OFFSHORE PIPELINE INSTALLATION

Lifting rigging:

i. Rigging -The process of lifting and moving heavy loads with ropes, chains, and
mechanical devices.

Fig. 1
ii. Sling - A loop of material that connects the load to the lifting device. Slings can
be made of chain, wire, metal mesh, natural, and synthetic materials

Fig. 2

iii. Working Load Limit (WLL) is the maximum working load designed by the
manufacturer. This load represents a mass or force that is much less than that
required to make the lifting equipment fail or yield, also known as the Minimum
Breaking Load (MBL). Safe Working Load (SWL) or WLL are calculated by dividing
the MBL by a safety factor (SF)

iv. Rigging assembly - Rigging is the equipment such as wire rope, turnbuckles,
clevis, jacks and slings used with cranes and other lifting equipment in equipment
handling. Rigging assembly commonly include hardware like shackles, master
links and lifting bags in underwater lifting.
 Fig. 3

Initiation:

Pipeline lay installation methods are:

S-lay (Shallow to Deep)

J-lay (Intermediate to Deep)
Reel lay (Intermediate to Deep)

The welded pipeline is supported on the rollers of the vessel and the stinger,
forming the over-bend. Then it is suspended in the water all the way to the
seabed, forming the sag-bend. The over-bend and sag-bend form the shape of an
‘‘S.’’

S-lay configuration
In the S-lay method, tensioners on the vessel/barge pull on the pipeline, keeping
the whole section to the seabed in tension. The reaction of this pull is taken up by
anchors installed ahead of the barge or, in the case of a dynamically positioned
(DP) vessel, by thrusters. These barges/vessels are fitted with tension machines,
abandonment and recovery (A&R) winches, and pipe handling cranes.

Fig. 4 S-Lay
 Fig. 5 J-Lay

Subsea Pipeline installation aids: e.g. abandonment & recovery (a&r) head,
laydown head, pig launcher & receiver (plr), initiation head, spreader bar &
frames, pulling head, sea fastening plate, clamps

Mooring system:

A mooring system is made up of a mooring line, anchor and connectors, and is

used for station keeping of a ship or floating platform in all water depths. A
mooring line connects an anchor on the seafloor to a floating structure.

i. Load-out: Comprises the movement of the completed structure onto the barge
which will transport it offshore.

ii. Sea fastening: Comprises fitting and welding sufficient structure between the
structure and the barge to prevent the jacket shifting during transit to the
offshore site

Installation: Comprises the series of activities required to place the structure in

the final offshore location. These activities include jacket lift and upending,
positioning, pile installation, jacket levelling and grouting, together with support
services for these activities