Method and apparatus for elevating a marine platform

1. A method of elevating a marine platform that is supported by a plurality of hollow metallic leg sections that extend above and below a water line of a body of water, comprising the steps of:

a) cutting one of the leg sections at a position next to the water line to provide a cut at a selected elevation;

b) attaching a plurality of hydraulic rams to the leg sections with a first padeye having a first height, each ram having a hollowed cylinder and an extensible push rod and first and second end portions, the rams being attached to the leg section at the end portions, one end portion being attached to the leg section above the cut and the other end portion being attached to the leg section below the cut, and wherein each ram has a retracted and an extended position;

c) repeating steps “a” through “b” for the other leg sections of the platform;

d) elevating the platform a first distance by extending each ram to the extended position;

e) removing the first padeye for each ram;

f) attaching a second padeye having a second height that is greater than the first height; and

g) elevating the platform an additional, second distance.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising placing the rams on the outside of the leg section and circumferentially spacing the rams around the leg section.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising affixing lugs above the cut and attaching the rams to the lugs.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of surrounding each ram with telescoping sleeves, one sleeve sliding within the other sleeve.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein at least one sleeve is comprised of a plurality of connectable half cylinder sections and attaching the sleeve includes affixing the connectable half cylinder sections to the leg to form the sleeve.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the sleeves laterally stabilize the leg sections during step “d”.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of welding the sleeves to the leg sections after step “d”.

8. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of temporarily supporting the leg section above the cut with a pin that extends through aligned openings of the sleeve and the leg section.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising reinforcing the leg section next to the pin with a section of curved plate welded to the leg section on its outer surface.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein in step “b” there are at least three rams attached to each leg section.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein in step “b” there are between two (2) and eight (8) rams attached to each leg section.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein each leg section is elevated above the cut a distance of more than four feet (1.2 m).

13. The method of claim 1 wherein each leg section is elevated above the cut a distance of more than five feet (1.5 m).

14. The method of claim 1 wherein each leg section is elevated above the cut a distance of between about 5 and 30 feet (1.5 and 9.1 m).

15. The method of claim 1 wherein each leg section is carrying a load of between 100 and 2,000 tons (90.7 and 1,814 metric tons).

16. A method of elevating a marine platform that is supported by a plurality of hollow metallic leg sections that extend above and below a water line of a body of water, comprising the steps of:

a) cutting one of the leg sections at a position next to the water line to provide a cut at a selected elevation;

b) attaching a plurality of hydraulic rams to the leg sections, each ram having a hollowed cylinder and an extensible push rod and first and second end portions, the rams being attached to the leg section at the end portions with first padeyes of a first height, one end portion being attached to the leg section above the cut and the other end portion being attached to the leg section below the cut, and wherein each ram has a retracted and an extended position;

c) repeating steps “a” through “b” for the other leg sections of the platform;

d) elevating the platform an initial distance by extending each ram to the extended position;

e) removing the first padeye for each ram in sequence and replacing the first padeye with a second padeye having a second height that is greater than the first height; and

f) elevating the platform deck an additional distance.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising the step of surrounding each ram with telescoping sleeves, one sleeve sliding within the other sleeve.

18. A method of elevating a marine platform that is supported by a plurality of hollow metallic leg sections that extend above and below a water line of a body of water, comprising the steps of:

a) cutting one of the leg sections at a position next to the water line to provide a cut at a selected elevation;

b) attaching a plurality of rams to the leg sections, each ram having a hollowed cylinder and an extensible push rod and first and second end portions, the rams being attached to the leg section at the end portions, one end portion being attached to the leg section above the cut and the other end portion being attached to the leg section below the cut at a first padeye having a first height, and wherein each ram has a retracted and an extended position;

c) repeating steps “a” through “b” for the other leg sections of the platform;

d) elevating the platform to a first elevation by extending each ram to the extended position;

e) attaching each ram to a padeye having a height greater than said first height; and

g) extending the ram to elevate the platform to a second elevation that is higher than said first elevation.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising two sleeves that surround each ram, wherein one sleeve elevates above the other sleeve in step “d”.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of welding one of the sleeves to the leg.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the sleeves include an outer lower sleeve and an inner upper sleeve.