Union Oil Company of California

Chevron U.s.a. Inc.

Stephen B Wetch

Michael E Utt

Andrew Hunter

A riser support system for use in a body of water comprises a buoyant and ballastable support structure and a plurality of substantially vertical and rigid risers each of which is attached to the inside of the support structure at a location below the center of buoyancy of the support structure and below the surface of the body of water. Usually, each riser passes through the inside of a single tube in the support structure. Typically, the riser support system is used to support a plurality of risers and their surface wellheads inside the hull of an offshore platform, usually in such a manner that the axial movement of the risers and support structure is independent of the axial movement of the hull.

Riser support system for use with an offshore platform

A substantially rigid riser to offshore platform connector and a process of using the connector allows a riser to be preloaded and adjustably positioned relative to the offshore platform. The connector allows the riser tensile load to be limited by preloading and adjustably positioning the connector. In the preferred embodiment, hydraulic cylinders are used to preload the connector as well as to partially or fully support the riser during maintenance or repair procedures.

Adjustable rigid riser connector

A floating platform for use in a body of water comprises an uppermost buoyant and ballastable hull partially submerged in the water without contacting the floor of the body of water and usually without being moored to the floor of the body of water. The bottom of the uppermost hull is attached to the top of a lower buoyant and ballastable hull after the lower hull has been completely submerged in the water and anchored to the floor of the body of water with flexible moorings.

Floating, modular deepwater platform and method of deployment

A simplified ballast system designed for a tension leg platform from which drilling and/or production activities are to be performed in a body of water provides for rapid deballasting via large capacity dump valve(s) and for ballasting for trim operations by use of an eductor at the bottom of a drain well fluidly connected by drain lines to ballast compartments.

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Sugar Land, TX, United States of America

Stephen B Wetch