JP2001200956A - How to connect underwater structures to flex pipes - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] When connecting a flex pipe to an offshore structure such as a submarine pipeline, diving work is reduced as much as possible, and it is easy regardless of the size of the flex pipe and the structure of the connection part. Provide a connection method that can be used for construction. SOLUTION: One end of a flex pipe is previously connected to a predetermined connection part of one offshore structure, and one end of a winding rope is attached to the other end, and the rope is a flex pipe connection part of another structure. After being passed through the guide hole installed in the sea, it is taken up by a take-up device mounted on the take-up ship via a buoy floating on the sea surface in some cases. The structure and the flex tube may be connected by a quick coupler.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of connecting an underwater structure to a flex pipe, and more particularly to a method for connecting two offshore structures installed in the sea with a flex pipe (flexible pipe). The present invention relates to a method of connecting an offshore structure and a flex pipe in the sea. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described using a marine structure installed in the sea as a typical example of a structure underwater.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When installing a structure underwater, for example, there is a case where a marine structure such as a pipeline is installed under the sea. In other words, they are connected via a flex tube. This is for absorbing position fluctuation such as movement or vibration of the offshore structure.

Conventionally, when connecting two offshore structures installed in the sea with a flex pipe, diving by a diver or ROV (Remotely Operated Vehi
cle) and other unmanned diving equipment.

[0004] However, in diving work by a diver, there is a limit to the depth of work that can be performed, and there is also a limit to the size of a flex pipe that can be handled manually. Furthermore, when the distance between the two offshore structures is long, the length of the flex pipe connecting them becomes long, and the connection work becomes difficult.

On the other hand, when unmanned diving equipment such as ROV is used, the size of the flexible pipe that can be handled and the structure of the connection part that can be connected are limited by the size and operation performance of the equipment.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a general object of the present invention to provide a simple and easy method of connecting an underwater structure to a flex tube.

A more specific object of the present invention is to reduce the necessity of diving work when connecting a flex pipe to an underwater structure, and to reduce the size of the flex pipe and the structure of the connection part. And a connection method that can be easily constructed.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems Here, the present inventors have
In order to solve such problems, research and development have been continued, and the problem in the conventional diving work is that one end of the flex pipe is connected to one offshore structure, and then the other end is connected to another offshore structure. Focusing on the movement and positioning of the flex pipe to be performed, it was found that, by providing some kind of guide in advance, it is possible to reliably move and position the flex pipe by remote control, for example, from a ship. Reached.

Therefore, the present invention is as follows. (1) A method of connecting two structures installed in water with a flex pipe, wherein one end of the flex pipe is connected in advance to a predetermined connection portion of one of the structures, and the other end of the flex pipe is connected. The other end of the rope was attached to a guide installed at a flex pipe connection site of another structure, and the other end of the rope was mounted on a take-up ship. Underwater characterized by connecting to a flex pipe connecting portion of a structure not connected to the flex pipe and the flex pipe by attaching to a winding device and winding the rope for winding. How to connect the structure and the flex tube at the same time. (2) The method according to (1), wherein the flex pipe connection portion of the structure and the flex pipe are connected by a quick coupler. (3) The method according to any one of the above (1) or (2), wherein one or both of the structures are submarine pipelines. (4) The method according to any one of the above (1) or (2), wherein one or both of the structures are underwater floating pipelines. (5) The method according to any one of the above (1) or (2), wherein one or both of the structures are pipeline risers. (6) The method according to any one of the above (1) or (2), wherein one or both of the structures are marine platforms.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to reliably draw the flex pipe to the flex pipe connection site of the offshore structure by remote control, regardless of the depth of the connection work site, the structure of the connection site, and the size of the flex tube. Becomes

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily connect the drawn flex pipe to the flex pipe connecting portion of the offshore structure.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, referring to the attached drawings,
A specific operation example of the connection method according to the present invention will be described.

FIGS. 1-3 show one offshore structure, a pipeline laid on the sea floor, and another offshore structure, a riser fixed to an offshore platform, via flex pipes in accordance with the present invention. It is the schematic diagram of the waiting state of a flex tube, the schematic diagram at the time of winding a rope body, and the schematic diagram at the time of connection completion in the connection method, respectively.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, when connecting a pipeline 3 laid on the sea floor to a riser 2 fixed to an offshore platform 1, one end of a flex pipe 4 is previously connected to a conventional pipe such as welding or bolting. It connects to the connection part of the pipeline 3 by the method. Of course, a quick coupler described later may be used for the connection in this case. Since the pipeline 3 is manufactured by connecting pipes at sea by a method such as a laying ship method, it is more convenient if the pipelines 3 and the flex pipes 4 are connected at sea at that time.

The other end of the flex tube 4 is preferably provided with a quick coupler 7, and a winding cable 5 is attached thereto. The winding rope 5 may use a chain, a rope, or the like, and extends through a guide provided at a connection portion of the riser 2 which is another marine structure. Is held in. For example, a ring-shaped metal fitting is provided at a predetermined position around the mounting portion of the riser 2, which functions as a guide, and as the rope 5 is wound up, the flex pipe is drawn. Preferably, a quick coupler 7 is also provided at the end of the riser 2.

In the illustrated example, the winding rope 5 is fixed to the end of the flex tube 4, but is returned to the other end of the flex tube again, for example, by passing it through a ring-shaped support, or to the floating buoy 10. The connection may be made to give buoyancy to the flex tube 4.

Next, as shown in FIG.
Is mounted on the winding device 8 of the winding boat 9 to start winding. In this manner, by winding the cable body 5 by the winding device 8, the seabed flex pipe 4 can be connected to the riser 2 by one type of remote control from the general public.
Until the quick couplers 7 provided at the tip of
Gravitate.

When the winding of the winding rope 5 is completed, the connection of the quick couplers 7 is completed as shown in FIG. 3, and the role of the winding rope 5 ends at this time. Therefore, it may be cut at an appropriate position. Of course, the connection between the flex pipe 4 and the riser 2 at this time may be performed by diving work or welding or bolting by remote control.

As described above, according to the present invention, the flex pipe can be drawn to the base of the riser only by offshore work, so that the flex pipe can be easily connected to the offshore structure.

The above example relates to a method of connecting a flex pipe to an underwater marine structure according to the present invention when applied to a connection between a pipeline and a riser fixed to an offshore platform. In the present invention, the marine structure is not limited to these, and as described above, may be submarine pipelines or underwater floating pipelines. Furthermore, it may be directly connected to the marine platform as in the case where the marine platform is used as a support.

Here, the mechanism using the winding rope 5 as one type of guide is to provide a rope fixing portion at a connecting portion of the flex tube, and to connect a structure such as a ring to the connecting portion of the structure. A guide section may be provided. In this case, the winding rope 5 may be wound up through the rope guiding portion. Alternatively, a cable guide section may be provided on both sides, and may be wound from both sides.

FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b) are schematic explanatory views showing how the flex pipe and the cable in the structure are attached by bolting, and FIG. 4 (a) is a diagram showing the flex pipe end and the cable. FIG. 4 (b) is a schematic explanatory view of a riser pipe end, that is, a connection portion.

In FIG. 4A, a bolt hole 12 and a cable fitting 13 are previously provided on a flange 11 at the end of the flex pipe, and the cable 5 is attached to the cable fitting 13. I have. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4 (b), a bolt hole 12 and a guide hole 14 are provided at a position of the flange 11 at the end of the riser tube 2 facing the flange 11 at the end of the flex pipe. The cable body 5 is passed through the guide hole 14.

The cable body 5 attached to the end of the flex pipe
Is wound up through the guide hole 5 at the end of the riser tube, each can be easily set to an appropriate position. The connection can then be made by bolting.

The number of winding ropes and the number of corresponding guide holes may be appropriately determined in consideration of the weight of the flex tube.

In the illustrated example, an example is shown in which a guide hole is provided as a guide for a cord, but other guide fittings and the like may be provided as appropriate. Any cable may be used as long as the two connecting portions can be pulled together by winding the cord and connected.

[0027]

According to the present invention, when connecting two offshore structures such as a submarine pipeline with a flex pipe, a winding boat equipped with a winding rope and a winding device is used. By and only at sea
The flex pipe can be easily drawn to the flex pipe connection site of the offshore structure and the two can be connected, and its practical significance is great.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a flex tube in a standby state of a method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view showing a state in which a rope body is wound by the method according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view showing a state when the method according to the present invention is completed.

FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b) are schematic explanatory views showing a state of attachment to a cord at the end of a flex pipe and the end of a riser pipe which is a marine structure, respectively.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Offshore platform, 2: Riser, 3: Pipeline, 4: Flex tube, 5: Winding cable, 6: Buoy, 7: Quick coupler, 8: Winding device, 9: Winding ship, 10: Buoy, 11: Flange, 12: Bolt hole 13: Cable body mounting bracket, 14: Guide hole

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Ken Watanabe 4-5-33 Kitahama, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Inside Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd. (72) Inventor Takayuki Saito 16-3 Onogawa Tsukuba, Ibaraki Pref. (72) Inventor: Yasuo Miyakawa, Kansai Design Co., Ltd. 1-1-1 Honjo Higashi, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A method for connecting two structures installed in water with a flex pipe, wherein one end of the flex pipe is connected in advance to a predetermined connection portion of one of the structures.
At the other end of the flex tube, one end of a take-up rope is attached, the other end of the rope passes through a guide installed at a flex pipe connection site of another structure, and the other end of the rope is connected to the other end of the flex tube. The flex pipe is connected to the flex pipe connecting portion of the structure that is not connected to the flex pipe by attaching to a take-up device mounted on the take-up boat and winding the rope. A method for connecting a flex pipe with a structure underwater, characterized in that: 2. A flex tube connecting portion of the structure,
The method according to claim 1, wherein the flex pipe is connected to the flex pipe by a quick coupler. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the structures are submarine pipelines. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the structures is an underwater floating pipeline.
The method for connecting a structure and a flex tube in water according to any one of the above. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or both of said structures is a pipeline riser.
The method for connecting a structure and a flex tube in water according to any one of the above. 6. A method according to claim 1, wherein one or both of said structures is a marine platform.
The method for connecting a structure and a flex tube in water according to any one of the above.