Patent 7722294 was granted and assigned to Heerema Marine Contractors on May, 2010 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The present invention relates to a method for laying a pipeline using a vessel (1) comprising a crane (2) comprising the following steps lifting a new pipe section (8) using the crane, placing a new pipe section on an existing pipeline (9), lining up the new pipe section with respect to the existing pipeline, welding the new section to the existing section, lowering the joined new section and the existing pipe, supporting the joined new section so that the crane is free to lift another new section. The invention further relates to a pipe-laying vessel for carrying out such method.