Outer pipe sleeve for a sea floor mooring pile

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an improved system and method for increasing an anchoring force on a pile. The concepts regarding the pile can apply whether the pile is degraded and no longer able to support its intended load, or a load on the pile has increased to a level that may overstress the pile. A sleeve can be installed even in subsea conditions over the pile and can be used to provide an additional securing force to the existing pile. The sleeve may include its own padeye for coupling an anchor line or other coupling member to a structure to be secured. The sleeve may also include an assembly of rings coupled together with at least one longitudinal member. The assembly with the rings spaced a distance away from each other may help reduce an installation friction on the sleeve, as it is installed into the sea floor.

1 . A method for rehabilitating a pile installed, or partially installed into a sea floor, comprising:
 positioning a pile sleeve having a padeye;   allowing the pile sleeve to be lowered over the pile; and   securing the sleeve to the pile.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pile comprises a padeye and further comprising:
 aligning the sleeve padeye with the pile padeye prior to installing the sleeve over the pile; and   maintaining alignment as the sleeve is lowered over the pile.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein maintaining alignment as the sleeve is lowered over the pile comprises guiding the sleeve into the sea floor with at least one longitudinal member extending outward from the sleeve. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pile is installed or partially installed into a sea floor prior to installing the sleeve over the pile. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising installing the sleeve over the pile prior to installing the pile at least partially into the sea floor. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 investigating a condition of an existing pile installed or partially installed in the sea floor;   determining a degraded condition; and   installing the sleeve over the pile based on determining the degraded condition.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 installing a supplemental pile; and   coupling the supplemental pile to the sleeve at a non-zero angle relative to the coupling member between the structure and the sleeve padeye.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 installing an anchoring member; and   coupling the anchoring member to the sleeve at a non-zero angle relative to the coupling member between the structure and the sleeve padeye.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising locking the sleeve to the pile. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pile comprises a suction pile. 
   
   
       11 . A rehabilitation system for a subsea pile, the pile to be adapted being installed or partially installed into a sea floor, the system comprising:
 a sleeve having a outer shell forming an interior volume and at least partially open on a bottom of the sleeve;   a padeye coupled to the sleeve, the padeye having a section of material coupled to the sleeve with an opening disposed through the material; and   the sleeve being adapted to be inserted over a pile.   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the sleeve comprises an assembly of at least two rings coupled together with at least one longitudinal member, the rings being spaced apart from each other. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the longitudinal member extends outward from the rings and is adapted to guide the sleeve in rotational alignment to the existing pile. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising one or more intermediate rings coupled between the two rings and longitudinally spaced apart from each of the two rings. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the sleeve comprises at least two longitudinal members spaced about a periphery of the rings. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the sleeve comprises an extended padeye having an opening extending radially from an inner portion of the ring, the opening sized to extend around an existing padeye on the existing pile. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the sleeve comprises a top being at least partially open, the top comprising a locking system adapted to couple the sleeve to the pile. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one secondary padeye disposed on the sleeve and rotationally located at a non-zero angle relative to the padeye of the sleeve. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the secondary padeye is coupled to an anchor, a supplemental pile, or a combination thereof  20 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a supplemental pile coupled to the sleeve.