Offshore Pipeline Installation Laying pipe on the seafloor can pose a number of challenges, especially if the w ater is deep.

There are three main ways that subsea pipe is laid -- S-lay, J-lay and tow-in -- and the pipelay vessel is integral to the success of the installa tion. Buoyancy affects the pipelay process, both in positive and negative ways. In the water, the pipe weighs less if it is filled with air, which puts less stress on the pipelay barge. But once in place on the sea bed, the pipe requires a downwa rd force to remain in place. This can be provided by the weight of the oil passi ng through the pipeline, but gas does not weigh enough to keep the pipe from dri fting across the seafloor. In shallow-water scenarios, concrete is poured over t he pipe to keep it in place, while in deepwater situations, the amount of insula tion and the thickness required to ward of hydrostatic pressure is usually enoug h to keep the line in place.