Patent ID: 8790040

Claim:
A method of forming a protection system for a secondary conduit adapted to be coupled to a main conduit, wherein both the main conduit and the secondary conduit are for installation below the sea surface, the method comprising: spooling onto a reel a resilient elongate member from a first configuration for transportation and/or storage until such a time that it is ready to be deployed, the first configuration being a substantially planar configuration, and wherein the elongate member comprises a plurality of ribs extending along a length of the elongate member; paying the elongate member out from the reel; causing or allowing the elongate member to adopt a second configuration and form the protection system for the secondary conduit, the second configuration being a substantially cylindrical configuration for surrounding and protecting the secondary conduit when the elongate member has been unspooled from the reel; and coupling the elongate member with the secondary conduit retained within it to an external surface of the main conduit.