VESSEL COMPRISING A MOON POOL AND A HOISTING ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD OF LOWERING ITEMS INTO THE SEA

• US 20140161569A1
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IHC Holland IE BV
• Original Assignee: IHC Holland IE BV
• Inventors: Zijlmans, Jurgen Arjan, Heerema, Eline Wilhelmina, Peerdeman, Marius, Zandbergen, Norbert
• Granted Patent: US 9,771,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/142.8
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 27/16 of lifts or hoists pilot lifts B63B27/146
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/4413 Floating drilling platforms, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/00 Handling rods, casings, tubes or the like outside the borehole, e.g. in the derrick; Apparatus for feeding the rods or cables
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/002 specially adapted for underwater drilling E21B19/09, E21B19/143 take precedence

Abstract

A vessel for e.g. well intervention or deep sea lowering, comprises a moon pool and a hoisting arrangement for lowering and retrieving items, in particular equipment, tools, and/or supplies or modules comprising the same, through the moon pool, into respectively from the sea and onto respectively from the seabed or an installation on the seabed. The vessel further comprises one or more guides for laterally retaining items inside the moon pool, preferably at least two guides positioned on opposite sides of the moon pool.

Claims

1. A vessel comprising a moon pool and a hoisting arrangement configured to lower and retrieve items, through the moon pool, into respectively from the sea and onto repsectively from the seabed or an installation on the seabed wherein one or more guides are configured to laterally retain the items inside the moon pool.

2. the vessel according to claim 1, wherein the guides extend at least partially in the moon pool and/or are provided at different heights in the moon pool.

3. The vessel according to claim 1, comprising a drive mechanism configured to exert a downward or upward force on the items.

4. the vessel according to claim 1, comprising a tower configured to receive one or more of the items, and wherein the tower is translatingly mounted between the guides.

5. The vessel according to claim 4, wherein the tower comprises fasteners configured to temporarily hold a plurality of items, one stacked above the other.

6. The vessel according to claim 1, wherein the tower comprises doors at a lower end thereof.

7. The vessel according to claim 1, wherein the tower comprises a plurality of guide wires extending within the tower.

17. The vessel according to claim 1 and further comprising at least two guides positioned on opposite sides or corners of the moon pool.

8. A handling system configured to be installed on a vessel to handle items, the handling comprising a moon pool and a hoisting arrangement configured to lower and retrieve items, through the moon pool, wherein one or more guides are configured to laterally retain items inside the moon pool and a tower configured to receive one or more of the items, which tower is translatingly mountable between the guides.

9. The handling system according to claim 8, comprising a drive mechanism configured to exert a downward or upward force on the tower.

10. A method of lowering or retrieving items into the sea and onto the seabed or an installation on the seabed by means of a vessel using a moon pool and a hoisting arrangement, the method comprising:

suspending one or more items from the hoisting arrangement,

lowering or hoisting the items through the moon pool,

laterally retaining the items while the items are being lowered or hoisted through the moon pool.

11. the method according to claim 10, and further comprising exerting a downward or upward force on the items.

12. The method according to claim 10, and further comprising loading the items onto and/or into a tower and translatingly lowering or hoisting the tower between the guides.

13. The method according to claim 12, and further comprising loading a first item onto and/or into the tower, lowering or hoisting the tower and loading a second item onto and/or into the tower, respectively above or below the first item.

14. The method according to claim 13, and further comprising interconnecting the first and second items before lowering the items through the moon pool.

15. The method according to claim 13, and further comprising connecting an uppermost item to the hoisting arrangement.

16. The method according to claim 10 wherein laterally retaining the items while the items are being lowered or hoisted through the moon pool includes guiding the items at least two guides positioned on opposite sides or corners of the moon pool.