Granted Patent B1

US 6,955,503 · App. 10/903,143 · Granted Oct 18, 2005

Abstract

Claims (84)

1. A method for re-deploying an offshore jacket using a plinth, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

a. locating an offshore jacket comprising at least three jacket legs, each jacket leg comprising a jacket leg mud mat, and wherein the offshore jacket is connected to a seabed at a first site at a first depth to be re-located to a second site at a second depth, wherein the second depth is deeper below a sea level than the first depth;

b. constructing a plinth, comprising:

i. a vertical axis;

ii. at least three plinth legs each comprising a top end and a bottom end, wherein a number of plinth legs is equal to a number of jacket legs;

iii. a skirt pile sleeve disposed on each plinth leg;

iv. at least one plinth mud mat secured to each skirt pile sleeve;

v. a space frame connected to and providing support for the least three support pile sleeves and the at least three plinth legs;

vi. at least one guide cone attached to the top end of each plinth leg and wherein each guide cone is adapted to receive one jacket leg by guiding and aligning each leg; and

vii. at least one trestle per plinth leg, each trestle disposed on the space frame;

c. placing the plinth at the second site;

d. driving one skirt pile into each skirt pile sleeve;

e. disconnecting the jacket legs from the seabed at the first site;

f. lifting the offshore jacket above the seabed;

g. moving the offshore jacket from the first site to the second site;

h. lowering the offshore jacket such that each jacket leg stabs into each guide cone on the plinth until each jacket leg mud mat contacts each trestle; and

i. inserting pin piles through each jacket leg and plinth leg and grouting the pin piles to effect a permanent structural connection between plinth and jacket.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trestle comprises:

a. a trestle beam; and

b. at least one trestle leg supporting the trestle beam in parallel to the vertical axis of the plinth.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising four trestle legs supporting the beam, wherein each trestle leg is at an angle from the vertical axis of the plinth.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the space frame comprises a plurality of vertical, horizontal tubulars and a plurality of diagonal tubulars connected to form a truss.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the horizontal, vertical, and diagonal tubulars comprise a diameter ranging from about 12 inches to about 48 inches.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plinth tubulars are connected in an X pattern, a K pattern, or combinations thereof.

7. A method for re-deploying an offshore jacket using a plinth comprising the steps of:

a. locating an offshore jacket comprising at least three jacket legs, each jacket leg having a jacket leg mud mat, and wherein the offshore jacket is connected to a seabed at a first site at a first depth to be re-located to a second site at a second depth, wherein the second depth is deeper below a sea level than the first depth;

b. constructing a plinth, comprising:

i. a vertical axis;

ii. at least three plinth legs each comprising a top end and a bottom end;

iii. at least three skirt pile sleeves, one skirt pile sleeve disposed on each plinth leg;

iv. at least one plinth mud mat secured to each skirt pile sleeve;

v. a space frame connected to and providing support for the least three support pile sleeves and the at least three plinth legs;

vi. at least one guide cone attached to the top end of each plinth leg and wherein each guide cone is adapted to receive one jacket leg by guiding and aligning each leg; and

vii. at least one ring disposed within each guide cone;

c. placing the plinth at the second site;

d. driving one skirt pile into each skirt pile sleeve;

e. disconnecting the at least three jacket legs from the seabed at the first site;

f. lifting the offshore jacket above the seabed;

g. moving the offshore jacket from the first site to the second site;

h. lowering the offshore jacket such that each jacket leg stabs into each guide cone on the plinth until each jacket leg mud mat contacts each ring; and

i. inserting pin piles through each jacket leg and plinth leg and grouting the pin piles to effect a permanent structural connection between plinth and jacket.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the ring comprises:

a. a flat steel plate comprising a orifice forming a stop; and

b. a plurality of gussets supporting the flat steel plate in the cone.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pin pile is of a length sufficient to provide adhesion to grout used to secure the pin pile to the plinth leg and the pin pile to the jacket leg.

10. A method for re-deploying an offshore jacket using a plinth comprising the steps of:

a. locating an offshore jacket comprising at least three jacket legs, each jacket leg having a jacket leg mud mat, and wherein the offshore jacket is connected to a seabed at a first site at a first depth to be re-located to a second site at a second depth, wherein the second depth is deeper below a sea level than the first depth;

b. constructing a plinth, comprising:

i. a vertical axis;

ii. at least three suction piles, at least one suction pile on each plinth leg;

iii. at least three plinth legs each comprising a top end and a bottom end;

iv. at least one plinth mud mat secured to each skirt pile sleeve;

v. a space frame connected to and providing support for the at least three suction piles and the at least three plinth legs;

vi. at least one guide cone attached to the top end of each plinth leg and wherein each guide cone is adapted to receive one jacket leg by guiding and aligning each leg; and

vii. at least one trestle per plinth leg, each trestle disposed on the space frame;

c. placing the plinth at the second site;

d. pressing each suction pile into the seabed;

e. disconnecting the at least three jacket legs from the seabed at the first site;

f. lifting the offshore jacket above the seabed;

g. moving the offshore jacket from the first site to the second site;

h. lowering the offshore jacket such that each jacket leg stabs into each guide cone on the plinth until each jacket leg mud mat contacts each trestle; and

i. inserting pin piles through each jacket leg and plinth leg and grouting the pin piles to effect a permanent structural connection between plinth and jacket.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the trestle comprises:

a. a trestle beam; and

b. at least one trestle leg supporting the trestle beam.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the trestle further comprises at least four legs supporting the beam, wherein each trestle leg is at an angle from the vertical axis of the plinth.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the space frame comprises a plurality of horizontal tubulars and a plurality of diagonal tubulars connected to form a truss.

14. A method for re-deploying an offshore jacket using a plinth comprising:

a. locating an offshore jacket comprising at least three jacket legs, each jacket leg having a jacket leg mud mat, and wherein the offshore jacket is connected to a seabed at a first site at a first depth to be re-located to a second site at a second depth, wherein the second depth is deeper below a sea level than the first depth;

b. constructing a plinth comprising:

i. a vertical axis;

ii. at least three suction piles, at least one suction pile on each plinth leg;

iii. at least three plinth legs each comprising a top end and a bottom end;

iv. at least one plinth mud mat secured to each skirt pile sleeve;

v. a space frame connected to and providing support for the at least three suction piles and the at least three plinth legs;

vi. at least one guide cone attached to the top end of each plinth leg and wherein each guide cone is adapted to receive one jacket leg by guiding and aligning each leg; and

vii. at least one ring disposed within each guide cone;

c. placing the plinth at the second site;

d. pressing each suction pile into the seabed;

e. disconnecting the at least three jacket legs from the seabed at the first site;

f. lifting the offshore jacket above the seabed;

g. moving the offshore jacket from the first site to the second site;

h. lowering the offshore jacket such that each jacket leg stabs into each guide cone on the plinth until each jacket leg mud mat contacts each ring; and

i. inserting pin piles through each jacket leg and plinth leg and grouting the pin piles to effect a permanent structural connection between plinth and jacket.

Assignments (14)