Repurposing pipeline for electrical cable

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11095102-B2
Application number	US-202016832526-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2020
Priority date	Sep 6, 2016
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

The disclosure relates to the field of electric power infrastructure and repurposing existing oil and gas pipeline, or other pipelines which are no longer in use for their original purpose, for installation of conduits and electrical cables/conduits, typically underground, for electric power transmission.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for repurposing an existing pipeline primarily underground for introduction of electrical power lines, comprising the steps of:
cutting the existing pipeline;
moving a pipeline traveler through the existing pipeline to a next consecutive interval;
detaching the pipeline traveler and attaching a pipeline traveler line to a conduit;
pulling the conduit through the existing pipeline and pulling an electrical cable into and through the conduit; and
adding a volume of a thixotropic non-cementitious thermal grout to a space defined between the existing pipeline and the conduit, wherein the volume of said thixotropic non-cementitious thermal grout comprises a mixture of a volume of sand, a volume of water, a volume of bentonite viscosifier, a volume of at least one bentonite extender, a volume of lubricant, and a volume of soda ash.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of removing at least a portion of the volume of thixotropic non-cementitious thermal grout from the space defined between the existing pipeline and the conduit.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of adding a volume of a thixotropic non-cementitious thermal grout to a space defined between the conduit and the electrical cable.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising the step of removing at least a portion of the volume of thixotropic non-cementitious thermal grout from the space between the conduit and the electrical cable.

5. A method for repurposing an existing pipeline primarily underground for introduction of electrical power lines, comprising the steps of:
cutting the existing pipeline;
moving a pipeline traveler through the existing pipeline to a next consecutive interval;
detaching the pipeline traveler and attaching a pipeline traveler line to a conduit;
pulling the conduit through the existing pipeline and pulling an electrical cable into and through the conduit; and
adding a volume of a thixotropic non-cementitious thermal grout to a space defined between the conduit and the electrical cable, wherein the volume of said thixotropic non-cementitious thermal grout comprises a mixture of a volume of sand, a volume of water, a volume of bentonite viscosifier, a volume of at least one bentonite extender, a volume of lubricant and a volume of soda ash.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising the step of removing at least a portion of the volume of thixotropic non-cementitious thermal grout from the space between the conduit and the electrical cable.

7. A method for repurposing an existing pipeline primarily underground for introduction of electrical power lines, comprising the steps of:
cutting the existing pipeline;
moving a pipeline traveler through the existing pipeline to a next consecutive interval;
detaching the pipeline traveler and attaching a pipeline traveler line to a conduit;
pulling the conduit through the existing pipeline and pulling an electrical cable into and through the conduit;
pulling a fiber optic line into the conduit;
sensing for a hot spot in the electrical cable pulled into the existing pipeline;
wherein the cutting step is performed at a region proximate the hot spot; and

remediating the hot spot by adding a volume of a thixotropic non-cementitious thermal grout via another cut to a void between the existing pipeline and the conduit, wherein the volume of said thixotropic non-cementitious thermal grout comprises a mixture of a volume of sand, a volume of water, a volume of bentonite viscosifier, a volume of at least one bentonite extender a volume of lubricant, and a volume of soda ash.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising a step selected from the group of steps consisting of; insertion or removal of the conduit, the electrical cable, and/or the fiber optic line through the volume of the thixotropic non-cementitious thermal grout; liquefaction of the volume of the thixotropic non-cementitious thermal grout; allowing the volume of the thixotropic non-cementitious thermal grout to set for thermal conduction of the electrical cables; and all of the foregoing.

Assignees

• Quanta Associates Lp
• Hastings William H

Inventors

• Hastings William H
• Fluharty Ii John Walter
• Fluharty Herbert
• Tait Daniel Henry
• Halderman Ronald G

Classifications

• H02G3/04 Primary

  Protective tubing or conduits, e.g. cable ladders or cable troughs · CPC title

• H02G1/088 Primary

  using pulling devices movable inside conduits · CPC title

• F16L2101/50

  Pulling cables or the like · CPC title

• F16L55/26

  Pigs or moles, i.e. devices movable in a pipe or conduit with or without self-contained propulsion means · CPC title

• H02G1/005

  for cutting cables or wires, or splicing · CPC title