Subsea Rigid Pipelines – Methods of Installation

Book excerpt: This book is about the various methods of installing rigid subsea/submarine pipelines, such as the common methods using S-lay, J-lay, and reel-lay vessels. Other methods like the surface tow, bottom pull, and various other pipeline tow methods are also utilized. It also addresses supplementary activities required as part of a pipeline installation program, such as pipe manufacture and coating, seabed intervention, riser installation, pipeline precommissioning, and pipeline repairs. This book was written for students and newcomers to the oil and gas industry who have little or no knowledge of pipeline construction. Unlike other technical books on pipelines, this one does not address the detailed design of pipelines. Instead, it provides an overview of construction methodologies for subsea pipelines. As such, this book will provide the readers with a different perspective by providing a practical and illustrative approach to explain and illustrate how subsea pipelines can be installed through various methods. The author has used examples from some of his past projects. Where available, he also highlighted the various aspects of the work, and in some cases, he has provided the lessons that he learned from his past experiences so that readers may learn from the author’s experiences too.