System for use in building and deployment of an elongate element (202) in a J-lay operation. The system includes an upright structure (206); a winching element (204) retractable along an axis within the upright structure (206); a coupling element (210) connected to the winching element (204), for coupling the winching element (204) to an elongate element (202); and a catcher element (212) configured to retain the coupling element (210) in alignment with a predetermined axis within the upright structure (206) during retraction or extension of the winching element (204).

A pipe assembly station for performing operations on a field joint during pipe assembly has an active rail extending around an opening through which the pipe can pass. Tool carriages are arranged to traverse along the active rail and around a periphery of the pipe. The station also comprises a standby position, distanced from the active rail and a switch arranged to transfer the tool carriage from the active rail to the standby position. By providing such a combination of a rail and a standby position, a tool carriage can be brought into position on the active rail to perform a pipe joining operation and can be subsequently set back to the standby position, where it is out of the way of operations taking place on the pipe. Such a switching arrangement allows for more effective use of the limited space around the joint.

The present invention relates to a marine pipelaying friction clamp device for frictionally retaining an offshore pipeline having a longitudinal axis, comprising multiple clamping units (20). Each clamping unit comprises a friction pad (21) and an associated force actuator (22), and further comprises a base (25) fixed to the actuator, wherein the friction pad is rotatably connected to the base via a single axis (H1, H2) hinge mechanism defining a single hinge axis parallel to the longitudinal axis. The single axis hinge mechanism comprises first and second complementary semi-cylindrical hinge surfaces, allowing a rotation of the friction pad about the single hinge axis over 2-20 relative to the base. The friction pad is also axially connected to the base via complementary axial load surfaces (31, 33) on the base (25) and on the friction pad (21).

An offshore S-lay pipelaying vessel for laying a pipeline on the seabed, the vessel includes a hull and an elongated stinger having a hull end and a free end, the stinger being adapted to support the pipeline to be laid from the vessel. The stinger includes a stinger frame, possibly composed of one or more rigid stinger frame sections, possibly articulated sections. And, distributed over the length of the stinger, multiple pipeline support assemblies are mounted to the stinger frame that provide support for the pipeline.

A work platform (10) for performing a cable operation on a cable on a vessel having a vessel deck (7) has chutes (19a, 19b) for guiding the cable from the sea and onto the work platform (10), an overboarding system (18) and a number of modules (11, 12, 13, 14, 15). Each module (11, 12, 13, 14, 15) has a deck section and a support structure for supporting the deck section at a distance above the vessel deck (7). Each module (11, 12, 13, 14, 15) is configured to be lifted separately onto and away from the vessel deck (7). The deck sections of the modules together form a mezzanine deck on which the cable operation is performed. The overboarding system (18) is secured to the mezzanine deck. At least some of the equipment for performing the cable operation is stored below the mezzanine deck.

A sealing ring positioning device that, operated by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), allows sealing rings to be installed, in the subsea environment, in a groove of a flange of a first pipeline to be interconnected to a second pipeline. The sealing ring positioning device is provided with an upper portion that is presented as a handle by which the ROV handles the device in a subsea environment, a lower portion having a semicircle shape and configured to hold the sealing ring to be arranged in the flange groove in a subsea environment, and a middle portion including a groove holding a magnet that is configured to hold the device firmly positioned in the pipeline in a subsea environment, during the arrangement of the ring in the groove of the flange.

A marine pipeline installation system and marine pipeline installation method are disclosed. The marine pipeline installation system includes a pipeline launch tower for launching the pipeline in a firing line along the pipeline launch tower into the sea, and one or more tensioners supported by the pipeline launch tower. The system further includes a pipeline guide supported in a pipeline launch trajectory between a pipeline storage and the firing line above the one or more tensioners, wherein the pipeline guide is provided opposite the firing line relative to the pipeline launch tower. A guide support structure is provided, which is embodied as a single-sided guide support arm arranged on one side of the pipeline guide only.

A marine pipelaying system and method for lowering and/or raising an offshore pipeline and including one or more accessories thereto, includes a pipeline launch device, a pipeline clamp, an accessory connecting device and a controlled load hoisting device. An accessory handling device is provided including an accessory transport track and a cart adapted to engage and support one of the one or more accessories, such that the accessory handling device is adapted to engage said accessory at the engagement position, position the accessory in the pipeline connecting position in the firing line above the pipeline clamp. The accessory can be connected to the pipeline and support and allow displacement of the accessory between the engagement position and the pipeline connection position.

A marine pipelaying system and method for lowering and/or raising an offshore pipeline and including one or more accessories thereto, includes a pipeline launch device, a pipeline clamp, an accessory connecting device and a controlled load hoisting device. An accessory handling device is provided including an accessory transport track and a cart adapted to engage and support one of the one or more accessories, such that the accessory handling device is adapted to engage said accessory at the engagement position, position the accessory in the pipeline connecting position in the firing line above the pipeline clamp. The accessory can be connected to the pipeline and support and allow displacement of the accessory between the engagement position and the pipeline connection position.

In general, a conductor removal system 1 comprises a conductor sectioning tower which can be used to automate lifting and landing of various conductor sections. In most embodiments, the conductor sectioning tower can selectively and controllably go between an initially compact position to a raised, substantially vertical position with respect to the conductor removal system's transport frame. Conductors are cut creating a severed conductor section which can be positioned onto a conductor landing cart for further removal processing.