US3727414A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Off shore drilling platform construction
Assignee: BOWDEN DRILLING SERVICES Ltd
•
Filing: 1971-06-28
•
Granted: 1973-04-17
•
Expires: 1991-06-28
Abstract
Abstract Four legs or spuds engaging the sea bed support an elevated, alongated platform above the water to form an I configuration defining a pair of barge-receiving slots into which different barges can be moved and raised to the platform level by jacking mechanisms. The arrangement permits ''''unit chassis'''' type operation by which first a drilling barge with a derrick can be introduced and then, after drilling, this barge can be removed and the slot occupied by a production barge, leaving a servicing slot vacant for future work.
Inventors
- 👤 P Davies
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 08:31
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02B; E02B17/00; E02B17/02; E02B17/021; E21; E21B; E21B15/00; E21B15/02; E02B2017/0039; E02B2017/0047; E02B2017/0056; E02B2017/006; E02B2017/0073; E02B2017/0082
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
An off shore drilling platform construction comprising an elongated, horizontal platform structure, four vertically extending spuds and means including elevating mechanisms located on each side of each end of said platform structure and connected to a respective one of said spuds for lowering said spuds to the sea bed and for subsequently elevating the platform structure above the water to be supported on said spuds; said platform structure and spuds together constituting an I-shape configuration forming a pair of barge-receiving slots each defined along one side by the platform structure and at its ends by a pair of said spuds, the other side of each slot being open for receiving a barge with the ends of said barge located adjacent respective ones of said pair of spuds for elevation of said barge to the level of the platform structure by further elevating mechanisms.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
143 words
An off shore drilling platform construction comprising an elongated, horizontal platform structure, four vertically extending spuds and means including elevating mechanisms located on each side of each end of said platform structure and connected to a respective one of said spuds for lowering said spuds to the sea bed and for subsequently elevating the platform structure above the water to be supported on said spuds; said platform structure and spuds together constituting an I-shape configuration forming a pair of barge-receiving slots each defined along one side by the platform structure and at its ends by a pair of said spuds, the other side of each slot being open for receiving a barge with the ends of said barge located adjacent respective ones of said pair of spuds for elevation of said barge to the level of the platform structure by further elevating mechanisms.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
A construction according to claim 1, wherein said platform structure includes an elongated platform and cross members projecting to each side of the platform from each end thereof, and wherein each of said spuds is formed of at least three vertical members, the first and second ones of which are connected to said cross members, and the first and third ones of which are located for engagement by said further elevating mechanisms for elevating the barges in said slots.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
161 words
The combination of a barge and an off shore drilling platform construction comprising an elongated, horizontal platform structure, four vertically extending spuds and means including elevating mechanisms located on each side of each end of said platform structure and connected to a respective one of said spuds for lowering said spuds to the sea bed and for subsequently elevating the platform structure above the water to be supported on said spuds; said platform structure and spuds together constituting an I-shape configuration forming a pair of barge-receiving slots each defined along one side by the platform structure and at its ends by a pair of said spuds, the other side of each slot being open for receiviNg said barge with the ends of said barge located adjacent respective ones of said pair of spuds, said combination including further elevating mechanisms for connecting said barge ends to said pair of spuds for elevation of said barge to the level of the platform structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
161 words
The combination of a barge and an off shore drilling platform construction comprising an elongated, horizontal platform structure, four vertically extending spuds and means including elevating mechanisms located on each side of each end of said platform structure and connected to a respective one of said spuds for lowering said spuds to the sea bed and for subsequently elevating the platform structure above the water to be supported on said spuds; said platform structure and spuds together constituting an I-shape configuration forming a pair of barge-receiving slots each defined along one side by the platform structure and at its ends by a pair of said spuds, the other side of each slot being open for receiviNg said barge with the ends of said barge located adjacent respective ones of said pair of spuds, said combination including further elevating mechanisms for connecting said barge ends to said pair of spuds for elevation of said barge to the level of the platform structure.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of erecting an off shore drilling platform construction comprising an elongated, horizontal platform structure and four vertically extending spuds for supporting said structure from the sea bed, said platform structure and spuds together constituting an I-shape configuration forming a pair of barge-receiving slots on each side thereof; said method comprising a. transporting said construction to a required site by means of a flotation barge located symmetrically beneath said platform structure with the spuds in an elevated position, b. lowering the spuds to rest on the sea bed, then elevating the platform structure above the water supporting on said spuds, and removing the barge, c. introducing a drilling barge having a drilling derrick into a first of said barge-receiving slots defined on one side by the platform structure and at its ends by a pair of the spuds, and then elevating the drilling barge in said slot above the water to the level of the platform structure, d. while maintaining said drilling barge level with the platform structure transferring the derrick laterally from the drilling barge to the platform structure, and then drilling wells into the sea bed by means of such derrick.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of erecting an off shore drilling platform construction comprising an elongated, horizontal platform structure and four vertically extending spuds for supporting said structure from the sea bed, said platform structure and spuds together constituting an I-shape configuration forming a pair of barge-receiving slots on each side thereof; said method comprising a. transporting said construction to a required site by means of a flotation barge located symmetrically beneath said platform structure with the spuds in an elevated position, b. lowering the spuds to rest on the sea bed, then elevating the platform structure above the water supporting on said spuds, and removing the barge, c. introducing a drilling barge having a drilling derrick into a first of said barge-receiving slots defined on one side by the platform structure and at its ends by a pair of the spuds, and then elevating the drilling barge in said slot above the water to the level of the platform structure, d. while maintaining said drilling barge level with the platform structure transferring the derrick laterally from the drilling barge to the platform structure, and then drilling wells into the sea bed by means of such derrick.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 4 including the additional step of e. introducing a quarters and supply barge into a second of said barge-receiving slots defined on the other side of the platform structure between the other pair of spuds, and then elevating the quarters and supply barge to the level of the platform structure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
106 words
The method of claim 5, including the subsequent steps, after completion of the drilling of said wells and of terminal equipment therefor on the platform structure, of f. removing said derrick and drilling barge by reversal of the procedures of steps c and d, g. introducing into the first barge-receiving slot vacated by the drilling barge a production barge having production equipment thereon, and then elevating the production barge to the level of the platform structure, h. and finally connecting said production equipment to the well terminal equipment on the platform structure for the transportation of the production of said wells through a pipeline to storage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 6, including the further step of i. removing said quarters and supply barge by reversal of the procedure of step e whereby to render said second slot vacant for subsequent use as a servicing slot by other barges.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-16 | 1976-10-16 | 1977-04-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-16 | 1980-10-16 | 1981-04-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-16 | 1984-10-16 | 1985-04-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |