Patent ID: 8226327

Claim:
A method for laying a pipeline onto a seabed from a lay barge, the pipeline having an inner corrosion proof metallic cladding that is closely fitted with metallic contact to an outer pipe material that is less corrosion proof, the method comprising: a) applying an overpressure to a first section of the pipeline by means of a pressurized fluid inside the first section, and reeling the first section of the pipeline onto a pipe laying drum while maintaining the overpressure within the first section; b) joining a second pipeline section to the first section which is already reeled onto the pipe laying drum, the second pipeline section being joined to the first section while the pipeline is motionless without mechanical movement; c) applying an overpressure within the pipeline sections and reeling the second section onto the pipe laying drum; d) joining together several additional pipeline sections and reeling the several additional sections onto said pipe laying drum or at least one further pipe laying drum by repeating step b) and step c) until a completed pipeline having a predetermined pipeline length is achieved; and e) laying the completed pipeline from the lay barge onto the seabed, while maintaining an overpressure within the completed pipeline by means of a pressurized fluid until the pipeline is correctly placed onto the seabed, wherein the overpressure of steps a), c) and e) is sufficient to avoid deformation of the cladding and lack of contact between the cladding and the outer pipe material.