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:
Apr. 26, 2005
Filed:
Jul. 09, 2003
Edward E. Horton, Iii, Houston, TX (US);
Edward E. Horton, III, Houston, TX (US);
Deepwater Technologies, Inc., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A semi-submersible floating platform for offshore drilling and/or production of petroleum product from the seabed includes a base having a first moon pool; a plurality of vertical outer buoyancy columns extending upwardly from the base; a deck structure supported by the buoyancy columns and having a second moon pool; a central columnar buoyancy apparatus having a lower portion guided within the first moon pool and an upper portion guided within the second moon pool; and at least one vertical riser passing through the buoyancy apparatus. Each riser has a lower portion that is horizontally restrained within the buoyancy apparatus below the center of gravity thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the platform includes at least two vertical risers attached to a single buoyancy apparatus.