Foundation system for tension leg platforms

Abstract

A foundation system for tension leg platforms without use of foundation templates, wherein each tendon (5) is directly connected to a socket (9) inside the pile (8), said piles (8) being positioned for driving purpose by means of a pile-driving template (10) which is employed as a spacing device is described. The pile-driving template (10) is positioned with the aid of pins (11) that slot into guides (7) built into the well template (6). After the groups of piles (8) needed to anchor a corner of the platform (1) have been driven in, the pile-driving template (10) is withdrawn and repositioned so as to enable the piles for the other group of legs to be driven; this process continues until all of the pile-driving is finished. Alternatively one single pile-driving template (16) may be employed to guide the driving of all the piles (8) thus doing away with the need to reposition the template every time. The bottom ends (14) of the piles are conical in shape, and after the piles have been driven they are filled up with some high specific gravity material.