Elongate element for flexible pipe body and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9651176-B2
Application number	US-201214368400-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2012
Priority date	Dec 28, 2011
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

An elongate element ( 300 ) for a flexible pipe body ( 100 ) and method of producing the same are disclosed. The method includes inserting a first fiber element ( 304 ) in a crush resistant elongate tube element ( 302 ), wherein the first fiber element is suitable for monitoring at least one of strain, temperature and acoustic properties; inserting a further fiber element ( 306 ) in the tube element, wherein the further fiber element is suitable for curing a matrix material ( 308 ); and inserting a matrix material into the tube element to fill at least a length of the tube element such that the first and further fibers elements within that length are surrounded by matrix material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing an elongate element for a flexible pipe body, comprising:
inserting a first fibre element along a crush resistant tube element, wherein the first fibre element is suitable for monitoring at least one of strain, temperature and acoustic properties;
inserting a further fibre element along the tube element, wherein the further fibre element is suitable for curing a matrix material;
inserting a matrix material into the tube element to fill at least a length of the tube element such that the first and further fibres elements within that length are surrounded by matrix material; and
curing the matrix material using the further fibre element.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the further fibre element is a UV emitting fibre.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising curing the matrix material using the further fibre element, wherein the step of curing the matrix material comprises connecting the further fibre element to a UV light source and emitting UV light from the further fibre element.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein emitting UV light from the further fibre element comprises emitting UV light along substantially the full length of the further fibre element.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein emitting UV light from the further fibre element comprises emitting UV light along selected portions of the length of the further fibre element.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 further comprising applying a masking element around selected portions of the further fibre element.

7. A method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein emitting UV light from the further fibre element comprises emitting UV light from an end portion of the further fibre element, and further comprising the step of withdrawing the further fibre element from the tube at a predetermined speed.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising emitting UV light at selected time periods and emitting no UV light at other selected time periods.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising providing a transparent tube within the tube element, wherein the step of inserting a further fibre element along the tube comprises inserting the further fibre element along the transparent tube.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the steps of inserting a first fibre element, a further fibre element and a matrix material are performed at the same time.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the first fibre element and further fibre element are inserted along the tube element by flushing with the matrix material.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the steps of inserting a first fibre element and a further fibre element comprises flushing the fibre elements along the tube element with a gas, prior to the step of inserting the matrix material.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tube element comprises metal, polymer, or a composite material.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising applying the crush resistant tube element to a portion of a flexible pipe body.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein applying the crush resistant tube element to a portion of a flexible pipe body comprises wrapping the tube element between adjacent tensile armour elements.

16. An elongate element for a flexible pipe body, comprising:
a crush resistant tube element;
a first fibre element provided in the tube element, wherein the first fibre element is suitable for monitoring at least one of strain, temperature and acoustic properties;
a further fibre element provided in the tube element, wherein the further fibre element is suitable for curing a matrix material; and
a matrix material provided in the tube element filling at least a length of the tube element such that the first and further fibres elements within that length are surrounded by matrix material, wherein said matrix material is cured using the further fibre element.

17. A flexible pipe body as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the further fibre element is a UV emitting fibre.

18. A flexible pipe body as claimed in claim 16 wherein the matrix material is cured substantially completely.

19. A flexible pipe body as claimed in claim 16 wherein the matrix material is cured along selected portions of the length of the tube element.

20. A flexible pipe body as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising a transparent tube within the tube element for housing the further fibre element.

21. A flexible pipe body as claimed in claim 16 wherein the tube element comprises metal, polymer or a composite material.

22. A flexible pipe body as claimed in claim 16 wherein the tube element is provided between adjacent tensile armour elements of a flexible pipe body.

Assignees

• Wellstream Int Ltd
• Ge Oil & Gas Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Graham Geoffrey Stephen
• Hatherley George Henry Frank

Classifications

• G01D11/245

  Housings for sensors · CPC title

• G01D5/35303

  using a reference fibre, e.g. interferometric devices · CPC title

• E21B17/01

  Risers · CPC title

• B29C35/0805

  using electromagnetic radiation · CPC title

• E21B47/007

  Measuring stresses in a pipe string or casing (for locating blocked portions of pipes E21B47/09) · CPC title