A LARGE-DIAMETER UNDERWATER PIPELINE ADAPTED TO BE LAUNCHED FROM THE MAINLAND INTO THE BED OF A WATER BODY

摘要

The method of laying an underwater pipeline which is assembled in sections at the shoreline and conveyed from the shoreline along the bottom of a waterway, said pipeline being divided by separation means into a plurality of cylindrical sections provided with regulating means for selectively introducing thereto or removing therefrom ballast water or compressed air, which comprises flooding at least a portion of the cylindrical sections in sequence as they are introduced into the waterway in order to achieve a desired residual weight, maintaining said desired residual weight by introducing compressed air into said cylindrical sections to displace excess ballast water contained therein, and continuing the layering of the pipeline along the bottom of the waterway by selectively supplying or discharging ballast water or compressed air to the cylindrical sections, and completely flooding the pipeline to complete its positioning at the bottom of the waterway and removing the cylindrical sections and the compressed air and ballast introducing and removing means from the pipeline.