Patent ID: 8827596

Claim:
A method of abandoning or recovering an underwater pipeline from a laying vessel using a first winch located on the laying vessel having a first hoisting capacity and a second winch located on the laying vessel having a second hoisting capacity lower than the first hoisting capacity, the method comprising the steps of: looping a first rope about a pulley connected to the free end of the pipeline, wherein the first rope is joined, on a first side of the pulley, to a second rope operated by the second winch; selectively end-locking the first rope, on the first side, to the laying vessel; winding or unwinding the first rope, on a second side of the pulley, by means of the first winch; and selectively releasing the end-locking of the first rope from the laying vessel to abandon or recover the pipeline using the first and second ropes jointly, by unwinding or winding the first and second ropes by means of the first and second winches, respectively.