MOONPOOL AND DRILLSHIP HAVING THE SAME

• US 20110197802A1
• Filed: 04/22/2011
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Heavy Industries Company Limited (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Heavy Industries Company Limited (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Su-Hyung, Son, Hye-Jong
• Granted Patent: US 8,327,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 114/65.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/00 Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils hulls peculiar to submarines B63B3/13; keels B63B3/38
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2003/147 Moon-pools, e.g. for offshore drilling vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 3/14 Hull parts hull armour B63B3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 71/00 Designing vessels; Predicting their performance

Abstract

The moonpool includes: a first space formed by being penetrated from a bottom surface through an upper deck of the drillship so as to carry out a drilling operation; and a second space formed on a side of the first space in a lengthwise direction of the drillship, a bottom of the second space being open toward a lower side of the drillship. The second space is formed on a side of the first space in the lengthwise direction of the drillship so that the overall length of the moonpool is increased.

Claims

1. A moonpool formed in a drillship, comprising:

a first space formed by being penetrated from a bottom surface through an upper deck of the drillship so as to carry out a drilling operation; and

a second space formed on a side of the first space in a lengthwise direction of the drillship, a bottom of the second space being open toward a lower side of the drillship.

2. The moonpool of claim 1, wherein a maximum length and a maximum width of a transverse section of the second space are smaller than a maximum length and a maximum width of a transverse section of the first space.

3. The moonpool of claim 2, further comprising a partition wall, the partition wall formed between the first space and the second space, an upper line of the partition wall formed at a predetermined height from a bottom surface of the drillship in such a way that the seawater flowed into the first space can flow into the second space.

4. The moonpool of claim 3, wherein the upper line of the partition wall is formed between two meters below a water line of the drillship and two meters above the water line of the drillship.

5. The moonpool of claim 4, wherein perforations are formed in the partition wall.

6. The moonpool of claim 1, wherein the second space is formed at least at one of a stern side and a bow side of the first space in a lengthwise direction of the drillship.

7. The moonpool of claim 1, wherein an upper surface of the second space is open toward an upper side of the drillship.

8. The moonpool claim 1, wherein a transverse section of the first space and the second space respectively has the shape of a quadrangle that is extended in a lengthwise direction of the drillship.

9. The moonpool of claim 8, wherein a transverse width of the second space that is perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the drillship is smaller than a transverse width of the first space.

10. The moonpool of claim 8, wherein a length of the second space that is extended in the lengthwise direction of the drillship is smaller than a length of the first space.

11. The moonpool of claim 9, wherein a length of the second space is 10% to 50% of a length of the first space.

12. The moonpool of claim 8, wherein an opening opened toward a lower side of the first space maintains a constant transverse width and then becomes narrower in a stern-side direction of the drillship.

13. The moonpool of claim 12, wherein a baseplate that is placed on a same plane as a bottom surface of the drillship is installed on both corners of an end of the opening opened toward the lower side of the first space, the both corner of the end located in a stern-side direction of the drillship, the baseplate having the shape of a triangle.

14. The moonpool of claims 1, wherein a transverse section of the second space has the shape of a semi-circle or a polygon.

15. A drillship comprising:

a moonpool comprising;

a first space formed by being penetrated from a bottom surface through an upper deck of the drillship so as to carry out a drilling operation, and

a second space formed on a side of the first space in a lengthwise direction of the drillship, a bottom of the second space being open toward a lower side of the drillship.