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:
Jul. 24, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 23, 1997
Stephen W. Balint, Houston, TX (US);
Donald Wayne Allen, Katy, TX (US);
Dean Leroy Henning, Needville, TX (US);
Ferdinand Joseph Fischer, III, Houston, TX (US);
Bobby Eugene Cox, Kenner, LA (US);
David Wayne McMillan, Deer Park, TX (US);
Anders Gustaf Conny Ekvall, Houston, TX (US);
Shell Oil Company, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A spar platform is disclosed having a deck, a buoyant tank assembly supporting the deck, and a counterweight. A counterweight spacing structure connects the counterweight to the buoyant tank assembly. The buoyant tank assembly has a first buoyant section connected to the deck and a second buoyant section disposed beneath and axially vertically aligned with the first buoyant section. The second buoyant section has a substatially larger diameter than the first buoyant section and a buoyant section spacing structure connects the first and second buoyant sections in a manner providing a horizontally extending vertical gap therebetween. Another aspect of the invention is a method for reducing VIV in spar platform by providing a substantially open horizontally extending vertical gap in the cylindrical buoyant tank assembly between a first buoyant section and a second buoyant section. The first and second buoyant sections are vertically aligned and are selected to combine first and second buoyant sections of substantially different diameters.