The Offshore Company

Porter Russell Edling

Gerhard Helmut Reusswig

Joseph T Shelton

Floyd Tim Pease

Glenn D Wickline, Deceased

Kenneth L Yoast

Robert K Jefferies

A bottom-supported vessel from which subaqueous operations may be performed. The vessel includes a platform and a mat, both of which are configured to permit the platform to nest within the mat while the vessel is floating. The mat is submersible and is adapted to be buried into the soil beneath the ocean floor to provide support for the platform. Legs extend from the mat to the platform and support the platform when the mat is buried. A method of placing a bottom-supported vessel in position for performing subaqueous operations.

Bottom-supported vessel for performing subaqueous operations and method

An improved platform for performing subaqueous operations in ice conditions. A substructure on the platform supports the equipment for performing the subaqueous operation and straddles an aperture through the platform. Means are secured to the underside of the substructure for presenting a relatively low coefficient of friction or low lateral resistance between the underside of the substructure and the face of the platform. Locomotion means are associated with substructure for moving the substructure laterally over the face of the platform relative to the aperture whereby the equipment for performing the subaqueous operations may remain over the wellhead in spite of certain magnitudes of lateral movement of the platform responsive to the ice conditions.

Method and apparatus for conducting subaqueous operations in ice

A system for emergency release of a ship from its mooring cables is disclosed wherein pressurized actuating fluid stored in accumulators may be selectively released to actuate fluid powered cutters to sever the mooring cables. In its preferred form the system includes fire inerting apparatus adapted to operate in conjunction with the cable cutters to provide a fire inert atmosphere and thereby eliminate the possibility of fire or explosion resulting from sparks generated during the cutting operation. The system is remote controlled and operates on a power source independent from the ship's normal power. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which of course is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

Emergency mooring release

A multi-passage ball joint assembly for connecting a riser or similar pipe to a well pipe therebelow and adapted primarily for use in underwater installations. The ball member of the joint assembly has a main longitudinal bore or passage through which well operations may be conducted and additionally is formed with at least one other passage for conducting fluid therethrough. The housing of the joint assembly includes passageways which are in communication with the bore and passages extending through the ball member in all positions of said ball member relative to the housing whereby fluid may be conducted downwardly through the ball joint for actuating devices therebelow or for other purposes. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application which, of course, is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Porter Russell Edling