The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 26, 1976
Filed:
May. 06, 1975
Albert M Koehler, Houston, TX (US);
Brown & Root, Inc., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for transporting and erecting an offshore tower jacket is disclosed. The apparatus involves a first pair of elongated buoyancy members which are spaced apart along the lengths thereof and which are operable to float in a horizontal posture on the surface of a body of water. The apparatus further involves a second pair of elongated buoyancy members likewise spaced apart and operable to float in a horizontal posture. The first and second pairs of buoyancy members are themselves maintained in spaced apart relation to one another so that a leg of an offshore tower jacket carried thereby reposes in vertical alignment with the space between the buoyancy members of each pair. A plurality of bridging means serve to interconnect the buoyancy members to maintain the buoyancy members of each pair in the spaced apart relation. The bridging means further serve to carry the offshore tower jacket. To this end, each of the bridging means presents a supportive upper surface which is relatively closely adjacent the waterline when the offshore tower jacket is being carried by the buoyant structure. The jacket is thus carried in a posture minimizing the distance between the center of gravity of the tower and the surface of the body of water relative to that achievable if the buoyancy members were not spaced apart. The method of the invention involves supporting the offshore tower jacket in a horizontal posture aboard a buoyant structure by cradling at least a portion of a number of the legs of the jacket between pairs of elongated, spaced apart buoyancy members. The legs are thus carried in a condition above, but relatively closely adjacent the surface of the body of water and the distance between the center of gravity of the tower jacket and the surface of the body of water is minimized. The offshore tower jacket being cradled in the manner described, the jacket and buoyant structure can be towed to a desired offshore location and the entire assembly turned upright in the water. Thereafter the tower jacket can be lowered into place on the floor of the body of water and the buoyant structure disconnected therefrom.