Hydraulic and earth engineering – Marine structure or fabrication thereof – With anchoring of structure to marine floor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-21
2001-10-23
Bagnell, David (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Marine structure or fabrication thereof
With anchoring of structure to marine floor
C405S008000, C405S200000, C405S205000, C405S207000, C114S265000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305881
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for stabilizing barges used for drilling for undersea oil. More specifically, the invention is directed to stabilizing such barges despite a variety of harsh environmental conditions.
2. Related Art
In the field of continental shelf oil drilling, various techniques have been employed to attempt to stabilize oil drilling platforms. However, conventional stabilization systems have not efficiently dealt with extreme conditions, such as soft sea bottoms, earthquake survivability, high winds, ice flows, and substantial differences between high tide and low tide. The damage to or loss of a drilling platform is extremely costly in both monetary and human terms. With the ongoing depletion of fossil fuel reserves in readily-accessible and friendlier environments, there is a growing need to provide systems and methods for stabilizing and protecting oil drilling platforms, despite extreme environmental conditions.
The invention described hereinafter fulfills this need. Conventional arrangements are not believed to disclose the combination of features, or provide the advantages, that are provided by the invention. U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,806 and Re. 30,823 (Guy et al.) disclose pumping water out of tubes so that workers can weld parts of a leg together (see FIG. 13 and bottom half of column 6 of the text). FIGS. 100-102 and the text bridging columns 33 and 34 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,180 (Sumner) disclose how water is forced out of a chamber using forced air, to allow a worker to apply sealant between a piling 185 and a lower guide member 186. More generally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,720 (Ostgaard) and Ostgaard shows the general concept of welding sections of legs together. U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,282 (Pardue, Sr. et aL) discloses a system of driving a pile that involves forcing compressed air into a hollow pile that has already penetrated the marine floor, and then venting the air to allow resulting hydrostatic pressure to further drive the pile.
Despite these disparate teachings, no conventional arrangement is believed to provide a practical, comprehensive system and method of stabilizing an oil drilling platform in a variety of hostile environmental conditions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The inventive oil drilling barge stabilization system and method provide that an array of piles is formed in the sea bed to a depth beneath the sea bed that finds solid support. A barge is towed into position over the array of piles, and the barge is partially flooded with ballast to lower it in the water so that a set of cylindrical tubes is positioned to surround top ends of at least some of the piles. Air is then forced into the tubes to force the water out the bottom of the tubes, to create a dry environment for workers. Workers weld the tubes to the piles. The air pressure is removed from the interior of the tubes so that water may again flood the bottom of the tubes.
The joints between the tubes and piles secure the barge to the array of piles, even in the face of varying tides, currents, and ice flow conditions. The barge may be used to support oil rigs and a variety of other support facilities.
When work at a given site is complete, air may be forced into the tubes again to force the water out so that welders can disconnect the joints between the tubes and the piles. Disconnecting the joints allows the barge to rise in the water, permitting the barge to be towed to a different location.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of this specification including the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 30823 (1981-12-01), Guy et al.
patent: 3001370 (1961-09-01), Templeton
patent: 3593529 (1971-07-01), Smulders
patent: 3605669 (1971-09-01), Yu
patent: 3859806 (1975-01-01), Guy et al.
patent: 3872679 (1975-03-01), Fischer
patent: 3874180 (1975-04-01), Sumner
patent: 4069680 (1978-01-01), Erler
patent: 4257720 (1981-03-01), Ostgaard
patent: 4417664 (1983-11-01), Gordon
patent: 4456404 (1984-06-01), Evans
patent: 4575282 (1986-03-01), Pardue, Sr. et al.
patent: 4611953 (1986-09-01), Owens
patent: 4907912 (1990-03-01), Smith
patent: 4973200 (1990-11-01), Kaldenbach
patent: 5219451 (1993-06-01), Datta et al.
patent: 5241572 (1993-08-01), Matthews
patent: 5522680 (1996-06-01), Hoss et al.
patent: 5855455 (1999-01-01), Williford et al.
Bagnell David
Herman J. Schellstede & Associates, Inc.
Jacobson & Holman PLLC
Mayo Tara L.
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