Patent ID: 8360687

Claim:
A method of laying pipeline in a horizontal plane, the method comprising: anchoring a pivot member to a bed under a surface of a body of water; attaching a first plurality of lines to the pivot member; extruding a pipeline from a support base onto the surface of the body of water, such that an extruded portion of the pipeline floats on the water at locations displaced from the pivot member, an end of the extruded portion defining a longitudinal axis; attaching a first line, of the first plurality of lines, to the extruded portion of the pipeline; using a boat to apply a force to the extruded portion, the force being applied in a direction non-parallel to the longitudinal axis; subsequently, attaching a second line, of the first plurality of lines, to the extruded portion of the pipeline; and subsequently, using the boat to apply a force to the extruded portion, the force being applied in a direction non-parallel to the longitudinal axis, such that the extruded portion of the pipeline encircles the pivot member while floating on the surface of the water, wound into a flat monolayer spiral, an inner radius of the spiral being sufficiently large to avoid applying plastic strain to the pipeline.