Patent ID: 7842149

Claim:
A method of manufacturing an unbonded flexible pipeline, the method comprising the steps of: providing a pipe structure comprising a liner; manufacturing a tape shaped reinforcement element, wherein said reinforcement element comprises two or more strength-imparting layer(s) said method comprising providing a precursor for the reinforcement element followed by a lamination of said precursor with another strength-imparting layer, said precursor comprising a strength-imparting layer and one or more thermoplastic layers, said strength-imparting layer of said precursor comprising a fibre-reinforced thermosetting polymer, and said precursor being provided by applying a thermoplastic layer to the strength-imparting layer, on at least one face thereof, wherein the lamination of said precursor with another strength imparting layer occurs after the thermosetting polymer has cured, and winding said tape shaped reinforcement element around the pipe structure externally to the liner, wherein the tape shaped reinforcement element is not bonded to the liner.