LANDING MECHANISM FOR LIFTED PD?E REEL
Priority Claim
This application claims priority from Provisional Application serial number 61/310,798 filed
March 5, 2010.
Field and Background of Invention
[0001] The invention is generally related to the installation of pipeline offshore and more
particularly to the reel structures used in such installations.
[0002] The installation of submarine pipelines by reeling of steel pipe on to a reel,
transporting the loaded reel to the pipeline installation site and un-reeling the pipe from a
marine vessel offshore is a well established art. The cost advantages of reeled pipeline
installation compared to other means of submarine pipeline installation include reduced
amount of labor required to work offshore, a reduced amount of marine equipment and
vessels required to support the installation operations, and faster pipeline installation speeds
which reduce the exposure of the installation to offshore weather delays.
[0003] Key to the reeled pipeline installation method is the process of joining by welding up
normally manufactured lengths of steel pipe joints into a continuous string of pipe which can
then be reeled ("spooled") up on to the pipe reel. Because of the strains in the steel pipe due

to reeling, the weld quality must be superior to pipe welds typically used for non-reeled
pipeline installations. This requires a large onshore facility (to store long strings of pipe) and
a highly skilled work force. Such a facility is known as a "pipe spooling base". Longer
strings are preferred because this reduces the number of times the reeling on process must be
stopped to allow another string of pipe to be welded on.
[0004] Unless the pipe reel is small enough that it can practically be shipped and loaded onto
the vessel, the reeled pipe lay vessel must transit to/from the pipe spooling base so as to
allow the pipe to be reeled up onto a reel installed on the vessel.
[0005] Once at the pipe spooling base, the pipe lay vessel must then stand by as the initial
pipe string is engaged on the reel, reeled up, the subsequent string welded on to the end of the
string previously reeled on to the reel, and the repeat of the welding and reeling on process
until such time as the reel is fully loaded with strings of pipe. Once loaded, the pipe lay
vessel must then transit to the pipeline installation site.
[0006] In order to expediently reel up pipe on the pipe lay vessel the pipe spooling base
facility must provide long stalks of pipe, thereby minimizing the amount of time spent
welding on strings of pipe.
[0007] The need for the reeled pipe lay vessel to transit to a distant pipe spool base, the high
fixed cost of establishing such a facility with a long pipe string storage capacity and die need
for the vessel to stand by during the reeling up of the pipe are the primary economic cost
drivers of reeled pipe lay installation for larger reeled pipelines. In order to decrease the
amount of reeled pipe lay vessel travel cost to/from the pipe spool base, additional fixed
operating cost must be incurred to build more pipe spooling bases closer to the pipeline
installation sites.
[0008] For smaller sized pipe (including coiled steel tubing which can be used in pipeline
service) smaller reels can be loaded with pipe onshore at a central reeling facility and the
smaller reels lifted and transported to a suitable location where they can be situated on a
suitable pipe lay vessel.
[0009] In such cases where small reels are used, under-roller machines used to support and
rotate the reel from the rim of the reel or a machine used to engage the reel axis on a reel
stand are used. The machines used to handle small reels of pipe can be mounted on any

suitably sized vessel of opportunity to allow that vessel to work as a reeled pipe lay vessel.
The reel handling machines used with such small reels are typical of machines used to
dispense coiled tubing during oil well down-hole tubing operations and the laying of flexible
pipelines. The foregoing allows smaller pipelines to be reeled at locations remote (such as a
single central location) from where the installation vessel may eventually be loaded with the
small reels. This removes the economic disadvantage of needing to take the installation
vessel to the point where the pipe is reeled up or establishing and operating multiple spool
bases.
[00010] For larger pipelines installed by the reeled pipe lay method, large reels are typically
installed permanently to vessels dedicated to reeled pipe lay installations. The installation of
the reels on these vessels is essentially permanent because the reel support structure must be
very robust to tolerate the dynamic loads acting on the reel due to movements of the vessel in
the seaway. These dedicated vessels must transit to and from distant reeling bases in order to
reel up pipe, or costly reeling facilities must be established to otherwise minimize the transit
distance sailed by the reeled pipe lay vessel.
[00011] The large reels must be installed on the reeled pipe lay vessel using substantial
bearings and drive systems to insure robust mechanical performance of the system during
reeling operations. These systems must precisely engage the reel to perform reliably. When
lifting large loaded reels of pipe onto the vessel these systems are at risk of damage due to
incidental contact and impact loads. Large reels loaded with pipe typically weigh 2,500 tons.
The present invention is directed to a reel capable of a loaded 3,000 ton weight. Impact
damage to the bearings and drive systems will result in mechanical problems and aborted
reeling operations corresponding to a great financial risk.
[00012] Because of the technical challenges related to lifting and landing large loaded reels on
to a reeled pipe lay vessel there has been little practical use of large lifted reels for reeled
pipeline installations.
[00013] As such, all of the dedicated reeled pipe lay vessels currently in service have reels
which are permanently installed on the vessel and the vessel must load pipe by reeling up
pipe from a reeling facility and the operators of these dedicated reeled pipe lay vessels have
established a multitude of pipe spooling bases around the world to support the vessels and

reduce vessel travel cost/time. Another disadvantage of vessels dedicated to laying of large
pipe is that the large drums required for large rigid pipe limits the versatility of these vessels
by limiting the capacity of flexible pipe or tubing that may be placed on reels with the larger
drums even though the flexible pipe or tubing has greater bending capability than steel pipe
and does not require the larger drum.
[00014] From the above, it is readily understood that there is a need for the ability to supply
reeled pipe onto a reel lay vessel that is more time and cost efficient than having the vessel
make multiple trips to pipe welding and spooling base and/or having multiple, expensive pipe
spooling bases around the world.
Summary of Invention
[00015] The present invention addresses the issues related to the lifting, landing, and
interchanging of large, heavy pipe reels on a dedicated reeled pipe laying vessel and provides
a reeled pipe storage reel with a large diameter hollow cylindrical shaft, reel shaft bearing
support structures installed on the vessel, and a reel drive arrangement mounted on the
vessel. The shaft across the width of the reel provides structural stiffness and consistent
alignment of the bearings on each end of the shaft. Each end of the shaft extends beyond the
reel and includes a section for connection to a lifting sling, a section for the machine bearing
surface, and a section for absorbing initial contact with the vessel during installation. The
reel shaft bearing support structures on the vessel include a fixed portion to match the
bearing area of the reel shaft and a movable portion to absorb initial contact during
installation of the reel. The reel drive arrangement is located on linkages so they can be
manipulated in the plane of the reel flange for movement into engagement with the drive gear
on the reel flange.
[00016] The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this disclosure. For a better
understanding of the present invention, and the operating advantages attained by its use,
reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter, forming a part of
mis disclosure, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

Brief Description of the Drawings
[00017] In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which
reference numerals shown in the drawings designate like or corresponding parts throughout
the same:
[00018] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view that illustrates the reel support general arrangement.
[00019] FIG. 2 is a partial elevation view rotated 90 degrees from FIG. 1 that illustrates the
reel support general arrangement.
[00020] FIG. 3 - 6 are detailed views that illustrate the operation of the reel support during
loading of a reel.
[00021] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view taken along lines 7-7 in FIG. 5.
[00022] FIG. 8-11 illustrate the drive arrangement for the reel.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
[00023] Fig. 1 is a side elevation view that generally illustrates the arrangement of the
invention. As seen in Fig. 1 - 4, the invention is generally comprised of a reeled pipe storage
reel 10 with a large diameter hollow, ring stiffened, cylindrical shaft 12, reel shaft bearing
support structures 14 installed on the vessel, reel shaft landing apparatus 16, and a reel drive
arrangement 50 (Fig. 8) installed on the vessel.
[00024] The general construction of pipe reels is known in the industry. As seen in Fig. 2, a
pipe reel 10 is generally comprised of a central cylindrical shaft 12, flanges 20, and a drum
22. The flanges 20 are received on and spaced apart near each end of the shaft 12. The drum
22 is rigidly attached between the flanges 20 and has a diameter sized to allow bending and
reeling of steel or flexible pipe onto the drum 22 between the flanges 20 without causing
buckling of the pipe. The large diameter hollow cylindrical shaft 12 spans the entire width of
the drum 22 to provide structural stiffness and provide consistent alignment of the bearings
24 fitted on each end of the shaft 12.
[00025] Each end of the shaft 12 extends beyond the flanges 20 (both sides of the reel 10). A
difference from pipe reels fixed on vessels is that each end of the axle 12 has three distinct
segments. The outermost segment 26 is designed for connection to a lifting sling or lift ring.
The middle segment 28 is designed to be received on the rotational bearings 30 of the bearing

support structures 14 installed on the vessel. The innermost segment 32 is located so as to be
received on the reel shaft landing apparatus 16 referenced above. The pipe storage reel 10
may be provided with a standardized drive gear around the rim on either or both of the reel
flanges 20.
[00026] The reel shaft bearing support structures 14 (Fig. 2) installed on the vessel support the
reel 10 when it is installed on the vessel for rotation and reeling out of pipe. Each bearing
support structure 14 contains two elements: one fixed portion and one portion that can be
actuated vertically.
[00027] As seen in Fig. 1 - 3, the fixed portion supports an open cup rotational bearing
surface 30 which has precisely machined tolerances to match the machined tolerance of the
bearing area of the reel shaft 12. The fixed portion also has a rigid structural steel vertical
guide 34 and an inclined steel guide 36 (Fig. 7), both guides preferably being clad with ultra-
high molecular weight polyethylene to reduce friction and point contact loads in the event of
any incidental contact when the reel 10 is being lowered on to the vessel.
[00028] As best seen in Fig. 3 - 7, the portion that can be actuated vertically (the reel shaft
landing apparatus 16) includes a bearing or landing cup 38, a foundation 40 of either springs
and/or elastomers, locking means 42 for selectively limiting vertical motion, and means 44
for selectively causing vertical motion. The bearing cup 38 is shaped and sized to receive the
innermost section 32 of shaft 12 with sufficient stiffness to eliminate the risk of high impact
loads between the vessel and the reel shaft 12 due to differences in relative vertical motion.
[00029] The landing cup 38 and its elastic foundation 40 (Fig. 3 and 7) are assembled in a
cartridge installed within the bearing support structure such that it can be actuated vertically
using vertical motion means 44, hydraulic pistons or jacks, so as to raise the support cup 38
above the fixed reel rotational bearing 30. This insures the reel shaft bearing cannot come
into contact with the fixed reel rotational bearing support when the reel 10 is being lowered
into the landing cups 38. The assembly of the landing cup inserted in the cartridge is
hereinafter known as the "reel soft landing device" (RSLD). The vertical travel distance of
the landing cup 38 within the RSLD will allow the reel shaft 12 to be supported nominally a
preselected short distance above its final engagement position with the cup rotational bearing
30. As seen in the drawings, the RSLD is preferably installed inboard of the cup rotational

bearing 30. When the RSLD is actuated upward and has lifted the shaft 12 clear of the
rotational bearing 30, the rotational bearing 30 is accessible for servicing and/or change out.
[00030] Fig. 3-6 illustrate the sequence during the installation of a reel. In Fig. 3 the reel 10
is lifted and supported at each end of the shaft 12 by a sling 46. In Fig. 4 and 5 the shaft 12 is
lowered into contact with and supported by the bearing cup 38. The foundation 40
compresses and absorbs impact and the weight of the loaded reel 10 while preventing contact
of the shaft 12 with the rotational bearing 30. In Fig. 6 the pin 48 of locking means 42 has
been retracted to allow the shaft 12 to continue movement into contact with the rotational
bearing 30.
[00031] Having the ability to remove and install a pipe reel means the reel drive equipment
must be capable of being disengaged from the reel during reel removal and installation
operations to prevent damage to both the reel and reel drive equipment. The invention
provides a retractable and self-aligning reel drive arrangement.
[00032] The reel drive arrangement 50, Fig. 8-11, includes at least one motor 52 mounted on
the vessel and to which a drive gear 54 is connected. The motor 52 is preferably located on
linkages 56 connected to the vessel such that they can be manipulated in the plane of the
flange 20 of the pipe reel 10 so as to move into engagement with the drive gear 54 on the
flange 20 of the pipe reel 10. During lifting or landing of the pipe reel 10, the motor 52 is
retracted from engagement with the reel drive gear. The linkages 56 are pinned universally
to the vessel in two axes: one axis being transversely perpendicular to the tangential
trajectory of the reel rim rotation and the other axis perpendicular relative to the axis of
rotation of the reel. The first axis 58 (rotation indication by arrows) allow the linkage to be
actuated into or away from engagement with the reel rim gear and the second axis 60
(rotation indicated by arrows) allows the linkage 56 to swing as needed to keep the drive gear
engaged in the reel rim gear even if the path of the reel rim gear is not in a perfect plane due
to global movement of the reel due to the tolerance required for a practical interchangeable
fit and movement due to the elastic deflection and practical tolerances of such a large gear on
such an interchangeable and pliable shell structure of a large reel.
[00033] Retraction of the reel drive arrangement 50 away from and toward the reel 10 during
lifting and/or landing is accomplished by selectively moving the drive motor 52 and gear 54

away from the normal point of engagement during pipe laying operations. Means 62 for
maintaining pressure of the drive gear 54 against the reel drive gear during pipe laying
operations is indicated schematically in Fig. 8 and 11 and may use springs or hydraulics.
[00034] The invention provides a number of advantages.
[00035] The invention allows a large reel of pipe to be safely lifted and landed in position or
removed from a dedicated reeled pipe lay vessel and reduces the risk of damage to the reel
bearing and reel drive arrangements installed on the reeled pipe lay vessel. This provides the
economic advantage of interchanging of reels on a reeled pipe lay vessel to be realized.
[00036] The invention allows more reels to be used interchangeably with more than one
reeled pipe lay vessel. This allows the following, which reduces certain operating economics
related to reeled pipe line installations:
[00037] * The reeling up of pipe on the reel without requiring the reeled pipe lay vessel to
stand by waiting for the reeling up process. This reduces the stand-by cost of the reeled pipe
lay vessel.
[00038] * Because stalk length is no longer a factor in causing standby of the reeled pipe lay
vessel during reeling up, pipe string stalks can be shorter. This allows a pipe spooling
facility to be established in a productive manner in a much smaller, less obtrusive, land
space.
[00039] * This allows an inventory of pipelines to be stored on one or more of the
interchangeable reels. This avoids the need to maintain a large storage area for strings of
pipe. This allows a pipe spooling facility to be established in a productive manner with a
much smaller land space.
[00040] * This allows an inventory of pipelines to be stored on one or more of the
interchangeable reels. These reels can then be shipped to a remote location closer to the
installation site and loaded one at a time onto the reeled pipe lay vessel. These remote
locations only need have sufficient lifting methods for loading and unloading the reels from
the reeled pipe lay vessel.
[00041] * The use of interchangeable reels allows reels of various reel drum diameters to be
constructed and employed on the vessel. The reel drum diameter determines the strain
incurred in the reeled pipe product. Allowing a vessel to use reels of various drum diameter

allows minimizing strain in the pipe product while still meeting pipe product payload needs.
This also increases the versatility of a vessel with the invention because the vessel is not
limited to laying only one type of pipe such as steel pipe or flexible pipe.
[00042] * The RSLD allows the maintenance/repair of the reel rotational bearing when the
reel is full loaded without the need of outside equipment. This will reduce mechanical
breakdown risk and maintenance cost in general.
[00043] While specific embodiments and/or details of the invention have been shown and
described above to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it is understood
that this invention may be embodied as more fully described in the claims, or as otherwise
known by those skilled in the art (including any and all equivalents), without departing from
such principles.

Claims
What is claimed as invention is:
1. An arrangement for lifting and landing a pipe reel on a reeled pipe lay vessel,
comprising:
a. a pipe reel with a central shaft that extends beyond both sides of the pipe reel;
b. a landing mechanism that absorbs the landing load of the pipe reel;
c. means for selective vertical motion of the landing mechanism during lifting or
landing of the pipe reel; and
d. a reel bearing support apparatus for supporting the pipe reel during pipe laying
operations.
2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said landing mechanism comprises:
a. a bearing cup sized to receive the shaft of the pipe reel;
b. a foundation attached to the bearing cup and designed to absorb the landing load
of the pipe reel;
c. releasable locking means attached to the foundation for selectively limiting the
vertical motion of the bearing cup, foundation, and pipe reel; and
d. means for selectively moving the bearing cup, foundation, and reel vertically.
3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the foundation is comprised of elastomers.
4. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the means for selectively moving the
foundation, bearing cup, and reel vertically comprise at least one jack.
5. An arrangement for lifting and landing a pipe reel on a reeled pipe lay vessel,
comprising:
a. a pipe reel with a central shaft that extends beyond both sides of the pipe reel;
b. a landing mechanism that absorbs the landing load of the pipe reel, comprising
i. a bearing cup sized to receive the shaft of the pipe reel;
ii. a foundation attached to the bearing cup and having elastomers designed
to absorb the landing load of the pipe reel;
iii. releasable locking means attached to the foundation for selectively
limiting the vertical motion of the bearing cup, foundation, and pipe reel;
and

iv. means for selectively moving the bearing cup, foundation, and reel
vertically;
c. means for selective vertical motion of the landing mechanism during lifting or
landing of the pipe reel; and
d. a reel bearing support apparatus for supporting the pipe reel during pipe laying
operations.
6. The arrangement of claim 5, wherein the means for selectively moving the
foundation, bearing cup, and reel vertically comprise at least one jack.
7. An arrangement for lifting and landing a pipe reel on a reeled pipe lay vessel,
comprising:
a. a pipe reel with a central shaft that extends beyond both sides of the pipe reel;
b. a landing mechanism that absorbs the landing load of the pipe reel, comprising;
i. a bearing cup sized to receive the shaft of the pipe reel;
ii. a foundation attached to the bearing cup and having elastomers designed
to absorb the landing load of the pipe reel;
iii. releasable locking means attached to the foundation for selectively
limiting the vertical motion of the bearing cup, foundation, and pipe reel;
and
iv. means for selectively moving the bearing cup, foundation, and reel
vertically;
c. means for selective vertical motion of the landing mechanism during lifting or
landing of the pipe reel;
d. a reel bearing support apparatus for supporting the pipe reel during pipe laying
operations; and
e. a reel drive mechanism selectively retractable during lifting and landing operation
of a pipe reel.

A reeled pipe storage reel with a large diameter hollow cylindrical shaft, reel shaft bearing
support structures installed on the vessel, and a reel drive arrangement mounted on the vessel. The
shaft across the width of the reel provides structural stiffness and consistent alignment of the
bearings on each end of the shaft. Each end of the shaft extends beyond the reel and includes a
section for connection to a lifting sling, a section for the machine bearing surface, and a section for
absorbing initial contact with the vessel during installation. The reel shaft bearing support structures
on the vessel include a fixed portion to match the bearing area of the reel shaft and a movable
portion to absorb initial contact during installation of the reel. The reel drive arrangement is located
on linkages so they can be manipulated in the plane of the reel flange for movement into engagement
with the drive gear on the reel flange.