end passes over A&amp;R sheave  44  and returns to an A&amp;R winch  41  on deck (see  FIG. 4 ) More than one throw of winch cable and corresponding sheave/winch motor may be provided. The winch may be a drum winch or linear winch, for example. 
         [0071]    In use, and with particular reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  25 , when a section of pipe is to be abandoned, the following procedure is adopted:—
       1) Reeling of the pipeline is stopped when the required length of pipeline has been deployed;   2) The hang off clamp  22  is activated in order to clamp the pipeline;   3) The pipeline is cut into a lower and upper section between the tensioners  20  and the hang off clamp  22  at the appropriate point;   4) The hang off clamp  22  and lower section of clamped pipeline is moved longitudinally from its initial forward position, in which it is aligned with the pipeline laying axis C, to a rearward position in which it is aligned with the abandonment and recovery axis B;   5) The abandonment and recovery cable  40  is connected to the top of the lower section of pipeline;   6) The hang off clamp  22  is released;   7) The pipeline may now be abandoned to the sea bed under control by reeling out the abandonment and recovery cable  40 .       
 
         [0079]    An advantage of the above described procedure is that the step of transferring loads between the tensioners  20 , hang off clamp  22  and abandonment and recovery cable  40  can be performed very quickly. In this regard, while the pipeline is being laid along the inclined pipeline laying axis C, the abandonment and recovery system can be set up so that, when required, it can be very quickly connected to the top of the lower section of pipeline. Furthermore, an additional time saving can be made by preparing the next section of pipeline to be produced on the pipeline laying axis C whilst the previous section is being abandoned by the abandonment and recovery cable  40 . 
         [0080]    The additional advantage of being able to prepare the next section of pipeline during abandonment of the previous section will now be illustrated in more detail, with reference to  FIGS. 26 to 30 . 
         [0081]    It should be noted that the abandonment and recovery trolley sheave  38  allows the abandonment axis to be angled relative to the tower axis. In this case, the sheave  38  allows the winch cable  40  to roll thereover. The rotation and restriction provides by the sheave  38  along the length of the tower causes the winch cable  40  (if it is out of alignment with the tower axis below the sheave  38 ) to be diverted in line with the tower axis thereabove. This feature enables the simultaneous A&amp;R and pipe laying operation described subsequently. 
         [0082]    In the starting configuration of  FIG. 26A , the first section of pipeline with second end PLET  50  has been laid on the sea bed S and the abandonment cable  52  is attached to the second end PLET  50 . At this time, the second piece of pipeline to be laid is prepared on the vessel by connecting it, through the pipelaying tower, to a first end PLET  54 . 
         [0083]    Referring to  FIG. 27A , the abandonment cable  52  is now detached from the second end PLET  50  on the first laid pipeline and retrieved toward the vessel. At the same time, the second piece of pipeline to be laid is deployed from the vessel. In other words, as the abandonment cable  52  is being retrieved upwards toward the vessel, the second piece of pipeline and first end PLET  54  are being deployed downwards toward the sea bed S. This simultaneous retrieval and deployment is made possible by the longitudinal offset between the abandonment axis and the pipe laying axis, and continues while the lower end of the abandonment cable  52  and the first end PLET  54  of the second piece of pipeline pass one another (in  FIG. 28A  and  FIG. 29A ) and until the abandonment cable  52  has been fully retrieved ( FIG. 30A ). At this, point the first end PLET  54  of the second piece of pipeline is positioned a considerable depth below the vessel V and toward the sea bed S. This can reduce the overall time required to lay the second piece of pipeline by a number of hours. 
         [0084]    Another advantage of the arrangement described is evident when bulky structures (not shown) such as Pipeline End Terminations (PLETs) or In Line Tees (ILTs) (collectively known as modules) are to be installed on the pipeline. Whilst the normal pipeline laying operation is being carried out, the bulky structure can be held on standby by the abandonment and recovery cable  40  along the abandonment and recovery axis B. When the bulky structure is to be installed on the pipeline, the following procedure is performed:—
       1) Reeling of the pipeline is stopped;   2) The hang off clamp  22  is activated in order to clamp the pipeline;   3) The pipeline is cut into a lower and upper section between the tensioners  20  and the hang off clamp  22  at the appropriate point;   4) The hang off clamp  22  and lower section of clamped pipeline is moved longitudinally from its initial forward position, in which it is aligned with the pipeline laying axis C, to a rearward position in which it is aligned with the abandonment and recovery axis B and hence the bulky structure;   5) A piece of connecting pipeline provided at the bottom of the bulky structure is attached to the top of the lower section of pipeline;   6) The hang off clamp  22  is released;   7) The pipeline and bulky structure may now be lowered to below the deck of the vessel by reeling out the abandonment and recovery cable  40  (depending upon the catenary angle of the pipeline being laid, jacking of the tower to an overboard position (see  FIG. 8 ) may also be required in order to allow the bulky structure to be lowered clear of the vessel transom).       
 
         [0092]    In the case of an end module the pipeline can now be abandoned to the sea bed in a controlled manner by lowering of the abandonment and recovery cable  40 . In the case of an ILT, the following further steps are taken:—
       8) A piece of connecting pipeline at the top of the ILT, and hence the suspended pipeline, is clamped by the hang off clamp  22  on the underside of the vessel V;   9) The abandonment and recovery cable is disconnected from the top of the connecting piece of pipeline on the ILT;   10) The hang off clamp  22 , suspended pipeline and ILT are moved longitudinally from the rearward position, in which they are aligned with the abandonment and recovery axis B, to the forward position in which they are aligned with the pipeline laying axis C;   11) The connecting pipeline provided at the top of the ILT is attached to the previously cut upper section of pipeline residing in the pipe laying tower;   12) The hang off clamp is released, and the pipeline laying process is re-initiated.       
 
         [0098]    With reference to  FIGS. 9 to 18 , throughout the pipeline laying operation, actuation arm  24  is used to adjust the angular position of the hang off clamp  22  relative to the deck of the vessel V. This can be used to allow the hang off clamp  22  angle to match that of the catenary angle of the pipeline being laid or, as shown in  FIG. 18  and  FIG. 11 , when fully extended, is used to fully tilt the hang off clamp  22  until it lies in the same plane as the deck of the vessel in the storage area  26 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , the storage area  26  has a length which allows the hang off clamp  22  to be moved longitudinally forward and out of the way of the firing line equipment. An example of when this may be useful is during periods of bad weather. 
         [0099]    Modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing with departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.