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:
Jan. 26, 1988
Filed:
Nov. 10, 1986
Michael P Piazza, Houston, TX (US);
Richard H Gunderson, Houston, TX (US);
Jerome Q Burns, San Diego, CA (US);
Peter A Lunde, Houston, TX (US);
Exxon Production Research Company, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A compliant offshore structure in which stabilization against excessive sway is provided by a resilient pile assemblies. A series of drive piles extend into the ocean floor beneath the base of the structure. Drive piles extend upward to a position proximate a pile attachment location on the structure a spaced distance above the ocean floor. The upper end of each drive pile is secured to the structure at the pile attachment location by a resilient coupling. The resilient coupling permits the structure to move upward and downward a slight distance relative to the substantially rigid drive pile. This accommodates sway of the structure. The resilient coupling biases the structure back to a vertical orientation in response to sway of the structure. In a preferred embodiment the pile attachment location is situated proximate the base of the offshore structure.