Hydraulic and earth engineering – Marine structure or fabrication thereof – With anchoring of structure to marine floor
Patent
1986-03-03
1987-09-22
Taylor, Dennis L.
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Marine structure or fabrication thereof
With anchoring of structure to marine floor
405195, 405203, E02B 1700, E02D 574
Patent
active
046951962
ABSTRACT:
The Removable Bottom Founded Structure (RBFS) is an offshore platform for petroleum drilling and producing operations intended for deployment in waters with severe weather and iceberg conditions. The structure is normally held down by gravity, but during the deballasting procedure a hold-down system is employed to keep the platform on the subbase until site evacuation. The system that is used to hold the platform down onto the subbase is located where the platform meets the subbase. It operates on the principle of hydrostatics. On the underside of the columns there are multiple chambers which may be evacuated by pumping and which are vented to the outside atmosphere. Inflatable seals that define these chambers are positively engaged by this evacuation to create a fluid-tight seal so that no seawater will enter the evacuated chambers. The reduction of the buoyancy forces will hold the platform onto the subbase until such time as the platform is totally deballasted. Once that has occurred, the hydrostatic hold-down system is disengaged and the platform will quickly rise to the surface.
The structure is normally held down by gravity, but during the deballasting procedure a hold-down system is employed to keep the platform on the subbase until site evacuation. The system that is used to hold the structure down onto the base is located in the underside of the column and operates on the principle of hydrostatics. There are multiple chambers which may be evacuated by pumping and then vented to the outside atmosphere. Flexible seals within these chambers are positively engaged by water at a pressure that is greater than the atmospheric pressure within the evacuated chambers. This will hold the platform onto the subbase until such time as the platform is totally deballasted. Once that has occurred, the hydrostatic hold-down system is disengaged and the platform quickly rises to the surface.
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Chevron Research Company
Keeling E. J.
McGarrigle P. L.
Norviel V. A.
Taylor Dennis L.
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