Patent ID: 8747024

Claim:
A combination of a J-lay system and a pipeline or a pipe section, the J-lay system comprising a fixed pipeline support and a movable pipeline support configured for supporting a pipeline which is suspended from a pipeline-laying vessel, the movable pipeline support comprising: at least a first movable support member configured for engaging a first collar on the pipeline, at least a second movable support member configured for engaging a second collar on the pipeline, wherein the first and second movable support members are spaced apart at a movable support member distance along an intended firing line, the fixed pipeline support comprising: at least a first fixed support member configured for engaging a third collar on the pipeline, at least a second fixed support member configured for engaging a fourth collar on the pipeline, wherein the first and second fixed support member are spaced apart at a fixed support member distance along the intended firing line, the pipeline or pipe section comprising: a first set of collars comprising at least a first collar and a second collar constructed to engage a movable pipeline support of a J-lay system, wherein the second collar is positioned at a first collar distance from the first collar, a second set of collars comprising at least a third collar and a fourth collar constructed to engage a fixed pipeline support of a J-lay system, and wherein the fourth collar is positioned at a second collar distance from the third collar, wherein: the first collar is configured to engage the first movable support member, the second collar is configured to engage the second movable support member, the third collar is configured to engage the first fixed support member, the fourth collar is configured to engage the second fixed support member, wherein the first collar distance is smaller than the movable support member distance and the second collar distance is smaller than the fixed support member distance and wherein: a) the first movable support member is resiliently mounted according to a substantially predetermined load-movement relationship relative to the second movable support member, and the first fixed support member is resiliently mounted according to a substantially predetermined load-movement relationship relative to the second fixed support member, such that the second collar engages the second movable support member or the fourth collar engages the second fixed support member and/or b) wherein the pipe section between the first and second collars and between the third and fourth collars is resilient according to a predetermined load-elongation relationship, such that when a certain axial load is applied on the first collar or on the third collar, the collar distance increases by a substantially predetermined value such that the second collar engages the second movable support member or the fourth collar engages the second fixed support member.