Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Atlantic Richfield Company

Russell L Baldwin

Bisuddha N Datta

Andrew Bennett Boyd

Junius D Allen

William F Andersen

A method is described for using a particular spring element to facilitate the transfer of deck modules to a hull or jacket during the construction of an off-shore well platform. The spring element not only absorbs energy from the compressive loading expected during the transfer, but also resists any shear loading caused by relative motion between the module and the jacket or hull caused by the operation being performed in a body of water. The spring element includes two significantly different resistances to crushing when subjected to compressive loading including an initial resistance during which significant energy is absorbed. The spring element is also provided on the carrier barge between the barge and the deck module so that if the carrier barge should reengage the module once the transfer has been started, damage will be inhibited.

Off-shore platform construction, and method for transferring loads

An offshore deck or platform unit is provided with depending legs having shock absorbing stabbing tip assemblies for engagement with the upstanding columns of a marine substructure to transfer the weight of the deck to the substructure by positioning the deck relative to the substructure with a barge and ballasting down the barge to move the deck into engagement with the substructure. The barge also carries a deck support structure comprising plural sand jack assemblies which provide for disengagement of the barge from the deck. The stabbing tip assemblies include coaxially arranged primary locating pins which are dropped into position to hold the location of the deck relative to the columns and annular resilient collars for transferring vertical and lateral shock loads between the columns and the deck during the transfer process. Final steel-to-steel engagement of the deck legs with the columns and final disconnection of the vessel from the deck is carried out by actuation of sand jacks which are interposed between the stabbing tip assemblies and the columns and between the deck and deck support structure on the barge.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Russell L Baldwin