Apparatus and method for offshore drilling at great depths
First Claim
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1. An installation for the exploitation of underwater oil or other hydrocarbon deposits, especially deposits located in deep water, comprising:
- an underwater base disposed on a sea bed;
sharp-edged projection means, located at the underside of said underwater base, for fixing said underwater base on said sea bed;
a lower circuit means, accommodating therein a plurality of tubular ducts projecting upwardly from said underwater base to a moderate depth, for reducing the wave action effect at the surface;
an underwater buoy situated at the top end of the lower conduit means and having a certain buoyancy;
an upper conduit which projects upwardly from said underwater buoy to about the level of the sea or thereabove; and
mooring means for securing said underwater buoy to the sea bed and for maintaining said lower conduit means in substantially vertical orientation,said lower conduit means having a bottom portion extending through said underwater base and being affixed directly into said sea bed,said underwater buoy including well-head control means for drilling into said sea bed.
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Abstract
An offshore drilling installation comprising an underwater base spaced from an underwater buoy and in communication therewith by a connecting conduit. The underwater buoy represents the upward extension of the sea bed which serves to support an above-sea platform. The underwater buoy is further secured to the sea bed by mooring lines. Oil containing means is provided in the underwater base.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An installation for the exploitation of underwater oil or other hydrocarbon deposits, especially deposits located in deep water, comprising:
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an underwater base disposed on a sea bed; sharp-edged projection means, located at the underside of said underwater base, for fixing said underwater base on said sea bed;
a lower circuit means, accommodating therein a plurality of tubular ducts projecting upwardly from said underwater base to a moderate depth, for reducing the wave action effect at the surface;an underwater buoy situated at the top end of the lower conduit means and having a certain buoyancy; an upper conduit which projects upwardly from said underwater buoy to about the level of the sea or thereabove; and mooring means for securing said underwater buoy to the sea bed and for maintaining said lower conduit means in substantially vertical orientation, said lower conduit means having a bottom portion extending through said underwater base and being affixed directly into said sea bed, said underwater buoy including well-head control means for drilling into said sea bed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of offshore drilling for hydrocarbons comprising the steps of:
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floating a cellular base having sharp-edged projections on its bottom; positioning said base at a drilling location between pillars of a semi-submersible platform previously moored at said drilling location; partially flooding chambers of the base so that its weight slightly exceeds its displacement; submerging said base; adding sections of lower conduit to said base as it descends; attaching a partially water-filled underwater buoy to said lower conduit; adding additional conduit to continue the descent until said base makes contact with a sea bed; selectively flooding said base to increase the weight of said base in order to drive the sharp-edged projections on the bottom of the base into the sea bed, thereby securing said base to said sea bed; driving a bottom extension of said lower conduit into said sea bed thereby forming a continuous path from said platform to the sea bed; and drilling into said sea bed from said platform. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. In an installation for offshore drilling of underwater hydrocarbon deposits located at great depths of water, which includes an underwater base disposed on a sea bed;
- a lower underwater conduit projecting upwardly from the base to a zone of moderate depth;
an underwater buoy situated at a top end of the lower underwater conduit;
an upper underwater conduit which projects upwardly from said underwater buoy to about the level of the sea or thereabove;
a radial assembly of mooring lines for securing said underwater buoy to the sea bed;
wherein the improvement comprises;said underwater base being of cellular construction of appreciable weight, an interior of which is formed with empty spaces; sharp-edged projections being provided on the underside of the base for securement purposes; orifice means, being provided at a lower part of the lower underwater conduit, for filling empty space in the base with high density fluid to increase its weight so that the sharp-edged projections on the underside of the base and a bottom extension of the lower underwater conduit are driven into the sea bed; and said lower underwater conduit being integral with the underwater buoy to prevent horizontal movements caused by waves and currents between the underwater conduit and the underwater buoy. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
- a lower underwater conduit projecting upwardly from the base to a zone of moderate depth;
Specification