A method for laying a pipeline on the sea bed from a lay barge in order to achieve
controlled thermal expansion, comprises the following steps: Feeding out of the
pipeline having a radius of initial residual curvature from a pipeline reel, preferably
via a stinger to a curvature device where a radius of reversal curvature is applied
to the opposite side of the pipeline with respect to the radius of initial residual
curvature when the pipelines is passing through the curvature device. The curvature
device straightens out the pipeline to longer, mainly straight portions with length
having a radius of residual curvature which is larger than a desire minimum radius
of residual curvature. The curvature device exposes shorter portions of the pipeline
with a length for a radius of counter curvature forming the thermal expansion loops
having a radius of residual curvature which is less than a desired maximum radius
of residual curvature for the thermal expansion loops. The result is controlled
pipe deflection under thermal expansion of the pipeline in operation position on
the seabed and under operational loads, in that the deflection of the pipeline
may appear in the thermal expansion loops of the pipeline.
