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:
Dec. 04, 1979
Filed:
Mar. 15, 1978
Sherman B Wetmore, Westminster, CA (US);
James F McNary, Santa Ana, CA (US);
Abraham Person, Los Alamitos, CA (US);
Global Marine, Inc., Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
Apparatus for drilling a well at a location submerged below a body of water includes a buoyant foundation structure. The foundation structure is floatable on the surface of the body of water and is subject to vertical motion in response to waves and the like. A riser handling and tensioning mechanism is mounted to the foundation structure and is operable for moving a riser pipe along a substantially vertical line from and to the foundation into and out of connection with the submerged location. The riser handling and tensioning mechanism is also operable for applying tension to a riser pipe connected to the submerged location. The handling and tensioning mechanism includes vertically disposed hydraulic rams mounted to the foundation structure. Holding means are releasably engageable with a riser pipe adjacent its upper end and are connected to the rams for movement along the riser line by the rams. The rams have an active operating mode in which they are operable to lower and raise a riser pipe along the line into and out of connection of the lower end of the riser with the submerged location. The rams also have a passive operating mode in which they are operable to apply a selected upward force to a riser engaged in the holding means and connected to the submerged location during vertical motion of the foundation structure.