Hydraulic and earth engineering – Marine structure or fabrication thereof – Floatable to site and supported by marine floor
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-13
2004-04-13
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3671)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Marine structure or fabrication thereof
Floatable to site and supported by marine floor
C405S200000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06719495
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable
REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX”
Not applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of installing a floating marine platform in a deep water environment (over 1500 feet of water). More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel method of installing a marine platform using multiple buoys that support a platform, wherein articulating connections form an interface between the platform and the buoys. In an alternate method, the multiple buoys can be used as part of an installation method to place the marine platform upon a single spar support. The method and apparatus enable transport of the assembled barge, platform and buoys from a shallow water location to a deep water location.
2. General Background of the Invention
Many types of marine platforms have been designed, patented, and/or used commercially. Marine platforms typically take the form of either fixed platforms that include a large underwater support structure or “jacket” or a floating platform having a submersible support. Sometimes these platforms are called semi-submersible rigs.
Jack-up barges are another type of,platform that can be used in an offshore marine environment for drilling/production. Jack-up barges have a barge with long legs that can be powered up for travel and powered down to elevate the barge above the water.
Other types of platforms for deep water (1500 feet or deeper) have been patented. The September 2000 issue of Offshore Magazine shows many floating offshore platforms for use in deep water drilling and/or production. Some of the following patents relate to offshore platforms, some of which are buoy type offshore platforms, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Other patents have issued that relate in general to floating structures, and include some patents disclosing structures that would not be suitable for use in oil and gas well drilling and/or production.
ISSUE
PATENT #
DATE
TITLE
2,952,234
09/13/60
Sectional Floating Marine Platform
3,540,396
11/17/70
Offshore Well Apparatus and System
3,982,492
09/1976
Floating Structure
4,286,538
09/01/81
Multipurpose Floating Structure
4,297,965
11/03/81
Tension leg Structure for Tension Leg
Platform
4,620,820
11/04/86
Tension Leg Platform Anchoring Method
and Apparatus
5,197,825
03/30/93
Tendon for Anchoring a Semisubmersible
Platform
5,423,632
06/13/95
Compliant Platform With Slide
Connection Docking to Auxiliary Vessel
5,439,060
08/08/95
Tensioned Riser Deepwater Tower
5,558,467
09/24/96
Deep Water offshore Apparatus
5,706,897
01/13/98
Drilling, Production, Test, and Oil
Storage Caisson
5,722,797
03/03/98
Floating Caisson for Offshore
Production and Drilling
5,799,603
09/01/98
Shock-Absorbing System for Floating
Platform
5,873,416
02/23/99
Drilling, Production, Test, and Oil
Storage Caisson
5,931,602
08/03/99
Device for Oil Production at Great
Depths at Sea
5,924,822
07/20/99
Method for Deck Installation on an
Offshore Substructure
6,012,873
01/11/00
Buoyant Leg Platform With Retractable
Gravity Base and Method of Anchoring
and Relocating the Same
6,027,286
02/22/00
Offshore Spar Production System and
Method for Creating a Controlled Tilt
of the Caisson Axis
GB 2 092 664
Ball-and-Socket Coupling for Use in
Anchorage of Floating Bodies
One of the problems with single floater type marine platform constructions is that the single floater must be enormous, and thus very expensive to manufacture, transport, and install. In a marine environment, such a structure must support an oil and gas well drilling rig or production platform weighing between 5,000 and 40,000 tons, for example (or even a package of between 500-100,000 tons).
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved offshore marine platform (and method of installation) that can be used for drilling for oil and/or gas or in the production of oil and gas from an offshore environment. Such drilling and/or production facilities typically weigh between 500-100,000 tons, more commonly between 3,000-50,000 tons.
The apparatus of the present invention thus provides a marine platform that is comprised of a plurality of spaced apart buoys and a superstructure having a periphery that includes a plurality of attachment positions, one attachment position for each buoy. An articulating connection joins each buoy to the platform superstructure.
Each of the buoys will move due to current and/or wind and/or wave action or due to other dynamic marine environmental factors. “Articulating connection” as used herein should be understood to mean any connection or joint that connects a buoy to the superstructure, transmits axial and shear forces, and allows the support buoy(s) to move relative to the superstructure without separation, and wherein the bending moment transferred to the superstructure from one of the so connected buoys or from multiple of the so connected buoys is reduced, minimized or substantially eliminated. “Articulating connection” is a joint movably connecting a buoy to a superstructure wherein axial and tangential forces are substantially transmitted, however, transfer of bending moment is substantially reduced or minimized through the joint allowing relative movement between the buoy and the superstructure.
An articulating connection connects each buoy to the platform at a respective attachment position, the connection allowing for sea state induced buoy motions while minimizing effects on the platform.
The apparatus of the present invention provides a marine platform that further comprises a mooring extending from a plurality of the buoys for holding the platform and buoys to a desired location.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a marine-platform wherein each of the articulating connections includes corresponding concave and convex engaging portions. In another embodiment, a universal type joint is disclosed.
In another embodiment a marine platform has buoys with convex articulating portions and the platform has correspondingly shaped concave articulating portions.
In a preferred embodiment, each buoy can be provided with a concave articulating portion and the platform with a corresponding convex articulating portion that engages a buoy.
In a preferred embodiment, each buoy has a height and a diameter. In a preferred embodiment, the height is much greater than the diameter for each of the buoys.
In the preferred embodiment, each buoy is preferably between about 25 and 100 feet in diameter.
The apparatus of the present invention preferably provides a plurality of buoys, wherein each buoy is between about 100 and 500 feet in height.
The buoys can be of a generally uniform diameter along a majority of the buoy. However, each buoy can have a variable diameter in an alternate embodiment.
In a preferred embodiment, each buoy is generally cylindrically shaped. However, each buoy can be provided with simply an upper end portion that is generally cylindrically shaped.
In a preferred embodiment, there are at least three buoys and at least three attachment positions, preferably four buoys and four attachment positions.
In a preferred embodiment, each articulated connection is preferably hemispherically shaped for the upper end portion of each buoy and there is a correspondingly concavely shaped receptacle on the platform that fits the surface of each hemispherically shaped upper end portion.
In a preferred embodiment, the platform is comprised of a trussed deck. The trussed deck preferably has lower horizontal members, upper horizontal members and a plurality of inclined members spanning between the upper and lower horizontal members, and wherein the attachment positions are next to the lower horizontal member.
In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus supports an oil and gas well drilling and/or production platform weighing between 500 and 100,000 tons, more particularly, weighing between 3,000 tons and 50,000.
The apparatus of the present invention uses articulating connections b
Addie Raymond W
Garvey, Jr. Charles C.
Garvey, Smith, Nehrbass & Doody, L.L.C.
Will Thomas B.
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