US 12,422,060 B2
Method of laying a pipeline on a seafloor, monitoring surrounding zones of the installed pipeline for approaching vessels and warning vessels considered to be able to cause harm to the pipeline
Mohammed Khajavi, Stabekk (NO); Tobias Sommerfelt Rønning, Stabekk (NO); Eric Waymel, Vestfossen (NO); Nicholas Riviere, Oslo (NO); and Elisabeth Nøst, Kolsås (NO)
Assigned to TechnipFMC Norge AS, Kongsberg (NO)
Appl. No. 18/010,593
Filed by FMC Kongsberg Subsea AS, Kongsberg (NO)
PCT Filed Jun. 22, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/066913
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 15, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/259895, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 30, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 20200745 (NO), filed on Jun. 25, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0313910 A1, Oct. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. F16L 1/12 (2006.01); F16L 1/16 (2006.01); G08G 3/02 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 1/123 (2013.01) [F16L 1/16 (2013.01); G08G 3/02 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of laying a pipeline on a seafloor and protecting the pipeline with at least two types of protection, the method comprising:
bringing the pipeline to an offshore location using a vessel;
laying the pipeline on the seafloor using the vessel;
defining a first zone surrounding at least a first part length of the pipeline when laid subsea, wherein the first part length is uncovered;
covering at least a second part length of the pipeline when laid subsea with a physical protection barrier;
defining a second zone extending from the first zone;
leaving the second part length unmonitored;
monitoring by use of satellites and/or other tools activities in the second zone for vessels approaching the first zone;
analysing vessels detected during said monitoring of the second zone for the purpose of determining whether the vessels are capable of causing harm to the first part length of the pipeline; and
for each vessel monitored in the second zone and considered to be able to cause harm to the first part length of the pipeline, informing the vessel about the first zone and/or requesting the vessel not to enter into the first zone.