Shell Oil Comapny

University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated

Robert W Patterson

Vitold R Kruka

Ray R Ayers

Thomas L Stewart

Edward R Cadena, Jr

William H Petersen

Joe H Haws

Robert Wing-Yu Chin

Wayne F Simpson

Gale E Nevill, Jr

A tensioning riser system for supporting marine elements such as risers which extend form a fixed lower end at a subsea base or foundation to a moving, floating superstructure. The tensioning system has a lever arm pivotally connected to both the superstructure and the upper end of the marine element and a tension controlling strut member pivotally connected to both the superstructure and the lever arm.

Rocker arm marine tensioning system

A subsea pipeline leak is located by: (1) introducing sonic energy into the line; (2) deploying an array of hydrophones in the vicinity of the line; (3) knowing the orientation of the array; processing the signals from the array so as to identify the location of the sonic anomaly at the pipe rupture created by the sonic energy introduced into the pipe.

Subsea pipeline leak detection

Geophones are placed around pipelines to detect third parties, e.g., heavy construction vehicles. Associated computer equipment acquires data from the geophones and discriminates for the frequencies associated with heavy construction vehicles.

Third-party detection around pipelines

An induced vibration dynamic touch sensor comprises a compliant membrane adapted for sliding contact with an object so as to induce vibrations in the membrane, and a transducer assembly for converting the vibrations into electrical signals. The electrical signals are processed to produce a normalized spectral signature characteristic of the size and shape of the object, and the sizes and shapes and nature of its surface features. A pattern vector is extracted from the spectral signature and subjected to discriminant analysis to classify and recognize the object. The invention is capable of discriminating between objects differing in diameter by as little as 1/32 inches and differing in spacing by as little as 0.01 inches.

Induced vibration dynamic touch sensor system and method

An oil containment boom system of two parallel, spaced-apart booms, with the forward boom designed to permit splashover of oil, a low pressure area between the booms functioning to retain the splashover oil.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Robert W Patterson