The Rough Guide to Gas

How do you lay pipes underwater?

Sidney SeagullpipeNOTCLEAREDHow would you lay pipes on the sea bed? If it was your job, maybe you could ride to work on a sea-horse!

The pipes are about 1m wide and are made of steel. They are quite heavy, but even so they would float when full of gas; just like a boat floats because the inside is full of air.

Preparing pipes

The pipes are made in 20m lengths. The inside has a protective coating added, and the outside is covered in concrete to make the pipe very heavy. This stops it from floating.

Laying pipes

NOTCLEAREDThe pipes are loaded onto a specially designed ship. The lengths of pipe are joined together on the moving ship, gradually making one long pipe which is fed into the sea. It is guided into the water by a 'stinger'. Although they are thick, metal pipes, they bend as they go under the water; this doesn't break them though!

Checking pipes

It is important to check the pipe is settled properly on the seabed. This is often done using another ship following behind. Sometimes the pipe is covered in gravel, or laid in a trench.

Now see if you get the picture...