Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Recovery and repair of offshore pipelines

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6984083
The end of an underwater pipeline is recovered from the bottom of a body of water by inserting a pigging element into the end of the pipeline, injecting a gas into the end of the line behind the pigging element until a section of the line sufficiently long to reach to the surface of the body of water has been voided of liquids, and thereafter lifting the end of the line to the water's surface. Apparatus which is particularly useful in such recovery operations includes a housing closed at one end and open at the other, a gas inlet in the housing near the closed end, means near the open end for engaging the end of a pipe and forming a seal therewith, a pigging element in the housing between the gas inlet and open end, and means for attaching a cable to the end of the pipeline for lifting the pipeline to water's surface. (20 claims)
Assignee:
Esso Production Res. Co.
Patent Number(s):
US 3751932
OSTI ID:
6984083
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Recovery of marine pipelines
Patent · Tue Jan 29 00:00:00 EDT 1974 · OSTI ID:6599637

Offshore pipeline recovery
Patent · Mon Dec 10 23:00:00 EST 1973 · OSTI ID:6734726

Bend detector for a pipeline pig
Patent · Mon Dec 15 23:00:00 EST 1986 · OSTI ID:6929355