Patent ID: 8007203

Claim:
A method of connecting a rigid submarine pipe configured to deform in a longitudinal direction and a flexible submarine pipe, wherein the submarine pipes are configured to transport hydrocarbon in a marine environment between a submarine installation installed on the seabed and a marine installation spaced from the submarine installation, the method comprising: installing an end of the rigid submarine pipe at the seabed at the submarine installation on and positioning the rigid submarine pipe along the seabed such that a free connection end of the rigid submarine pipe is distal to the submarine installation; positioning a flow-line portion of the flexible submarine pipe in the vicinity of the seabed, the flow-line portion of the flexible pipe having a first length and terminating in an input end; suspending a suspended portion of the flexible pipe between the marine installation and the flow-line portion; connecting the input end of the flexible pipe with the free connection end of the rigid pipe by laying the flow-line portion of the flexible pipe as a catenary oriented in line with a vicinity of the free connection end; anchoring the flow-line portion of the flexible pipe in the seabed at an anchor point at a first distance from the input end thereof, the first distance and the first length of the flow-line portion permitting the flow-line portion to form a deformable undulation in the flow-line portion between the free connection end of the rigid submarine pipe and the anchor point in accordance with a movement of the free connection point along the seabed responsive to the deformation of the rigid submarine pipe; and connecting the anchor point to an anchor pile positioned on the seabed, the anchor pile being installed along the rigid pipe by a flexible anchor line.