Articulated multiple buoy marine platform apparatus

• US 6,425,710 B1
• Filed: 10/20/2000
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Versabar, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jon Khachaturian
• Inventors: Khachaturian, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Will, Thomas B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Addie, Raymond W
• Application Number:
  US09/693,470
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 405/202, 405/209, 405/224, 405/224.2, 405/195.1, 405/200, 64/465, 403/24
• US Class Current: 405/202
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/048 with hull extending principally vertically
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/105 comprising a cockpit surrounded and pivotally supported by at least three floats
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/107 Semi-submersibles; Small waterline area multiple hull vessels and the like, e.g. SWATH
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/14 the hulls being interconnected resiliently or having means for actively varying hull shape or configuration collapsible, foldable, inflatable or like vessels B63B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2021/505 Methods for installation or mooring of floating offshore platforms on site
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2035/442 Spar-type semi-submersible structures, i.e. shaped as single slender, e.g. substantially cylindrical or trussed vertical bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/4413 Floating drilling platforms, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices

Abstract

A marine platform provides a plurality of buoys, a platform having a peripheral portion that includes a plurality of attachment positions, one attachment position for each buoy, and an articulating connection that connects each buoy to the platform at a respective attachment position, the connection allowing for sea state induced buoy motions while minimizing effect on the platform.

Claims

1. A marine platform, comprising:

a) a plurality of individual buoys;

b) a platform structure having an oil and gas well, producing facility and a peripheral portion that includes a plurality of connecting positions one connecting position for each bouy;

c) a plurality of articulating connections, including a different articulating connection connecting each buoy to the platform at a respective connecting position, each articulating connection allowing for buoy motions induced by sea movement between a buoy and the platform structure while reducing sea movement effect on the platform; and

wherein the separate articulating connections enable movement of each one of the buoys relative to the platform structure so that axial and tangential forces between the platform and each buoy is transmitted, while transfer of bending movement is reduced or minimized.

2. The marine platform of claim 1 further comprising a mooring extending from a plurality of the buoys for holding the platform and buoys to a desired location.

3. The marine platform of claim 1 wherein the articulating connections are universal joints.

4. The marine platform of claim 1 wherein each of the articulating connections includes correspondingly concave and convex portions.

5. The marine platform of claim 4 wherein at least one buoy has a convex articulating portion and the platform has at least one concave articulating portion, the at least one convex articulating portion and the at least one concave articulating portion forming at least one articulating connection of the plurality of articulating connections.

6. The marine platform of claim 4 wherein at least one buoy has a concave articulating portion and the platform has at least one convex articulating portion, the at least one concave articulating portion and the at least one convex articulating portion forming at least one articulating connection of the plurality of articulating connections.

7. The marine platform of claim 1 wherein each buoy has a height and a diameter, the height being greater than the diameter.

8. The marine platform of claim 1 wherein there are at least three buoys and at least three connecting positions.

9. The marine platform of claim 1 wherein there are at least four buoys and at least four connecting positions.

10. The marine platform of claim 1 wherein there are between 3 and 8 connecting positions.

11. The marine platform of claim 1 wherein the platform is comprised of a trussed deck.

12. The marine platform of claim 1 wherein the trussed deck has lower horizontal members, upper horizontal members, and a plurality of inclined members spanning between the upper and lower horizontal members, and wherein the connecting positions are next to the lower horizontal members.

13. The marine platform of claim 1 wherein each buoy is between 100 and 500 feet in height.

14. The marine platform of claim 1 wherein each buoy is between about 25 and 100 feet in diameter.

15. The marine platform of claim 1 wherein each buoy has a generally uniform diameter over a majority of its length.

16. The marine platform of claim 1 wherein each buoy has an upper end portion that is generally cylindrically shaped.

17. The marine platform of claim 1 wherein at least one articulated connection is comprised of a buoy with a hemispherically shaped upper end and a correspondingly shaped concave receptacle on the platform that fits the hemispherically shaped upper end.

18. The marine platform of claim 1 wherein the buoys support a platform that weighs between 500 and 100,000 tons.

20. The marine platform of claim 18 further comprising a mooring extending from a plurality of the buoys for holding the platform and buoys to a desired location.

19. A marine platform, comprising:

a) a plurality of individual buoys;

b) a platform superstructure having an oil and gas well producing facility weighing between 500 tons and 100,000 tons and a peripheral portion that includes a plurality of connecting positions, one connecting position for each buoy;

c) a plurality of articulating connections, a separate articulating connections connecting each buoy to the platform superstructure at a respective connecting position, the plurality of articulating connections allowing for buoy motions induced by sea movement while reducing sea movement effect on the platform superstructure; and

d) wherein each articulating connection is a separate joint movably connecting a buoy to the platform superstructure, and wherein axial and tangential forces are substantially transmitted without transfer of substantial bending movement, allowing relative movement between each buoy and the superstructure.

21. The marine platform of claim 19 wherein the articulating connections are universal joints.

22. The marine platform of claim 19 wherein each of the articulating connections includes correspondingly concave and convex engaging portions.

23. The marine platform of claim 19 wherein at least one buoy has a convex articulating portion and the platform has at least one concave articulating portion, the at least one convex articulating portion and the at least one concave articulating portion forming at least one articulating connection of the plurality of articulating connections.

24. The marine platform of claim 19 wherein at least one buoy has a concave. articulating portion and the platform has at least one convex articulating portion, the at least one concave articulating portion and the at least one convex articulating portion forming at least one articulating connection of the plurality of articulating connections.

25. The marine platform of claim 19 wherein each buoy has a height and a diameter, the height being greater than the diameter.

26. The marine platform of claim 19 wherein there are at least three buoys and at least three connecting positions.

27. The marine platform of claim 19 wherein there are at least four buoys and at least four connecting positions.

28. The marine platform of claim 19 wherein the platform is comprised of a trussed deck.

29. The marine platform of claim 19 wherein the trussed deck has lower horizontal members, upper horizontal members, and a plurality of inclined members spanning between the upper and lower horizontal members, and wherein the connecting positions are next to the lower horizontal members.

30. The marine platform of claim 19 wherein each buoy is between 100 and 500 feet in height.

31. The marine platform of claim 19 wherein each buoy is between about 25 and 100 feet in diameter.

32. The marine platform of claim 19 wherein each buoy has a generally uniform diameter over a majority of its length.

33. The marine platform of claim 19 wherein each buoy has an upper end portion that is generally cylindrically shaped.

34. The marine platform of claim 19 wherein at least one articulated connection is comprised of a buoy with a hemispherically shaped upper end and a correspondinly shaped concave receptacle on the platform that fits the hemispherically shaped upper end.

35. A marine platform, comprising:

a) a plurality of individual buoys;

b) a platform superstructure having an oil and gas well producing facility and a peripheral portion that includes a plurality of connecting positions, one connecting position for each buoy;

c) a plurality of articulating connections, one of the articulating connections connecting a said individual buoy to the platform superstructure at a respective connecting position, each articulating connection allowing for buoy motion induced by sea movement while reducing sea movement effect on the platform superstructure; and

d) wherein each articulating connection is a separate joint movably connecting a said buoy to the platform superstructure, and wherein axial and tangential forces are substantially transmitted without transfer of substantial bending moment, allowing relative movement between each buoy and the superstructure.

36. The marine platform of claim 35 further comprising a mooring extending from a plurality of the buoys for holding the platform and buoys to a desired location.

37. The marine platform of claim 35 wherein the articulating connections are universal joints.

38. The marine platform of claim 35 wherein each of the articulating connections includes correspondingly concave and convex engaging portions.

39. The marine platform of claim 38 wherein at least one buoy has a convex articulating portion and the platform has at least one concave articulating portion, the at least one convex articulating portion and the at least one concave articulating portion forming at least one articulating connection of the plurality of articulating connections.

40. The marine platform of claim 38 wherein at least one buoy has a concave articulating portion and the platform has at least one convex articulating portion, the at least one concave articulating portion and the at least one convex articulating portion forming at least one articulating connection of the plurality of articulating connections.

41. The marine platform of claim 35 wherein each buoy has a height and a diameter, the height being greater than the diameter.

42. The marine platform of claim 35 wherein there are at least three buoys and at least three connecting positions.

43. The marine platform of claim 35 wherein there are at least four buoys and at least four connecting positions. four connecting positions.

44. The marine platform of claim 35 wherein there are between 3 and 8 connecting positions.

45. The marine platform of claim 35 wherein the platform is comprised of a trussed deck.

46. The marine platform of claim 35 wherein the trussed deck has lower horizontal members, upper horizontal members, and a plurality of inclined members spanning between the upper and lower horizontal members, and wherein the connecting positions are next to the lower horizontal members.

47. The marine platform of claim 35 wherein each buoy is between 100 and 500 feet in height.

48. The marine platform of claim 35 wherein each buoy is between about 25 and 100 feet in diameter.

49. The marine platform of claim 35 wherein each buoy has a generally uniform diameter over a majority of its length.

50. The marine platform of claim 35 wherein each buoy has an upper end portion that is generally cylindrically shaped.

51. The marine platform of claim 35 wherein at least one articulated connection is comprised of a buoy with a hemispherically shaped upper end and a correspondingly shaped concave receptacle on the platform that fits the hemispherically shaped upper end.

52. The marine platform of claim 35 wherein the buoys support a platform that weighs between 500 and 100,000 tons.

53. A marine platform, comprising:

a) a plurality of individual buoys;

b) a platform superstructure that includes an oil and gas well producing facility weighing between 500 tons and 100,000 tons and a peripheral portion that includes a plurality of connecting positions, one connecting position for each buoy;

c) a plurality of articulating connections, respective articulating connections connecting the plurality of buoys to the platform at different respective connecting positions, the plurality of articulating connections allowing for buoy motions induced by sea movement while reducing sea movement effect on the platform; and

d) wherein each articulating connection is a separate joint movably connecting a said buoy to the platform superstructure, and wherein axial and tangential forces are substantially transmitted without transfer of substantial bending moment, allowing relative movement between each buoy and the superstructure.

54. The marine platform of claim 53 further comprising a mooring extending from a plurality of the buoys for holding the platform and buoys to a desired location.

55. The marine platform of claim 53 wherein the articulating connections are universal joints.

56. The marine platform of claim 53 wherein each of the articulating connections includes correspondingly concave and convex engaging portions.

57. The marine platform of claim 53 wherein at least one buoy has a convex articulating portion and the platform has at least one concave articulating portion, the at least one convex articulating portion and the at least one concave articulating portion forming at least one articulating connection of the plurality of articulating connections.

58. The marine platform of claim 53 wherein at least one buoy has a concave articulating portion and the platform has at least one convex articulating portion, the at least one concave articulating portion and the at least one convex articulating portion forming at least one articulating connection of the plurality of articulating connections.

59. The marine platform of claim 53 wherein each buoy has a height and a diameter, the height being greater than the diameter.

60. The marine platform of claim 53 wherein there are at least three buoys and at least three connecting positions.

61. The marine platform of claim 53 wherein there are at least four buoys and at least four connecting positions.

62. The marine platform of claim 53 wherein the platform is comprised of a trussed deck.

63. The marine platform of claim 53 wherein the trussed deck has lower horizontal members, upper horizontal members, and a plurality of inclined members spanning between the upper and lower horizontal members, and wherein the connecting positions are next to the lower horizontal members.

64. The marine platform of claim 53 wherein each buoy is between 100 and 500 feet in height.

65. The marine platform of claim 53 wherein each buoy is between about 25 and 100 feet in diameter.

66. The marine platform of claim 53 wherein each buoy has a generally uniform diameter over a majority of its length.

67. The marine platform of claim 53 wherein each buoy has an upper end portion that is generally cylindrically shaped.

68. The marine platform of claim 53 wherein at least one articulated connection is comprised of a buoy with a hemispherically shaped upper end and a correspondingly shaped cave receptacle on the platform that fits the hemispherically shaped upper end.