Pipeline supported by Beams and Cables in Permafrost Areas (Patent No: 957520)

Inventor: Amoco Canada Petroleum Company Ltd.

Location: Calgary

Comments: N/A

Description: THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A method of constructing a pipeline in an area whose surface comprises permafrost which includes: digging a trench in said permafrost; laying a pipeline in said trench; attaching an elongated member to said pipeline, said elongated member extending above said trench; filling said trench; attaching said elongated member to a beam on the surface of the earth laying transverse to said trench; supporting the ends of said beams on pontoons, each set of pontoons for each said beam having a positive bouyancy in water equal to the negative bouyancy of a section of said pipeline in water having a length equal to the distance between said elongated members.

2. A method as defined in Claim 1 in which there are a plurality of elongated members placed along said pipeline at a distance in the range of from 50-100 feet.

3. A method of constructing and operating a pipeline in those areas in which the earth's surface is predominantly permafrost which comprises: digging a trench in said permafrost; laying a pipeline at known positions and inclinations in said trench; attaching a plurality of spaced apart elongated members to spaced apart points along said pipeline, said elongated members extending to above the surface; filling said trench; transporting fluid through said pipeline; running a survey on said pipeline at various intervals of time to determine the angle of inclination of the pipeline along its length so that the thus measured angles of inclination can be compared with the angles of inclination of the pipeline when first laid so that subsidence of the pipeline can be detected; attaching the upper end of said elongated member at each section of pipe when subsidence is detected to a beam supported at the surface across said pipeline.