Pipeline burial in offshore and arctic offshore regions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9388918-B2
Application number	US-201414321610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2014
Priority date	Aug 23, 2013
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus including: a tubular suction pile; an indenter housing that surrounds the tubular suction pile, wherein the indenter housing is configured to: (a) be sunk into a seabed in response to a negative pressure created from water being removed from the tubular suction pile, and the indenter housing is configured to create a trench in the seabed; and comprise a water jetting device, within the indenter housing, that includes a first valve, a nozzle, and a channel that connects the first valve to the nozzle; and/or (b) impart a longitudinal vibration to the indenter housing and the indenter housing is configured to be sunk into a seabed in response to longitudinal vibration, and the indenter housing is configured to create a trench in the seabed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a tubular suction pile;
an indenter housing that surrounds the tubular suction pile,
wherein the indenter housing is configured to be sunk into a seabed in response to a negative pressure created from water being removed from the tubular suction pile, and the indenter housing is configured to create a trench in the seabed; and
a water jetting device, within the indenter housing, that includes a first valve, a nozzle, and
a channel that connects the first valve to the nozzle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the indenter housing is a wedge shaped body.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the water jetting device is configured to expel water from the nozzle without using a pump device.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the wedge shaped body has a trapezoidal cross-section.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the nozzle is disposed on tapered section of the trapezoidal cross-section.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the water jetting device is disposed in a leading portion of the indenter housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the wedge shaped body is directly connected to the tubular suction pile.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a vibration device,
wherein the vibration device is configured to impart a longitudinal vibration to the indenter housing that sinks the indenter housing into the seabed.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second valve connected to the tubular suction pile, wherein the second valve is configured to
allow water to be pumped out of the tubular suction pile.

10. An apparatus comprising:
a vibration device; and
an indenter housing that surrounds the vibration device,
wherein the vibration device is configured to impart a longitudinal vibration to the indenter housing in a direction substantially perpendicular to a seabed, and the indenter housing is configured to be sunk into the seabed in response to the longitudinal vibration and is configured to create a trench in the seabed.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the indenter housing is a wedge shaped body.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the wedge shaped body has a trapezoidal cross-section.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the wedge shaped body is directly connected to the vibration device.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the vibration device includes a hydraulic system.

15. A method comprising:
lowering or dropping an indenter into a body of water, wherein the indenter includes
a tubular suction pile,
a housing that surrounds the tubular suction pile, and
a water jetting device, within the housing, that includes a first valve, a nozzle, and
a channel that connects the first valve to the nozzle;

sinking the indenter into a seabed after the indenter comes to rest at a bottom of the seabed, the sinking including creating a negative pressure by removing water from the tubular suction pile, wherein the negative pressure causes the indenter to sink to a predetermined depth in the seabed;
causing water to exit from the indenter, the water loosening soil in the seabed; and
creating a trench in the seabed by pulling or pushing the indenter after the indenter is sunk into the seabed and the soil is loosened by the water.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
laying a pipeline in the trench.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
using a computer to control the negative pressure in order to cause the indenter to sink to the predetermined depth in the seabed.

18. A method comprising:
lowering or dropping an indenter into a body of water, wherein the indenter includes
a vibration device, and
a housing that surrounds the vibration device;

causing the vibration device to impart a longitudinal vibration to the housing, the longitudinal vibration induced in a direction substantially perpendicular to a seabed and causing the housing to sink to a predetermined depth in the seabed; and
creating a trench in the seabed by pulling or pushing the indenter after the indenter is sunk into the seabed.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising causing the vibration device to impart a longitudinal vibration while the creating the trench step is performed.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
using a computer to control the vibration device in order to cause the indenter to sink to the predetermined depth in the seabed.

Assignees

• Arslan Haydar
• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Arslan Haydar

Classifications

• E02F5/103 Primary

  with oscillating or vibrating digging tools · CPC title

• E02F5/108

  using suction-effect devices (suction heads per se E02F3/9243, E02F3/9256) · CPC title

• E02F5/145

  control and indicating devices · CPC title

• F16L1/16 Primary

  on the bottom · CPC title

• B63B21/27

  by suction · CPC title