Patent ID: 8038367

Claim:
A method of conducting pipe-laying operations employing a pipe-laying apparatus that includes a first pipe gripping assembly disposed on a pipe-laying path along which pipeline passes during laying, and a second pipe gripping assembly disposed on the pipe-laying path, at least one of the first and second pipe gripping assemblies including both a pipe gripping arrangement arranged to grip a pipe with a diameter during pipe-laying and a cable gripping arrangement arranged to grip a cable with a diameter, wherein the cable has a smaller diameter than the pipe, during an operation when the cable is connected to a length of pipeline, the method including the steps of gripping the pipe with the pipe gripping arrangement of the second pipe gripping assembly, gripping the pipe with the pipe gripping arrangement of the first pipe gripping assembly, releasing the grip of the second pipe gripping assembly on the pipe, effecting relative movement between the first and second pipe gripping assemblies, the relative movement in a first direction along the pipe-laying path, gripping the pipe with the pipe gripping arrangement of the second pipe gripping assembly, releasing the grip of the first pipe gripping assembly on the pipe, and effecting relative movement between the first and second pipe gripping assemblies, in a second direction opposite to the first direction, along the pipe-laying path.