David Glenn Riggs, 65Mc Caulley, TX

7373986, May 20, 2008

Oct 4, 2005

11/243128

Jack Pollack - Houston TX, US
David C. Riggs - Coppell TX, US

Single Buoy Moorings, Inc.

E21B 29/12

166359, 166367, 166345, 4052242

A riser connector connects the upper portion of a riser () having a latching enlargement () to a receptacle () on a vessel (), so the riser upper end () can connect to a fluid coupling () leading to a conduit () on the vessel. A double-click mechanism (), with parts on the enlargement and on the receptacle, turns a load ring on the enlargement to latch the enlargement in place when it is lifted to an upper position and lowered to a latched position, and releases it by again lifting and lowering. A cable coupling () is temporarily mounted on the top of the riser to enable the riser to be lifted by a cable (), the cable coupling being later removed to connect the riser upper end to the fluid coupling on the vessel.

7744312, Jun 29, 2010

Nov 10, 2006

11/595707

Jack Pollack - Houston TX, US
David C. Riggs - Coppell TX, US

Single Buoy Moorings, Inc.

F16L 1/12
E21B 17/01

405170, 405169, 4052242, 166367

A pipe string () is pulled out by a tug boat () from a floating structure () such as a production vessel, as pipe sections () are connected in series on the vessel, to eventually lay the pipe string in a catenary curve from the vessel to the sea floor and then along the sea floor to a distant subsea well head (). To save time and cost in coupling the pipe sections, lower fatigue resistant pipe couplings, such as non weld-on couplings () that include a threaded sleeve (), are used to connect pipe sections that will lie in a quiescent zone such as on the sea floor (zone Az), and in a zone (Cz) lying along the middle of the catenary curve. Higher fatigue resistant pipe couplings such as weld-on couplings () are used along active zones such as top and bottom zones (Dz, Bz) of the catenary curve.

8366352, Feb 5, 2013

Feb 13, 2008

12/527073

Jack Pollack - Monte-Carlo, MC
Denis Patrick Riordan - Houston TX, US
David C. Riggs - Coppell TX, US

SBM Atlantia, Inc. - Houston TX

F16L 1/15
F16L 1/235
B66F 11/00

405170, 405166, 4147452

A system usable with a pipe laying vessel, includes a support frame, such as a deck frame of the vessel, and a loader arm which is movable between a loading position and an upright position. The loader arm is provided with a pipe section manipulation system. A first clamping member is provided having a substantially fixed position with respect to the support frame. The first clamping member is operable between a clamped position for supporting the weight of the pipeline, and a released position for allowing the pipeline to be lowered. A second clamping member is movable between an upper position and a lower position. The second clamping member is operable between a clamped position for supporting the weight of the pipeline during movement from the upper position to the lower position, and a released position for moving the second clamping member from the lower position to the upper position.

2006020, Sep 14, 2006

Feb 13, 2006

11/352595

Jack Pllack - Houston TX, US
David Riggs - Coppell TX, US
Feng Guo - Spring TX, US

G01F 1/42
G05D 7/01

138044000, 138045000, 138046000

A method for installing risers so they extend from a FPU (floating production unit) to multiple subsea hydrocarbon wells of an oil field, which avoids damage to the pipe sections and that is economical. As pipe sections are connected to a near end () of a pipe string portion (B-D) that lies at the FPU, a tug boat () pulls the far end () of the pipe string toward a well head. Initially, a long pull line () extends from a winch () on the tug boat, in a double catenary curve to the far end of the pipe string. The winch is operated to shorten the pull line until the pipe string extends in a double catenary curve (). Tension in the pipe string is maintained at a proper level during installation by maintaining the near end portion of the pipe string so it extends at a near end angle () to the vertical that continually lies within a predetermined range, such as from 3 to 12.

2011022, Sep 22, 2011

Jan 25, 2011

13/013739

Jack Pollack - Houston TX, US
David C. Riggs - Coppell TX, US

F16L 15/04
F16L 15/06
F16L 15/08
B23P 17/04

285355, 285390, 29428

In a pipe joint where two pipe sections () have threadably engaged end portions (), joint ends () are substantially sealed to each other by a sealing surface () on one pipe section that substantially abuts a sealing surface () on the other pipe section. In one joint, a ring-shaped cutout ( FIG. ) is formed in a first pipe section and a ring-shaped spacer () is located in the cutout. The spacer is chosen from several that have slightly different lengths so the spacer end contacts the corresponding sealing surface (). In a pipe string used to carry corrosive fluid, the inner surface () of adjacent pipe sections is covered with a corrosion resistant coating (). Where the sealing surface is connected to a rounded corner (), the coating extends to and along the sealing surfaces (). Where there are sharp corners () at the intersection of the inside surface () with the sealing surface (B, B), the coating does not extend along the sealing surfaces.