Patent ID: 8857521

Claim:
A method of venting gas from an annulus region of a flexible pipe during a period when a bore region of the flexible pipe is depressurised, comprising the steps of: depressurising a bore region of a flexible pipe; releasing the flexible pipe from a floating production and storage offloading (FPSO) vessel; and then opening a vent valve to vent gas from an annulus region of the flexible pipe into the bore region, via at least one vent flow fluid communication path, when the bore region is depressurized; when a pressure difference between a bore pressure in the bore region and an annulus pressure in the annulus region satisfies a predetermined relationship as the bore region is depressurised, opening the vent valve to thereby connect the annulus region to the bore region via a respective vent flow fluid communication path; prior to opening the vent valve, closing at least one exhaust valve to thereby disconnect the annulus region from an exhaust flow fluid communication path.