Protector assembly for flexible pipe coils and method of using same

Abstract

A system includes a coil contacting base. The coil contacting base includes a radially curved outer surface with a radius of curvature less than or equal to a coil radius of curvature of an interior channel of a coil of spoolable pipe, and the coil contacting base includes a length greater than or equal to an axial dimension of the coil. The system also includes a side wall coupled to an inner surface of the coil contacting base. The side wall is configured to block circumferential movement of a coil restraint. The system also includes a passage disposed between the coil contacting base and the side wall. The coil restraint is configured to be disposed in the passage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a coil protector, comprising:
 forming a coil contacting base that has:
 a length that is greater than or equal to an axial dimension of a coil of spoolable pipe to be secured using the coil protector; and 
 a radially curved outer surface with a radius of curvature that is less than or equal to a coil radius of curvature of an interior channel of the coil of spoolable pipe; 
   implementing a first side wall such that the first side wall is coupled to a first edge of an inner surface of the coil contacting base; and   implementing a second side wall such that the second side wall is coupled to a second edge of the inner surface of the coil contacting base opposite the first side wall to define a passage along the inner surface of the coil contacting base that enables a coil restraint to be disposed in the coil protector such that the coil restraint directly abuts the inner surface of the coil contacting base to facilitate securing the coil of spoolable pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 forming the coil contacting base comprises forming the coil contacting base out of metal;   implementing the first side wall comprises forming the first side wall out of metal; and   implementing the second side wall comprises forming the second side wall out of metal.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 implementing the first side wall comprises welding, brazing, bonding, bolting, or screwing the first side wall to the coil contacting base; and   implementing the second side wall comprises welding, brazing, bonding, bolting, or screwing the second side wall to the coil contacting base.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 implementing the first side wall comprises bending first material integrated with a first side of the coil contacting base; and   implementing the second side wall comprises bending second material integrated with a second side of the coil contacting base opposite the first side.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising forming a first hole through the first side wall and forming a second hole through the second side wall to enable a wire to be inserted through the first hole, the coil restraint, and the second hole to block movement of the coil restraint. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising securing a handle to the inner surface of the coil contacting base to facilitate lifting or handling the coil protector. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising securing a beam along the inner surface of the coil contacting base to facilitate increasing stiffness of the coil protector. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the coil contacting base, the first side wall, and the second side wall are made from a first type of material; and   the beam is made from a second type of material different from the first type of material.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising implementing another coil contacting base such that the other coil contacting base is coupled to the first side wall and the second side wall to define the passage between the coil contacting base, the first side wall, the second side wall, and the other coil contacting base. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein implementing the other coil contacting base comprises forming the other coil contacting base such that the other coil contacting base has:
 another length that is greater than or equal to the axial dimension of the coil of spoolable pipe to be secured using the coil protector; and   another radially curved outer surface with another radius of curvature that is less than or equal to the coil radius of curvature of the interior channel of the coil of spoolable pipe.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising forming a hole through the coil contacting base to enable the coil restraint to be inserted into the passage via the hole. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising securing a ring to an end of the coil contacting base to enable the coil restraint to be inserted into the passage via an opening in the ring. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising securing a rod to the inner surface of the coil contacting base to enable the coil restraint to be looped around the rod to facilitate blocking movement of the coil restraint relative to the coil protector. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising securing a side protector to an end of the coil contacting base to facilitate blocking the coil restraint from contacting a circular base of the coil of spoolable pipe. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising securing another side protector to an opposite end of the coil contacting base to facilitate blocking the coil restraint from contacting an opposite circular base of the coil of spoolable pipe. 
     
     
         16 . A coil protector, comprising
 a coil contacting base, wherein:   the coil contacting base comprises a radially curved outer surface with a radius of curvature that is less than or equal to a coil radius of curvature of an interior channel of a coil of spoolable pipe to be secured using the coil protector; and   a length of the coil contacting base is greater than or equal to an axial dimension of the coil of spoolable pipe;   
       a first side wall coupled to a first edge of an inner surface of the coil contacting base; and 
       a second side wall coupled to a second edge of the inner surface of the coil contacting base opposite the first side wall to define a passage along the inner surface of the coil contacting base, wherein the passage is configured to enable a coil restraint to be disposed in the coil protector to facilitate securing the radially curved outer surface of the coil contacting base directly against the coil of spoolable pipe. 
     
     
         17 . The coil protector of  claim 16 , wherein the radially curved outer surface of the coil contacting base is configured to be secured directly against the coil of spoolable pipe when the coil restraint is secured such that the coil restraint directly abuts the inner surface of the coil contacting base. 
     
     
         18 . The coil protector of  claim 16 , comprising:
 a first side protector coupled to a first end of the coil contacting base, wherein the first side protector is configured to block the coil restraint from contacting a first circular base of the coil of spoolable pipe; and   a second side protector coupled to a second end of the coil contacting base, wherein the second side protector is configured to block the coil restraint from contacting a second circular base of the coil of spoolable pipe.   
     
     
         19 . A method of securing a coil of spoolable pipe on a transportation carrier, comprising:
 inserting a coil protector into an interior channel of the coil of spoolable pipe, wherein the coil protector comprises a coil contacting base that has a radially curved outer surface with a radius of curvature that is less than or equal to a coil radius of curvature of the interior channel of the coil of spoolable pipe;   disposing a coil restraint within a passage of the coil protector that is defined between the coil contacting base, a first side wall coupled to a first edge of an inner surface of the coil contacting base, and a second side wall coupled to a second edge of the inner surface of the coil contacting base; and   securing the coil restraint to the transportation carrier such that the coil restraint directly abuts the inner surface of the coil contacting base to facilitate securing the radially curved outer surface of the coil contacting base directly against the coil of spoolable pipe.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising:
 disposing a pipe coil skid on the transportation carrier; and   disposing the coil of spoolable pipe on the pipe coil skid in an upright orientation.