Patent ID: 7748464

Claim:
A method to install a communications riser, comprising: deploying a connector mounted on a distal end of a first slick section of a communications riser; deploying one or more buoyed sections of the communications riser; attaching a guide and ballast line to the communications riser intermediate the one or more buoyed sections and the connector, the guide and ballast line to be paid out and taken up from a floating vessel, adjusting the guide and ballast line to counter any positive buoyancy of the one or more buoyed sections during installation; deploying a weighted section of the communications riser; deploying a second slick section of the communications riser, wherein the weighted section is intermediate the one or more buoyancy sections and the second slick section; manipulating the guide and ballast line to deflect a lower portion of the communications riser a lateral distance relative to an upper portion of the communications riser; and lowering the communications riser to engage a wellhead, flowline end termination (FLET), or a pipe line end termination (PLET) with the connector.