SUBSEA SALVAGE OPERATION USING LIFTING MAGNET

• US 20100122650A1
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wild Well Control Incorporated (SESI Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wild Well Control Incorporated (SESI Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoffman, Corey Eugene, Caffarel, Theodore Wade
• Granted Patent: US 8,141,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 114/51
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 7/22 using electromagnets or suction devices
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 1/06 electromagnetic
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/52 Floating cranes floating dredgers E02F

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a subsea salvage operation using a lifting magnet. In one embodiment, a method of salvaging a submerged production platform includes deploying a salvage vessel to a wreckage site of the submerged production platform; lowering a lifting magnet from the salvage vessel to the submerged production platform; and activating the lifting magnet, thereby capturing at least a portion of the submerged production platform.

Claims

1. A method of salvaging a submerged production platform, comprising:

deploying a salvage vessel to a wreckage site of the submerged production platform;

lowering a lifting magnet from the salvage vessel to the submerged production platform; and

activating the lifting magnet, thereby capturing at least a portion of the submerged production platform.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dispatching a diver or remotely operated vehicle (ROV) from the salvage vessel to the damaged production platform; and

cutting the submerged production platform into manageable pieces by the diver or ROV,

wherein the captured portion comprises one or more of the manageable pieces.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising cutting a casing assembly at or near a floor of the sea by the diver or ROV.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

raising the captured portion to a surface of the sea and over a scrap vessel; and

deactivating the magnet, thereby releasing the captured portion on to the scrap vessel.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising deploying a subsea camera from the salvage vessel to the submerged production platform, wherein an operator of the magnet is in visual communication with the camera.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking a location of the lifting magnet using an acoustic signal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dispatching a diver or remotely operated vehicle (ROV) from the salvage vessel to the damaged production platform; and

retrieving the diver or ROV to the salvage vessel before lowering the lifting magnet.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the lowering and activating until the wreckage site is free of magnetic debris.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the salvage vessel comprises a crane;

and the lifting magnet is connected to a load line of the crane.