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:
Oct. 09, 1974
Joseph A Burkhardt, New Orleans, LA (US);
William D Loth, Covington, LA (US);
Martin O Pattison, Palos Verdes Estates, CA (US);
Exxon Production Research Company, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A structure or template forms a tubular support structure for subsea equipment used in drilling and producing offshore oil and/or gas wells. The template contains production manifolding, remote and safety shut-in control, pump-separator, and pipeline connector subsystems. Certain of the structural tubes are segregated to form compartmented ballast chambers capable of being selectively flooded and dewatered. Certain other structural tubes form piling sleeves. The truss or framework of structural tubes include vertical and horizontal tubes, the latter forming circumferential members as well as interstitial supports. The uppermost of the circumferential members or 'ring' also functions as a fender to protect the equipment within the template. The template is made negatively buoyant upon launch by flooding the compartmented ballast chambers, keelhauled (swung to a position underneath the keel of the drilling vessel), and then lowered to the subsea floor. Once it is positioned on the sea floor the subsea structure is oriented, pile founded and leveled. The template functions as a drilling and casing guide frame ensuring that drilled wells are connectable to the preinstalled manifolding. The template is recoverable by severing the piles and deballasting the compartmented ballast chambers.