US 11,725,750 B2
Recovering used subsea pipelines
Andre Braz Ferreira, Lisbon (PT)
Assigned to Subsea 7 Portugal Limitada, Lisbon (PT)
Appl. No. 17/627,593
Filed by Subsea 7 Limited, Sutton (GB)
PCT Filed Jul. 17, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/070355
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 14, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/009372, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 21, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 1910289 (GB), filed on Jul. 18, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0205557 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. F16L 1/16 (2006.01); F16L 1/20 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 1/166 (2013.01) [F16L 1/207 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of recovering a used pipeline from an underwater location to the surface of a body of water, the method comprising comprises: at the underwater location, attaching a recovery cap to the pipeline to surround an end of the pipeline; upending at least an end portion of the pipeline underwater with the recovery cap on top; and, while lifting the upended pipeline toward the surface, capturing within the recovery cap hydrocarbon contaminants rising from the pipeline; and conveying the captured contaminants from the recovery cap to a reservoir; wherein the reservoir is external to the recover cap and supported on a lifting wire attached to the recovery cap.