A motorized apparatus for use in maintaining a pipe having a sidewall is provided. The motorized apparatus includes a body assembly sized to fit within and to travel along an interior cavity of the pipe. The body assembly includes a first end and a second end and extending along a longitudinal axis. The body assembly also includes a plurality of leg assemblies coupled circumferentially around the body assembly. Each leg assembly includes a telescoping portion, a bias member coupled to the telescoping portion, and a drive mechanism configured to interact with the sidewall as the body assembly travels along the pipe. The body assembly also includes at least one sensor configured to collect data associated with a force between the sidewall and the drive mechanism, and an actuator assembly coupled to each leg assembly and configured to independently actuate each the leg assembly.

A motorized apparatus for use in maintaining a pipe includes at least one drive portion including a body assembly, a plurality of leg assemblies coupled circumferentially around the body assembly, a plurality of drive mechanisms coupled to the plurality of leg assemblies, and a drive portion coupling mechanism. The motorized apparatus also includes at least one maintenance portion including a body, at least one maintenance device coupled to the body, and a maintenance portion coupling mechanism configured to engage the drive portion coupling mechanism. The at least one drive portion is releasably coupled to the at least one maintenance portion by engaging the drive portion coupling mechanism with the maintenance portion coupling mechanism. The drive portion coupling mechanism and the maintenance portion coupling mechanism are each configured to engage another coupling mechanism when the drive portion coupling mechanism and the maintenance portion coupling mechanism are uncoupled from each other.

A system for use in maintaining a pipe having a sidewall is provided. The system includes a motorized apparatus sized to fit within the pipe and configured to travel along the pipe through an interior cavity. The motorized apparatus includes a plurality of leg assemblies coupled circumferentially around a body assembly. The body assembly includes an actuator assembly coupled to each leg assembly and configured to independently actuate each leg assembly to adjust a position of each leg assembly. The body assembly also includes at least one sensor configured to collect information associated with the position of each leg assembly. The body assembly also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the motorized apparatus and configured to receive the information from the sensor, and to determine at least one of a pipe diameter and a pitch of the motorized apparatus based on the information from the at least one sensor.

A system for use in maintaining a pipe having a sidewall is provided. The system includes a motorized apparatus sized to fit within the pipe and configured to travel along the pipe through an interior cavity. The motorized apparatus includes a plurality of leg assemblies each including a first leg portion, a second leg portion, and a joint rotatably coupling the first leg portion to the second leg portion. A drive mechanism coupled to the joint is configured to interact with the sidewall. The system also includes an actuator assembly configured to independently position each leg assembly relative to a body assembly to adjust a radial position of the joint of the associated leg assembly relative to the body assembly. The system also includes a controller configured to send instructions to the actuator assembly based at least in part on at least one of a dimension of the interior cavity and a desired force on the sidewall.

A method of installing an In-Line Structure (ILS) to a fluid-filled pipeline extending from a reel, over an aligner, and through a lay-tower during offshore reeling, the pipeline having an oblique part from the reel to the aligner, and a vertical part from the aligner through the lay-tower, including at least the steps of: (a) draining fluid in the fluid-filled pipeline from the vertical part of the pipeline to create a drained portion of the vertical part of the pipeline up to and around the aligner; (b) cutting the pipeline at or near the draining of step (a) to create upper and lower open ends of the pipeline; (c) installing the In-Line Structure to at least the upper open end of the pipeline; (d) locating a vent hose through a vent port in the In-Line Structure; (e) adding fluid into the drained portion of the pipeline and venting air from the drained portion of the pipeline through the vent hose to wholly or substantially fill the drained portion of the pipeline with the fluid.

A method of installing an In-Line Structure (ILS) to a fluid-filled pipeline extending from a reel, over an aligner, and through a lay-tower during offshore reeling, the pipeline having an oblique part from the reel to the aligner, and a vertical part from the aligner through the lay-tower, including at least the steps of: (a) draining fluid in the fluid-filled pipeline from the vertical part of the pipeline to create a drained portion of the vertical part of the pipeline up to and around the aligner; (b) cutting the pipeline at or near the draining of step (a) to create upper and lower open ends of the pipeline; (c) installing the In-Line Structure to at least the upper open end of the pipeline; (d) locating a vent hose through a vent port in the In-Line Structure; (e) adding fluid into the drained portion of the pipeline and venting air from the drained portion of the pipeline through the vent hose to wholly or substantially fill the drained portion of the pipeline with the fluid.

Example aspects of a pipe repair stent, a pipe repair device, and a method for repairing a pipe are disclosed. The pipe repair stent can comprise a sealing layer comprising a flexible and compressible repair material; and a spring, wherein the sealing layer is wrapped around a circumference of the spring; wherein the stent is configurable in an expanded configuration and a compressed configuration, the spring biasing the stent to the expanded configuration.

A method for reducing the pressure of fluid within subsea equipment. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a pipe, (b) laying the pipe on the sea floor, (c) providing a connector, (d) connecting the pipe to the subsea equipment via the connector, and (e) extracting fluid from the subsea equipment through the connector and into the pipe. Apparatus for reducing the pressure of fluid within subsea equipment by extracting fluid from the subsea equipment.

Example aspects of a pipe repair device and a method for repairing a pipeline are disclosed. The pipe repair device can comprise a body; a sensor attached to the body for detecting the leak in the pipe; a transport mechanism attached to the body for transporting the pipe repair device along the pipe; and a repair mechanism comprising a repair material for repairing the leak.

A method of installing an In-Line Structure (ILS) to a flooding fluid-filled pipeline extending from a reel, over an aligner, and through a lay-tower during offshore reeling, the pipeline having an oblique part from the reel to the aligner, and a vertical part from the aligner through the lay-tower, including the steps of: (a) draining the flooding fluid from the vertical part of the pipeline to create a drained portion of the vertical part of the pipeline up to and around the aligner; (b) cutting the pipeline at or near the draining of step (a) to create upper and lower open ends of the pipeline; (c) installing a pig into the upper open end; (d) moving the pig through the pipeline to reach a flooding fluid-filled part of the pipeline; (e) adding flooding fluid into the flooding fluid-filled part of the pipeline to reverse the movement of the pig in step (d) and to wholly or substantially refill the drained portion of the pipeline; and (f) installing the In-Line Structure (ILS) to at least the upper open end of the pipeline.