Cable REEL and method of spooling

Abstract

A cable reel configured to spool a subsea cable end (2) and supported fitting (4) onto the cable reel (6) is disclosed. The cable reel (6) comprises a first engagement means (110), said first engagement means (110) being complementary to a second engagement means (120), on the subsea cable end (2) or on the fitting (4) or on both. An assembly and a method of spooling a subsea cable end (2) and supported fitting (4) onto a cable reel (6) are also disclosed. The method comprises providing a first engagement means (110) on the cable reel (6); providing a second engagement means (120), being complementary with the first engagement means (110), on the subsea cable end (2) or on the fitting (4) or on both; and rotating the cable reel to automatically engage the first engagement means (110) and the second engagement means (120) to spool the subsea cable end (2) and fitting (4) onto the cable reel (6).

Description

[0001] P393770.W0.01 1

[0002] CABLE REEL AND METHOD OF SPOOLING

[0003] Technical Field

[0004] The present disclosure relates generally to a cable reel and method of spooling, preferably in the field of renewable energy industry. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a cable reel configured to spool a subsea cable end and supported fitting onto the cable reel, and a method of spooling a subsea cable end and supported fitting onto the cable reel.

[0005] Background

[0006] Cables are often spooled onto or off a reel. For example, in the field of renewable energy industry, electric power cable are spooled onto and off a cable reel. A cable may have a fitting mounted onto the cable. It is a problem how to spool the cable with the fitting on a cable reel. It is a problem how to do this without damaging the cable or the fitting. It is a problem how to handle the fitting on the cable when spooling. It is a problem what to do with the fitting on a reel. It is very cumbersome, expensive, and time consuming to repair, if at all possible, a damaged fitting. A further problem is that the power cable and the fitting may rotate during spooling.

[0007] The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.

[0008] Summary

[0009] It is an objective of the present invention to provide a cable reel configured to spool a subsea cable end and supported fitting onto the cable reel, and a method of spooling a subsea cable end and supported fitting onto the cable reel. This objective can be achieved by the features as defined in the independent claims. Further characteristics are defined by the dependent claims.

[0010] According to one aspect, there is provided a cable reel configured to spool a subsea cable end 2 and supported fitting 4 onto the cable reel 6, the cable reel 6 comprising a first engagement means 110, said first engagement means 110 being complementary to a second engagement means 120, on the subsea cable end 2 or on the fitting 4 or on both. The cable reel may further comprise a reel axis 130, and further comprising a first reel-axis portion 132 supporting the first engagement means 110 and configured to automatically spool the subsea cable end 2 and P393770.W0.01 2 supported fitting 4, and a second reel-axis portion 134 configured to separately spool subsea cable beyond the subsea cable end 2 and supported fitting 4. The cable reel may further comprise catchment means 44 or attachment means 12 or both, for catching the second engagement means 120 with the first engagement means 110 of the cable reel 6 or attaching the second engagement means 120 to the first engagement means 110 of the cable reel 6 or both.

[0011] According to another aspect, there is provided a method of spooling a subsea cable end 2 and supported fitting 4 onto a cable reel 6, comprising: providing a first engagement means 110 on the cable reel 6; providing a second engagement means 120, being complementary with the first engagement means 110, on the subsea cable end 2 or on the fitting 4 or on both; and rotating the cable reel to automatically engage the first engagement means and the second engagement means to spool the subsea cable end 2 and fitting 4 onto the cable reel 6. In this way the subsea cable end 2 and fitting 4 may be automatically, without the need of manual handling, spooled onto the cable reel 6. A protection cage 40 may be located around the fitting 4. The protection cage 40 may partly, substantially, or fully comprise the second engagement means 120.

[0012] According to another aspect, there is provided an assembly for spooling a subsea cable end 2 and supported fitting 4 onto a cable reel 6, comprising a cable reel 6 as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3, and the second engagement means 120 being complementary with the first engagement means 110, on the subsea cable end 2 or on the fitting 4 or on both. The second engagement means 120 may be partly, substantially or fully a protection cage 40 around the fitting 4. The first engagement means 110 and the second engagement means 120 may include one or more complementary catchment means 44, 46, and the first engagement means 110 and / or the second engagement means 120 may include attachment means 12. These may be configured to automatically attach the first engagement means 110 and the second engagement means 120 together upon engagement and rotation of the cable reel 6. Lifting means 50 may be used to raise the first engagement means 110 toward the cable reel 6 and the second engagement means 120.

[0013] At least one of the aspects and embodiments defined in the present application provides one or more solutions to the problems and disadvantages with the background art. Other technical advantages of the present disclosure will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following description and claims. Various embodiments of the present application obtain only a subset of the P393770.W0.01 3 advantages set forth. No one advantage is critical to the embodiments. Any claimed embodiment may be technically combined with any other claimed embodiment or embodiments.

[0014] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] The disclosure will be further described with reference to examples depicted as schematic illustrations in the accompanying figures in which:

[0016] FIGs 1 to 7 are schematic illustrations of a cable reel and illustrate how a cable and supported fitting are spooled onto the cable reel according to embodiments of the invention;

[0017] FIGs 8 and 9 are schematic illustrations of details how a cable reel with a first engagement means reels up a subsea cable end with a second engagement means; and

[0018] FIGs 10 and 11 are schematic illustrations of how the cable reel with a first engagement means reels up a subsea cable end with a second engagement means.

[0019] Detailed Description

[0020] Figures 1 to 9 are schematic illustrations of a cable reel configured to spool a subsea cable end and supported fitting onto the cable reel, and a method of spooling a subsea cable end and supported fitting onto the cable reel. For clarification, one end side of the cable reel 6 has not been illustrated for the purpose of showing how a protection cage may be attached to the cable reel 6. The figures 1 to 7 are in sequential order. Figure 1 illustrates how the cable end 2 and supporting fitting 4 are in the vicinity of the cable reel 6. Figure 7 illustrates how the cable end 2 and supporting fitting 4 have been spooled up onto the cable reel 6. Figures 2 to 6 illustrate the different positions of the cable end 2, supporting fitting 4, and the cable reel 6 therein between. The reverse of the figures 7 to 1 illustrates how the cable end 2 and supporting fitting 4 may be spooled off the cable reel 6. Figures 8 to 11 illustrate schematically details of how the cable reel picks up the cable end and supported fitting automatically. This more general description is followed by a detailed description of the drawings.

[0021] According to one embodiment, a cable reel is configured to spool a subsea cable end 2 and supported fitting 4 onto the cable reel 6. The cable reel 6 comprises a first engagement means 110, said first engagement means 110 being complementary to a second engagement means 120, on the subsea cable end 2 or P393770.W0.01 4 on the fitting 4 or on both. The first engagement means 110 may be configured to cooperate with the second engagement means 120, for example the first engagement means 110 may be configured to one or more of the following: align with, clamp, guide, and hold, the second engagement means 120. The subsea cable end 2 may be an end part of a subsea power cable, for example the end part of a wet-parked subsea cable that may be taken onboard to mount ancillaries on. The subsea cable end 2 may be from the very end of the subsea cable to a predetermined touch down point of the subsea cable. The very end of the subsea cable is the end that may be installed to a floating offshore structure, such as a wind mill. The subsea cable may be a dynamic inter array cable, DIAC, and the fitting may be a bend stiffener. During such an operation at least a part of the cable end 2 may be spooled onto a cable reel 6. The cable reel may be a reel or a carousel. The figures illustrate the embodiment with the cable reel 6.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the cable reel 6 may further comprise a reel axis 130. For a cable reel 6 the reel axis 130 may be substantially horizontal. For a carousel the reel axis 130 may be substantially vertical. The cable reel 6 may further comprise a first reel-axis portion 132 supporting the first engagement means 110 and configured to automatically spool the subsea cable end 2 and supported fitting 4. The cable reel 6 may further comprise a second reel-axis portion 134 configured to separately spool subsea cable beyond the subsea cable end 2 and supported fitting 4. The cable reel 6, or the carousel, may spool the majority of the cable on the second reel-axis portion 134, and may spool at least a part of the subsea cable end 2 and the entire supported fitting 4 onto the first reel-axis portion 132. The first engagement means 110 may be configured to automatically, i.e. without the need of manual handling, engage the second engagement means 120. According to one embodiment, best illustrated in figures 1, 2, 8 and 9, the cable reel 6 may further comprise catchment means 44 or attachment means 12 or both. The catchment means 44 may guide, align, the first engagement means 110 with the second engagement means 120. This may be done by the rotation of the cable reel 6, or the carousel. During the rotation the catchment means 44 may for example have a slot that faces and engages a protrusion 46 on the second engagement means 120. The catchment means 44 may comprise a V-shaped slot for catching the protrusion 46. The protrusion 46 may have a larger head than the protruding body such that when the V-shaped slot catches the protruding body then the larger head is held by the V- shaped slot, as illustrated in figures 8 and 9. The second engagement means 120 P393770.W0.01 5 may be a protection cage 120 for the fitting 4. The attachment means 12 may couple, clamp, the first engagement means 110 with the second engagement means 120. This may be done by the rotation of the cable reel 6, or the carousel. During the rotation the attachment means 12 may for example connect to protrusions, or other means 48, on the second engagement means 120. This catchment and attachment may be done automatically, reducing spooling time and improving safety.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the protection cage 40 may be automatically connected to a cable reel 6 or a carousel. Automatically may mean without manual handling. This may be done by the protection cage 40 comprising one or more catchment means 46. The catchment means 46 may be for connecting and aligning the protection cage 40 relative to the cable reel 6 or the carousel. The protection cage 40 may include one or more outwardly extending cable reel catchment means 46, for example on the peripheral of the protection cage 40. In this way, the protection cage 40 can be formally aligned with a cable reel 6, to ensure correct alignment and attachment between the two, in particular prior to reeling the protection cage 40 onto the cable reel 6. The catchment means 46 may also, or alternatively, function as attachment means for attaching the protection cage 40 to the cable reel 6. The catchment means 46 may be detachably arranged on the protection cage 40. The catchment means 46 may be freely positioned on the circumference, for example on the periphery of the protection cage 40. This allows the protection cage 40 to be aligned with the cable reel 6. For example, when the protection cage 40 with the fitting 4 is positioned next to the cable reel 6, then the catchment means 46 may be attached in a position on the circumference of the protection cage 40 corresponding to catchment means 44 on the cable reel 6 for holding and picking up the protection cage 40. The catchment means 46 may be at least one protrusion or at least two protrusions on the protection cage 40. Each protrusion may be engaged and thereby aligning the protection cage 40. Each protrusion may, for example, be caught by a slot, for example a V-shaped slot, or similar, of the catchment means 44 on the cable reel 6 or the carousel. The protection cage 40 may hereby be aligned with the cable reel and may also be picked up by the cable reel, for example, for rotating with the cable reel. The catchment means 46 may be a towbar 46, such as a protruding body with a larger head. The larger head may be caught by the slot of the catchment means 44 on the cable reel 6. The catchment means 46 may be the protection cage 40 itself as it gets into contact with the engagement means 90 of the cable reel 6. The automatic P393770.W0.01 6 catchment and alignment may be achieved by the rotation of the cable reel 6. The protection cage 40 may include one or more attachment means 48. The connection means 48 of the protection cage 40 are schematically illustrated in figure 1. The cable reel 6 may comprise attachment means 12 to connect with the attachment means 48 of the protection cage 40. The catchment means 46 may also function as a connection means 46. The connection means 48 may be one or more protrusions on the protection cage 40 that may be connected to a cable reel. The first engagement means 110 may have attachment means 12 for clamping and holding on to the second engagement means 120, for example the protection cage 40, as the second engagement means 120 is spooled onto the cable reel 6. The attachment means 12 may be clamps or hooks and may be automatically engaged to clamp the second engagement means 120, for example the protection cage 40, onto the first engagement means 110 of the cable reel 6 as the cable reel 6 rotates and takes the subsea cable end 2 and the supported fitting 4 onto the cable reel.

[0024] The cable reel 6 may be on a vessel deck or onshore. For example, the cable reel may be spooled in a factory, with the fitting 4 attached at the side, as described herein. In this way the cable reel, or a carousel with the fitting 4 attached at the top, may be transported. This solves not only how to spool the fitting 4 but also how to protect the fitting.

[0025] The cable reel 6, or the carousel, may comprise an opening 136 at one side for the cable 2, such that the cable may go through the opening 136 and between the first reel-axis portion 132 and the second reel-axis portion 134. The opening 136 allows the cable to extend between the first reel-axis portion 132 and the second reel-axis portion 134.

[0026] The cable reel may comprise a connection point 138, best seen in figure 6. The connection point 138 may allow a wire 72 connected to an end of the cable 2, or to a tail of the cable 2, to be attached to the connection point 138. In this way the cable 2, including the fitting 4, may be attached to the cable reel 6. A winch 70 may be used to pull the wire 72 and thereby the cable 2 with the supported fitting 4 to the cable reel 6. The fitting 4 may be mountable on a deck support 20. The deck support 20 may be configured as a sleigh and comprise two or more flat rails. Lifting means 50 may be used for raising the protection cage 40, the second engagement means 120, relative to the cable reel 6. For example, the lifting means 50 may be a scissor lift, hydraulic jack lift, or an elevator, preferably with a flat top surface for receiving the deck-support 20. The lifting means 50 may position the subsea cable end 2 and P393770.W0.01 7 supported fitting 4 towards the cable reel 6 to assist the first engagement means 110 to automatically catch the second engagement means 120.

[0027] The cable reel may comprise a cable guide 8 for guiding the cable from the first engagement means 110 to a different section of the cable reel 6 for the cable to be spooled. For example the cable guide 8 may guide the cable from the first reelaxis portion 132 and towards the second reel-axis portion 134. The cable guide 8 may be connected to the first engagement means 110. The cable guide 8 may be an elongate U-shaped chute for guiding the cable.

[0028] Turning now to the method, a method of spooling a subsea cable end 2 and supported fitting 4 onto a cable reel 6 is provided. The method comprises providing a first engagement means 110 on the cable reel 6; providing a second engagement means 120, being complementary with the first engagement means 110, on the subsea cable end 2 or on the fitting 4 or on both; and rotating the cable reel to automatically engage the first engagement means 110 and the second engagement means 120 to spool the subsea cable end 2 and fitting 4 onto the cable reel 6. The subsea cable end 2 and fitting 4 may be spooled automatically, without the need of manual handling, onto the cable reel 6. The rotation of the cable reel may allow the first engagement means 110 to engage the second engagement means 120 without the need of manual handling. The cable reel 6 may be a carousel. Any embodiment of the cable reel 6, or carousel, disclosed herein may be used for the method of spooling. The first engagement means 110 and the second engagement means 120 may be complementary in shape such that the first engagement means 110 may align and / or clamp onto the second engagement means 120.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the method may comprise locating a protection cage 40 around the fitting 4. The protection cage 40 may surround the entire fitting 4. This may protect the fitting 4 from impacts. The protection cage 40 may partly, substantially, or fully comprises the second engagement means 120. The protection cage 40 may comprise a frame 42 which is elongate and at least partly circular in cross-section along a longitudinal axis. The protection cage 40 may be made of solid metal. The protection cage 40 may be the second engagement means 120 and be aligned with, and / or clamped to, the first engagement means 110. The circular cross-section along a longitudinal axis of the protection cage 40, or fitting 4 when inside the protection cage 40, allows the cable 2 with the fitting 4 to rotate relative its surrounding. P393770.W0.01 8

[0030] According to one embodiment, the first engagement means 110 and the second engagement means 120 may include one or more complementary catchment means 44. The method may further comprise aligning and / or attaching the first engagement means 110 and the second engagement means 120 using the one or more catchment means 44 during the rotation of the cable reel 6 to automatically engage the first engagement means 110 and the second engagement means 120. The rotation of the cable reel 6 may allow the catchment means 44 to engage a protrusion or other means 46 to catch the second engagement means 120 with the first engagement means 110. This alignment and / or attachment may be made without any manual handling by staff. The alignment means 44 may be a side wall of the two engagement means 110, 120. They may have complementary sides that aligns the two as the two engagement means 110, 120 meet, touches each other. The risk of damage to the fitting is clearly reduced and the safety of the staff is increased. According to one embodiment, the first engagement means 110 and the second engagement means 120 may include attachment means 12 configured to automatically attach the first engagement means 110 and the second engagement 120 means together upon engagement. The rotation of the cable reel 6 may additionally couple, for example clamp, the first engagement means 110 and the second engagement 120 means together. The catchment means 44 may comprise a V-shaped slot for catching the protrusion 46. The protrusion 46 may have a larger head than the protruding body such that when the V-shaped slot catches the protruding body then the larger head is held by the V-shaped slot, as illustrated in figures 8 and 9. The catchment means 44 may have an opening to catch one or more towbars 46. The catchment means 44 may be hooks on the two engagement means 110, 120. They may have complementary hooks that hook into each other to couple the two as the two engagement means 110, 120 meet, touches each other. This allows the cable end 2 and the fitting 4 to be attached to the cable reel 6 and be spooled onto, and transported with, the cable reel 6.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the method may further comprise positioning the subsea cable end 2 and supported fitting 4 towards the cable reel 6. This may be done with lifting means 50. The lifting means 50 may be a movable platform, and / or a ramp, that may move the second engagement 120 towards the first engagement means 110 on the cable reel 6. This may also be done automatically. For example, the lifting means 50 may be a scissor lift, hydraulic jack lift, or an elevator, preferably with a flat top surface for receiving the deck-support 20. The cable reel 6 may rotate P393770.W0.01 9 such that the first engagement means 110 is in a suitable position. The second engagement means 120 may be lifted into position before or after such a rotation. Thereafter a further rotation may be made to align and couple automatically the second engagement 120 with the first engagement means 110.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the first engagement means 110 and the second engagement 120 means may be shaped as frames in half hollow cylinder shapes, as may be taken also from the figures. The automatic engagement of the two, including one or more of the alignment, catchment, and attachment, may be provided by their complimentary shapes. By moving the first engagement means 110 and the second engagement 120 means towards each other they may first align and subsequently, when pressed against each other, couple, clamp, together, such that the two engagement means 110, 120 are attached to each other.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the second engagement means 120 may be configured to allow rotation of the cable end 2 or the fitting 4 relative to the second engagement means 120. For example, the fitting 4 inside the protection cage 40 may rotate relative to the protection cage 40 or relative to the deck support 20 or relative to the environment. The second engagement means 120, for example the protection cage 40, may rotate relative to the deck support 20 or relative to the environment. This prevents the cable and fitting to twist when spooled.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the method may comprise further rotating the cable reel 6 to further spool subsea cable onto the cable reel 6 at a different location on the cable reel 6 to the location of the subsea cable end 2 and supported fitting 4. The cable may be spooled onto the cable reel and the end of the cable with the fitting 4 may be spooled onto the cable reel at a side of the spooled cable. The cable reel 6, or the carousel, may comprise a first reel-axis portion 132 supporting the first engagement means 110 and configured to spool the subsea cable end 2 and supported fitting 4, and a second reel-axis portion 134 configured to separately spool subsea cable beyond the subsea cable end 2 and supported fitting 4. The two portions 132, 134 may be next to each other along the reel axis 130. The cable reel 6, or the carousel, may comprise one or two side walls to allow for the cable to be spooled up in several layers, and the subsea cable end 2 and supported fitting 4 may be held by the first engagement means 110 mounted on the outside of such a wall. An opening 136 may be present in the wall to allow the cable to transfer between the two portions 132, 134 of the cable reel 6. P393770.W0.01 10

[0035] According to one embodiment, the method may further comprise attaching a wire 72 between the cable reel 5 and the subsea cable end 2. The wire 72 may be a winch wire 72. The wire 72 may be attached at the end of the cable, for example at a pig tail 5 of the fitting 4. The wire 72 may be connected on the other end to a winch 70. The winch 70 may move the cable end 2 and the fitting 4 towards the cable reel 6. The winch 70 may correspondingly move the deck support 20 with the second engagement means 120.

[0036] According to one embodiment, an assembly for spooling a subsea cable end 2 and supported fitting 4 onto a cable reel 6 is provided. The assembly comprises a cable reel 6 according to any one embodiment disclosed herein. The second engagement means 120 is complementary with the first engagement means 110, on the subsea cable end 2 or on the fitting 4 or on both. According to one embodiment, the second engagement means 120 may be partly, substantially or fully a protection cage 40 around the fitting 4. The first engagement means 110 and / or the second engagement means 120 may include one or more complementary catchment means 44 and attachment means 12 configured to automatically attach the first engagement means 110 and the second engagement means 120 together upon engagement. These features have already been described elsewhere herein. The assembly of the cable reel 6 with the two engagement means 110, 120 and the cable with the fitting 4 spooled onto the cable reel 6 provides a cable reel that can protect the cable and the fitting and allows for convenient transport of the assembly.

[0037] Turning now to a more detailed description of the figures 1 to 7. Figures 1 to 7 are schematic illustrations of a cable reel 6 configured to spool a subsea cable end and supported fitting onto the cable reel, and a method of spooling a subsea cable end and supported fitting onto the cable reel. The method of spooling a subsea cable end 2 and supported fitting 4 onto a cable reel 6 may also be taken from the figures 1 to 7 and with reference to the description. Figures 8 and 9 are schematic illustrations of details how a cable reel with a first engagement means reels up a subsea cable end with a second engagement means and catchment means 44, 46 configured to automatically catch the second engagement means 120 with the first engagement means 110 upon engagement.

[0038] Figure 1 illustrates how a power cable end 2 and a supported fitting 4 is within the second engagement means 120. The fitting 4 is in the illustrated example a bend stiffener. The second engagement means 120 is in the illustrated example a protection cage 40 comprising a frame 42. The protection cage 40 comprises a P393770.W0.01 11 circular cross section along the longitudinal axis of the protection cage 40 and cable end 2. The protection cage 40 is on a deck support 20. A wire 72 from a winch 70 is connected to a pig tail 5 of the fitting 4. The winch 70 may pull the protection cage 40 and the deck support 20 across the deck of a vessel, or a factory floor, towards the cable reel 6. While the illustrated example shows a cable reel 6, a carousel may instead be used. In such a case the first engagement means 110 may be at the top of the carousel, instead of at the side of the cable reel. The rotation of the carousel may then automatically engage the first engagement means 110 and the second engagement means 120 in a substantially horizontal direction, instead of a substantially vertical direction, so as to spool the subsea cable end 2 and fitting 4 onto the carousel.

[0039] Figure 2 illustrates how the second engagement means 120 is positioned on the lifting means 50. At this point the winch 70 may stop to pull the protection cage 40 and the deck support 20. The cable reel 6 may no rotate to put the first engagement means 110 in the vicinity of the second engagement means 120, the protection cage 40, so that when the lifting means 50 raises the protection cage 40 it will automatically engage with the first engagement means 110.

[0040] Figure 3 illustrates how the lifting means 50 lifts the second engagement means 120 up towards the axis 130 of the cable reel 6. In this position the second engagement means 120 may be in the position for automatic engagement with the first engagement means 110.

[0041] Figure 4 illustrates how the cable reel 6 rotates further to engage the first engagement means 110 with the second engagement means 120. At this point the lifting means 50 can be raised or can be in a low position to allow the first engagement means 110 to easily pass over the protection cage 40. While the lifting means have been illustrated in this example, the cable reel and method does not need to have a lifting means 50.

[0042] Figure 5 illustrates how further rotation of the cable reel 6 causes the first engagement means 110 to be coupled and aligned the second engagement means 120. In this position the two engagement means 110, 120 are aligned and connected to each other. The alignment and connection may be done by the relative movement between the two engagement means 110, 120 caused by one or more of the rotation of the cable reel 6, the lifting means 50, the pulling made by the winch 70. While the lifting means have been illustrated in this example, the cable reel and method does P393770.W0.01 12 not need to have a lifting means 50. The protection cage 40 may simply be put in place under the first engagement means 110 without the use of lifting means 50.

[0043] An additional example may be that the lifting means 50 is not raised in figure 4 and first raised in figure 5 when the first engagement means 110 is in its lower most position. When the lifting means 50 is raised, the circular shape of the two engagement means 110, 120 may align automatically the two together. Upon being raised further hooks may connect the two engagement means 110, 120 together automatically.

[0044] Figure 6 illustrates how further rotation of the cable reel 6 causes the first engagement means 110 connected to the second engagement means 120 to begin spooling the cable end onto the cable reel 6. The lifting means 50 may lower to ensure that the protection cage 40 is rotating with the cable reel 6 without any problems. As the cable reel 6 continues to rotate, the cable is spooled and guided through the opening 136 onto the second reel-axis portion 134 where the cable may be spooled without the fitting 4 being in the way. The pig tail 5 may be attached to a connection point 138.

[0045] Figure 7 illustrates how the cable reel 6 have spooled up an amount of the cable, including the cable end 2 with the supported fitting 4. The cable reel 6 holds at the side the first engagement means 110 connected to the second engagement means 120. The cable goes from the first reel-axis portion 132 through the opening 136 to the other side, the second reel-axis portion 134, of the cable reel where the cable can be spooled. The cable may be completely spooled onto the cable reel 6, or just a part of the cable from the very end with the fitting to a predetermined length of the cable, for example 150 meters. The cable reel, with the entire cable and the fitting spooled on, may be transported to a predetermined place.

[0046] The cable and the fitting may be spooled of the cable reel. The reverse of the figures 7 to 1 illustrates how the cable end 2 and supporting fitting 4 may be spooled off the cable reel 6.

[0047] Figures 8 and 9 correspond to figures 4 and 5 and illustrate how the two engagement means 110, 120 may be attached to each other. The rotation of the cable reel 6 may cause the first engagement means 110 to catch the second engagement means 120. This may allow the automatic spooling of the protection cage 40 with the fitting 4 onto the cable reel 6. The first engagement means 110 may comprise catchment means 44 and the second engagement 120 means comprise a protrusion 46. The catchment means 44 may comprise a V-shaped slot for catching P393770.W0.01 13 the protrusion 46. The protrusion 46 may have a larger head than the protruding body, for example like a towbar, such that when the V-shaped slot catches the protruding body then the larger head is held by the V-shaped slot, as illustrated in figures 8 and 9.

[0048] In figure 8 the winch 70 may use a winch wire 72 to pull the protection cage 40 on the deck support 20 onto the lifting means 50. The winch wire 72, illustrated with dotted lines in figures 8 and 9, may then be reconnected, or another wire 74 may be used, to the connection point 138. Hereby the end of the supported fitting 4, or a pig tail 5, may be connected to the connection point 138. This assists in spooling the cable end 2 and supported fitting 4 onto the cable reel 6.

[0049] Turning to figures 10 and 11 , an embodiment of attaching a supported fitting 4, for example a bend stiffener, onto a cable reel 6 is illustrated. This embodiment may use the lifting means 50, or it may operate without the lifting means 50. The reel 6 may comprise one or more of a pull-in mechanism 122, for example a crane, a winch, a block and tackle, and a pulley, for the purpose of lifting the fitting 4 with, or without, the second engagement means 120. The pull-in mechanism 122 may use chains, wires, or ropes to pull in the second engagement means 120 to the first engagement means 110. The pull-in mechanism 122 may be part of the reel 6, for example at the first reel-axis portion 132, or outside the reel 6. The first and second engagement means 110, 120 may comprise complimentary interfaces to form lock to each other when finally pulled together. The interfaces may be at least three, preferably four, for example one in each corner or along the sides of the first and second engagement means 110, 120.

[0050] As shown best from figure 10 and subsequently figure 11 , the second engagement means 120 with the fitting 4 may be positioned below the pull-in mechanism 122. Pulleys may lower chains to an attachment means, for example eye bolts. The pulleys may then pull the first and second engagement means 110, 120 together. The pull-in mechanism 122 may be configured to do this in an automatic and synchronised way. The fitting 4 may be returned, off-loaded, from the reel 6 by reverse actions.

[0051] The second engagement means 120 for the fitting 4 may be box shaped, or cylindrically shaped, with the fitting 4 substantially, or completely, inside the box or cylinder. The second engagement means 120 for the fitting may be shaped as a flat platform, as illustrated in figures 10 and 11 , with the fitting substantially, or completely, on top of the platform. The fitting 4 may be positioned within the reel 6 in P393770.W0.01 14 a straight position along a chord of the circular reel 6. This provides good protection and transportation of the fitting 4. The reel 6 may be configured to position the fitting 4, for example, within the first reel-axis portion 132.

[0052] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the cable reel and method. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosed cable reel, assembly, and method. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

P393770.W0.0115CLAIMS1. A cable reel configured to spool a subsea cable end (2) and supported fitting (4) onto the cable reel (6), the cable reel (6) comprising a first engagement means (110), said first engagement means (110) being complementary to a second engagement means (120), on the subsea cable end (2) or on the fitting (4) or on both.

2. The cable reel as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a reel axis (130), and further comprising a first reel-axis portion (132) supporting the first engagement means (110) and configured to automatically spool the subsea cable end (2) and supported fitting (4), and a second reel-axis portion (134) configured to separately spool subsea cable beyond the subsea cable end (2) and supported fitting (4).

3. The cable reel as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising catchment means (44) or attachment means (12) or both.

4. A method of spooling a subsea cable end (2) and supported fitting (4) onto a cable reel (6), comprising: providing a first engagement means (110) on the cable reel (6); providing a second engagement means (120), being complementary with the first engagement means (110), on the subsea cable end (2) or on the fitting (4) or on both; and rotating the cable reel to automatically engage the first engagement means (110) and the second engagement means (120) to spool the subsea cable end (2) and fitting (4) onto the cable reel (6).

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising locating a protection cage (40) around the fitting (4).

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the protection cage (40) partly, substantially, or fully comprises the second engagement means (120).P393770.W0.01167. The method as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the protection cage (40) comprises a frame (42) which is elongate and at least partly circular in crosssection along a longitudinal axis.

8. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 4 to 7, wherein the first engagement means (110) and the second engagement means (120) include one or more complementary catchment means (44, 46), and the method further comprising connecting the first engagement means (110) and the second engagement means (120) using the one or more catchment means (44, 46 during the rotation of the cable reel to automatically engage the first engagement means (110) and the second engagement means (120).

9. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 4 to 8, wherein the first engagement means (110) and / or the second engagement means (120) include attachment means (12) configured to automatically couple the first engagement means (110) and the second engagement means (120) together upon engagement.

10. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 4 to 9, further comprising positioning the subsea cable end (2) and supported fitting (4) towards the cable reel (6) using lifting means (50).

11. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 4 to 10, wherein the second engagement means (120) is configured to allow rotation of the cable or the fitting (4) relative to the second engagement means (120).

12. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 4 to 11 , comprising further rotating the cable reel (6) to further spool subsea cable onto the cable reel (6) at a different location on the cable reel (6) to the location of the subsea cable end (2) and supported fitting (4).

13. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 4 to 12, further comprising attaching a wire (72) between the cable reel (5) and the subsea cable end (2).P393770.W0.011714. An assembly for spooling a subsea cable end (2) and supported fitting (4) onto a cable reel (6), comprising a cable reel (6) as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3, and the second engagement means (120) being complementary with the first engagement means (110), on the subsea cable end (2) or on the fitting (4) or on both.

15. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second engagement means (120) is partly, substantially or fully a protection cage (40) around the fitting (4); and / or wherein the first engagement means (110) and / or the second engagement means (120) include one or more complementary catchment means (44, 46) and attachment means (12) configured to automatically attach the first engagement means (110) and the second engagement means (120) together upon engagement.

Images