Offshore Pipe-in-Pipe Assembly Layout Without Onshore Prefabrication

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for producing subsea pipe-in-pipe pipelines require extensive onshore prefabrication and transportation, which increases costs, coordination complexity, and risks of transport damage, especially in challenging offshore environments where space and logistics are limited.

Innovation Solution

A pipelay vessel equipped with two pipe string manufacturing lines and a pipe-in-pipe assembly workstation capable of producing sliding, swaged, or fixed pipe-in-pipe pipelines directly from single joints, eliminating the need for onshore facilities and reducing operational coordination by enabling offshore production, with dedicated workstations and a process reporting system for enhanced safety and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If pipe-in-pipe strings are manufactured onshore and transported to the vessel, then fabrication can be performed with adequate space and safety, but transport damage risks increase and coordination complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefabrication safetyVSAvoidtransport damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the pipe string manufacturing process from onshore facilities and relocates it to the pipe-lay vessel itself. The vessel is equipped with manufacturing lines and workstations that can produce pipe-in-pipe strings offshore, eliminating the need for onshore prefabrication and subsequent transport, thereby removing transport damage risks while maintaining fabrication safety through controlled offshore operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions the manufacturing location from the traditional onshore dimension to an offshore dimension at sea. By equipping the pipe-lay vessel with complete manufacturing capabilities including pipe handling equipment, welding facilities, and assembly workstations, the system enables fabrication in the previously unused offshore dimension, avoiding transport issues while maintaining operational safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If pipe-in-pipe strings are manufactured onshore, then extensive coordination and project management are required, but this increases operational complexity and costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprefabrication capabilityVSAvoidcoordination complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the pipe string manufacturing function with the pipe-lay vessel operations. By integrating manufacturing lines, assembly workstations, and pipe handling equipment directly on the vessel, the system combines prefabrication and installation operations into a single unified platform, eliminating the need for separate onshore facilities and reducing coordination complexity between multiple locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The pipe-lay vessel is transformed into a multi-functional platform that performs both manufacturing and installation operations. The vessel is equipped with dual functionality: it can manufacture pipe-in-pipe strings using onboard manufacturing lines and simultaneously deploy them using pipe-lay equipment, eliminating the need for separate onshore manufacturing facilities and reducing overall project coordination requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If onshore prefabrication facilities are used, then pipe string production can be performed, but facility relocation costs and setup costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepipe string productionVSAvoidfacility setup cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the pipe-lay vessel a universal platform that performs both manufacturing and installation functions. By equipping the vessel with complete manufacturing capabilities including pipe handling equipment, welding facilities, and assembly workstations, it eliminates the need for multiple onshore facilities at different locations, thereby removing relocation costs and reducing overall facility setup expenses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The pipe-lay vessel becomes self-sufficient by incorporating all necessary manufacturing capabilities onboard. It can produce pipe-in-pipe strings using its own manufacturing lines and assembly workstations, then immediately deploy them using its pipe-lay equipment, eliminating the need for external onshore facilities and their associated setup and relocation costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11267542B2On-board fabrication of pipe-in-pipe assemblies

Publication Date: 2022.03.08 SHANGHAI ZHENHUA HEAVY IND

AI summary

A pipelay vessel having two pipe string manufacturing lines and a firing line, wherein the pipe string manufacturing lines are designed for simultaneously handling two different pipe outer diameters for use as an inner pipe and an outer pipe respectively. Further, the vessel has a pipe-in-pipe assembly workstation for assembling the inner pipe and the outer pipe in a pipe-in-pipe configuration. The vessel is designed with a lay-out which allows for producing offshore pipe-in-pipe strings from single joints, wherein available space is optimally used and pipe-in-pipe strings can be produced safely offshore.