EP0045652A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mooring of floating structures
Assignee: ConocoPhillips Co
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Filing: 1981-08-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2001-08-03
Abstract
Abstract A method of installing a permanent vertical tethering element (30) between a floating structure (10) and an anchor means (20) said method comprising steps of: providing on said anchor means an upward opening guide funnel (108) located above a connector means (102) for connecting a lower end (118) of said permanent vertical tethering element to said anchor means; temporarily mooring said floating structure to said anchor means with a plurality of substantially vertical temporary mooring lines (18) held in tension by a buoyancy of said structure, while said floating structure is temporarily moored, lowering said permanent vertical tethering element from said floating structure until said lower end thereof is located a relatively short distance above said anchor means; observing, with an underwater television camera, a location of said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element relative to said guide funnel of said anchor means; moving said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element laterally as necessary to position it above said guide funnel; stabbing said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element into said guide funnel; guiding, by means of said guide funnel, said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element into engagement with said connector means; and connecting said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element to said connector means.
Inventors
- 👤 Riley Gene Goldsmith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 06:59
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63B; B63B21/00; B63B21/50; B63B21/502; E; E21; E21B; E21B41/00; E21B41/0007; E21B41/0014; E21B41/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
216 words
A method of installing a permanent vertical tethering element (30) between a floating structure (10) and an anchor means (20), said method comprising steps of: providing on said anchor means an upward opening guide funnel (108) located above a connector means (102) for connecting a lower end (118) of said permanent vertical tethering element to said anchor means; temporarily mooring said floating structure to said anchor means with a plurality of substantially vertical temporary mooring lines (18) held , in tension by a buoyancy of said structure, while said floating structure is temporarily moored, lowering said permanent vertical tethering element from said floating structure until said lower end thereof is located a relatively short distance above said anchor means; observing, with an underwater television camera, a location of said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element relative to said guide funnel of said anchor means; moving said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element laterally as necessary to position it above said guide funnel; stabbing said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element into said guide funnel; guiding, by means of said guide funnel, said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering elementinto engagement with said connector means; and connecting said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element to said connector means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
216 words
A method of installing a permanent vertical tethering element (30) between a floating structure (10) and an anchor means (20), said method comprising steps of: providing on said anchor means an upward opening guide funnel (108) located above a connector means (102) for connecting a lower end (118) of said permanent vertical tethering element to said anchor means; temporarily mooring said floating structure to said anchor means with a plurality of substantially vertical temporary mooring lines (18) held , in tension by a buoyancy of said structure, while said floating structure is temporarily moored, lowering said permanent vertical tethering element from said floating structure until said lower end thereof is located a relatively short distance above said anchor means; observing, with an underwater television camera, a location of said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element relative to said guide funnel of said anchor means; moving said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element laterally as necessary to position it above said guide funnel; stabbing said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element into said guide funnel; guiding, by means of said guide funnel, said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering elementinto engagement with said connector means; and connecting said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element to said connector means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
2 . The method of claim 1, wherein said moving step includes a step of maneuvering said floating structure (10) to thereby move said lower end (118) of said permanent vertical tethering element (30).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
3 . The method of claim 2, wherein said maneuvering step includes a step of applying a lateral force to said floating structure (10) with a tugboat (93).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said maneuvering step further includes a step of applying an additional lateral force to said floating structure (10) with a second tugboat.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said moving step includes steps of rotating said permanent vertical tethering element (30) until a thrusting means (130) connected thereto is properly directed for moving said lower end (118) of said permanent vertical tethering element in a direction' toward a position above said guide funnel (108), and actuating said thrusting means and thereby applying a lateral force to said permanent vertical tethering element sufficient to move said lower end thereof to said position above said guide funnel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
6 . The method of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said observing step includes a step of locating said television camera (128) within an inner passage (129) of said permanent vertical tethering element (30).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 6, further comprising a step of retrieving said television carnera (128) after said connecting step.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
68 words
The method of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said observing step includes steps of locating said television camera (124) upon a remote controlled underwater vehicle (120), and maneuvering said remote controlled underwater vehicle to a position sufficiently near said anchor means (20) that said lower end (118) of said permanent vertical tethering element (30) and said guide funnel (108) may be observed by said television camera.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
31 words
The method of any of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a step of installing additional permanent vertical tethering elements (30) between said floating structure (10) and said anchor means (20).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 9, further comprising steps of providing additional guide funnels (106,110) on said anchor means (20), and labeling each of said guide funnels so that a proper one of said guide funnels to be engaged by a given one of said permanent vertical tethering elements (30) may be determined by visually observing said guide funnels.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 10, further comprising steps of visually observing said labeled guide funnels (106-110) by using an underwater television camera, and thereby determining the proper one of said guide funnels to be engaged by the given one of said permanent vertical tethering elements (30).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
184 words
Apparatus for mocring a floating structure (10), comprising anchor means (20) positioned on a floor (16) of a body of water (14), means for temporarily mooring said floating structure to said anchor means with a plurality of vertical temporary mooring lines (18) held in tension by a buoyancy of said floating structure, a vertical permanent tethering element (30) for connecting said floating structure to said anchor means, connector means (102) attached to said anchor means for connecting a lower end (118) of said vertical permanent tethering element to said anchor means, an upward opening guide funnel (108) attached to said anchor means above said connector means and having an opening therein for guiding said lower end of said vertical permanent tethering element into engagement with said connector means, means for lowering said vertical permanent tethering element from said floating structure, a television camera for observing a location of said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element relative to said guide funnel, and moving means for moving said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element laterally to position it above said guide funnel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
184 words
Apparatus for mocring a floating structure (10), comprising anchor means (20) positioned on a floor (16) of a body of water (14), means for temporarily mooring said floating structure to said anchor means with a plurality of vertical temporary mooring lines (18) held in tension by a buoyancy of said floating structure, a vertical permanent tethering element (30) for connecting said floating structure to said anchor means, connector means (102) attached to said anchor means for connecting a lower end (118) of said vertical permanent tethering element to said anchor means, an upward opening guide funnel (108) attached to said anchor means above said connector means and having an opening therein for guiding said lower end of said vertical permanent tethering element into engagement with said connector means, means for lowering said vertical permanent tethering element from said floating structure, a television camera for observing a location of said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element relative to said guide funnel, and moving means for moving said lower end of said permanent vertical tethering element laterally to position it above said guide funnel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
13 . The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said moving means includes a maneuvering means for applying a lateral force to said floating structure (10).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said maneuvering means includes a tugboat (93).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said moving means includes thrusting means (130) connected to said vertical permanent tethering element (30) for moving said lower end (118) thereof laterally.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of any of claims 12 to 14 wherein said television camera (128) is disposed in an inner passage (129) of said vertical permanent tethering element (30).
Claim 19
Independent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of any of claims 12 to 15 wherein said television camera (124) is attached to a remote controlled vehicle (120).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
18 . The apparatus of anv of claims 12 to 17, further comprising additional guide funnels (106, 110) attached to said anchor means (20), each of said additional guide funnels including identifying indicia observable by said television camera.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of any of claims 12 to 18, wherein said anchor means (20) includes a plurality of separate anchor assemblies.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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