Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/24—Anchors
  • B63B21/26—Anchors securing to bed
  • B63B21/27—Anchors securing to bed by suction
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/22—Handling or lashing of anchors
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/50—Anchoring arrangements or methods for special vessels, e.g. for floating drilling platforms or dredgers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B2021/003—Mooring or anchoring equipment, not otherwise provided for
  • B63B2021/007—Remotely controlled subsea assistance tools, or related methods for handling of anchors or mooring lines, e.g. using remotely operated underwater vehicles for connecting mooring lines to anchors
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/50—Anchoring arrangements or methods for special vessels, e.g. for floating drilling platforms or dredgers
  • B63B2021/505—Methods for installation or mooring of floating offshore platforms on site
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
  • E02D2250/00—Production methods
  • E02D2250/0053—Production methods using suction or vacuum techniques
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
  • E02D2250/00—Production methods
  • E02D2250/0061—Production methods for working underwater
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
  • E02D5/00—Bulkheads, piles, or other structural elements specially adapted to foundation engineering
  • E02D5/74—Means for anchoring structural elements or bulkheads
  • E02D5/80—Ground anchors

Definitions

• TITLE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUCTION ANCHOR AND
• This invention relates generally to mooring line connections for subsea operations, particularly for suction anchor pile moorings. More particularly, this invention concerns a wire socket connector mechanism which facilitates subsea connection and reconnection of mooring lines of semi-submersible drilling rigs, production and drilling platforms and the like to suction anchor piles and other anchor devices.
• This invention also concerns deployment and installation of suction anchor piles and a mooring wire assembly with retrieval buoys and sling on one of its ends.
• the invention also concerns addition of buoys to mooring wire sections and connecting the mooring wire to a vessel to be moored.
• the procedure also concerns the mooring wire, buoy recovery, wire retrieval and suction anchor pile recovery and a procedure for recovering mooring wires and other apparatus.
• Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the stern section of an anchor handling vessel designed for suction anchor deployment, mooring wire deployment and handling and showing four suction anchors in loaded position on the stern of the vessel in preparation for deployment thereof;
• Fig. 2 is a plan view similar to that of Fig. 1 and showing one of the suction anchors having been maneuvered to its deployment position with respect to the stern roller of the vessel in preparation for suction anchor deployment;
• Fig. 3 is a plan view of a track roller assembly for on deck handling of a suction anchor pile for deployment or retrieval operations;
• Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the track roller assembly of Fig. 3;
• Fig. 5 is a partial plan view of the track roller assembly of Fig. 3 showing the top and bottom roller arrangements thereof in detail;
• Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of the track roller assembly of Figs. 3-5 and showing a hydraulic jacking mechanism for lateral movement of the track roller assembly;
• Fig. 7 is a plan view similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and showing I-beam tracks mounted on the anchor handling vessel deck to permit transverse movement of track rollers during deployment or recovery operations for suction anchor piles;
• Fig. 8 is side elevational view of a service vessel showing a suction anchor pile in position for launching over the stern roller of the vessel and showing an initial arrangement of handling lines
• Fig. 9 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 8 and showing overboarding of the suction anchor pile and also showing the relationship of the handling lines to the anchor handling vessel and the suction anchor pile;
• Fig. 10 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 9 and showing the suction anchor pile leaving the stem roller of the vessel in route to its proposed site in the sea floor;
• Fig. 11 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig 10 and showing the suction anchor pile just under the stem of the vessel and further showing disconnection of the overboarding hook from the sling of the suction anchor pile by remote operating vehicle (ROV) handling
• Fig. 12 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 11 and showing the suction anchor pile being lowered with a mooring wire to a point near the sea floor
• Fig. 13 is a side elevational view of the anchor handling vessel similar to that of Fig. 12 and showing self-penetration of the suction anchor pile into the sea floor with the ROV monitoring and directing orientation of the suction pile and having the capability to assist in suction pile installation
• Fig. 14 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 13 showing a further step in suction anchor pile deployment as water is evacuated from the suction anchor pile by the ROV;
• Fig. 15 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 14 showing the suction anchor pile fully deployed and showing release of the hook of the lowering line from the suction anchor pile by ROV assistance;
• Fig. 16 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 15 and showing movement of the lowering/mooring wire from the suction anchor pile support and reconnection of the mooring wire to the main mooring wire extension of the suction anchor pile;
• Fig. 17 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 16 and showing recovery of the ROV to the anchor handling vessel in preparation for connection of the mooring wire to the rig or other vessel being moored;
• Fig. 18 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 17 and showing deployment of the mooring line by the anchor handling vessel;
• Fig. 19 is a side elevational view showing lowering of a primary mooring wire to the sea floor by an anchor handling anchor handling vessel and showing a buoy which suspends the deployment/recovery sling assembly of the mooring line in position for subsea connection;
• Fig. 20 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 19 showing recovery of the lowering hook and ROV to the surface and further showing the primary mooring wire extending along the sea floor with its terminal end being positioning by the buoy for subsequent connection with an intermediate mooring wire section;
• Fig. 21 is an elevational view similar to that of Fig. 20 showing the primary mooring wire on the sea floor and with the ROV and lowering hook recovered by the vessel;
• Fig. 22 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 21 and showing a semi- submersible drilling rig at the right hand of the portion of the figure and further showing a lift wire being connected by the ROV to the deployed primary mooring wire by an anchor handling vessel loaded with wire and buoys for rig connection;
• Fig. 23 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 22, showing heaving of the mooring wire to the stern roller of the anchor handling vessel for connection of an intermediate mooring wire to the primary mooring wire;
• Fig. 24 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 23 showing the intermediate mooring wire being connected to the primary mooring wire and showing deployment buoys fixed to the intermediate mooring wire in preparation for connection to a mooring wire of the rig;
• Fig. 25 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 24, showing an upper winch wire being paid out of the rig to the anchor handling vessel which is backed into close proximity to the rig;
• Fig. 26 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 25, and showing a mooring wire of the rig being connected to the anchor handling vessel and further showing the buoys of the intermediate mooring line section being heaved to the anchor handling vessel for connection of the rig wire to the buoy;
• Fig. 27 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 26 showing lowering of the buoys and intermediate anchor wire with a J-chaser suspended from the anchor handling vessel by a lowering line;
• Fig. 28 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 27 showing the completed mooring line connection from the rig to the suction anchor pile;
• Fig. 29 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 28 showing initiation of a rig disconnect procedure where an anchor handling vessel chases out along the rig mooring line section with a J-lock chaser to reach a short chain located above the first buoy of the intermediate mooring line section;
• Fig. 30 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 29 showing the buoys of the intermediate mooring line section being heaved to the anchor handling vessel to permit disconnection of the upper mooring line section therefrom;
• Fig. 31 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 30 showing release of the upper mooring line section of the rig and showing the buoys of the intermediate mooring line section being located below the stern roller of the vessel;
• Fig. 32 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 31 and showing lowering of a sub-sea retrieval tool to a position below the second buoy of the intermediate mooring line section;
• Fig. 33 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 32 and showing the use of an ROV for connection of the subsea retrieval tool to the intermediate mooring wire section below the buoys;
• Fig. 34 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 33 showing, after retrieval of the ROV, use of the anchor handling vessel to heave in on the mooring wire below the buoys to thereby permit the buoys to be decked without damage;
• Fig. 35 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 34 showing the buoys of the intermediate mooring line being located on the deck of the anchor handling vessel and showing initiation of the recovery of the intermediate mooring line section of the main mooring extension wire;
• Fig. 36 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 35 showing installation by the anchor handling vessel of a syntactic buoy with a deployment/recovery sling so that the primary mooring wire can be lowered to the sea floor;
• Fig. 37 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 36 showing lowering of the primary mooring wire to the sea floor by the anchor handling vessel with the syntactic buoy at the end thereof suspending the deployment/recovery sling assembly;
• Fig. 38 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 37 and showing the deployment/recovery hook being disconnected by the ROV;
• Fig. 39 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 38 showing the anchor handling vessel proceeding to the rig to repeat a suction anchor pile and mooring line deployment procedure after having recovered the deployment wire and ROV;
• Fig. 40 is a side elevational showing initiation of a procedure for recovery of mooring wires and anchors, with an anchor handling vessel having heaved on the mooring wire until the mooring wire is located vertically above the suction anchor pile and with the ROV directing the mooring wire as it is guided into the entrapment slot on the suction anchor pile, after which the ROV manipulates the lock of the suction anchor pile for securing the mooring wire thereto;
• Fig. 41 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig.40, showing the ROV being positioned to disconnect the subsea connector from the mooring extension of the suction anchor pile;
• Fig. 42 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 41 , further showing direction of the subsea connector to the anchor lift sling by the ROV after having released the lift sling from the mooring line extension of the suction anchor pile;
• Fig. 43 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 42, showing the pumping of water into the suction anchor pile by the ROV to dissipate the suction of the anchor while the anchor lift sling is moved upwardly to begin lifting of the ROV from its embedded condition with respect to the sea floor;
• Fig. 44 is a side elevational view showing lifting of the suction anchor pile from the sea floor after the suction anchor pile has been moved upwardly to the point that its suction is minimal;
• Fig. 45 is a elevational view showing the suction anchor pile being located clear of the sea floor and, at a particular depth below the surface, showing a recovery hook being connected to the recovery sling of the suction anchor pile by ROV control;
• Fig. 46 is a sectional view showing the suction anchor pile being supported solely by the recovery hook and line of the anchor handling vessel in preparation for tailboarding of the suction anchor pile over the stern roller of the vessel to its deck;
• Fig. 47 is an elevational view showing the suction anchor pile being drawn to the stem roller of the vessel at which point skids of the suction anchor pile are aligned with the track roller assembly of the anchor handling vessel;
• Fig. 48 is an elevational view showing movement of the anchor handling vessel in the water during tailboarding to permit the force of water action to orient the anchor as the anchor proceeds to the deck of the vessel and becomes located on its cradle;
• Fig. 49 is a front elevational view of a socket connector that is adapted for connection to a mooring or heaving line and which is adapted to receive a socket, that is connected to another line section to thus permit quick and efficient connection disconnection of mooring wire sections;
• Fig. 50 is a plan view of the socket connector of Fig. 49;
• Fig. 51 is a sectional view taken along line 51-51 of Fig. 50 and showing the internal geometry of the socket connector as well as the geometry of the connecting eye thereof; 5 Figs. A-A through F-F are sectional views taken along respective section lines
• connection bail at various locations along the lengths thereof;
• Fig. 52 is a sectional view of a socket element adapted to be fixed to a wire by zinc or polymer connection and further adapted for seated assembly within the wire 10 socket connector of Figs. 49-51 ;
• Fig. 53 is a bottom view of the wire socket element of Fig. 52;
• 15 handling vessel also referred to therein to an anchor handling vessel, is shown generally at 10 and incorporates a stern roller 12 over which suction anchor piles and other apparatus is launched.
• the stern of the anchor handling vessel is pitted to receive 4 suction anchor piles shown at 14, 16, 18 and 20 which are secured to the anchor handling vessel by individual track roller assemblies which are shown in greater
• the deck of the vessel is provided with transverse beams or rails 22, 24 and 26, one which being shown in Fig. 6.
• Track roller assemblies are provided as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 with one of the track roller assemblies, shown generally at 28, having parallel track members 30, 32 and 34 which are interconnected by transverse structural members 36.
• Roller assemblies 38 each including top and
• bottom rollers are mounted to the outer parallel structural members 30 and 34 and to the transverse structural members as is more clearly evident from the end view of Fig. 6.
• Bottom rollers 40 and 42 are connected to the transverse structural members 36 by roller mounting pins 44 and 46 respectively. These bottom rollers are disposed in contact with the upper surface 48 of the transverse I-beam track 22.
• Upper rollers 50 are mounted to the outer parallel structural members 30 and 34 and to the transverse structural members as is more clearly evident from the end view of Fig. 6.
• Bottom rollers 40 and 42 are connected to the transverse structural members 36 by roller mounting pins 44 and 46 respectively. These bottom rollers are disposed in contact with the upper surface 48 of the transverse I-beam track 22.
• Upper rollers 50 are mounted to the outer parallel structural members 30 and 34 and to the transverse structural members as is more clearly evident from the end view of Fig. 6.
• Bottom rollers 40 and 42 are connected to the transverse structural members 36 by roller mounting pins 44 and 46 respectively. These bottom rollers are disposed in contact with the upper
• the structural support members 54 and 56 5 may comprise elongate support that are fixed along a side suction anchor pile.
• the suction anchor pile 58 is supported directly by the rollers 50 and 52 to permit its effective launching and retrieval.
• Lateral guide members 60 and 62 are welded or otherwise fixed to the outer parallel structural members 30 and 34 and function to establish a proper relationship of the members 54 and 56 to the rollers 50 and 52 as
• the suction anchor pile is moved linearly during its launching or retrieval.
• the anchor handling vessel 10 is shown with one of the suction anchor piles 70 located with its lower end at the stem roller 12 of the vessel and with its deployment sling 72 being connected by a wire socket connector shown generally at 74 to the upper winch wire 76 of the vessel winch
• Another winch wire 78 is shown to be connected to a suction anchor pile deployment sling 80 that is located intermediate the upper and lower ends of the suction anchor pile.
• the suction anchor pile is shown with its main mooring wire extension 82 secured to a mooring wire connector 84 of the suction anchor pile and with its upper end being secured against one side of the suction anchor pile by a
• a tapered socket member 88 At the upper end of the main mooring wire extension, there is provided a tapered socket member 88, which may be of the type shown in Figs. 52 and 53 thereof.
• the deployment sling 72 is connected to the suction anchor pile 70 by a deployment connector 73 which may be in the form of a elastomer support to provide a cushioning capability between the suction anchor pile and the anchor lifting
• the suction anchor pile is moved over the stem roller 12 until such a time as its weight is supported by the winch line 76 via the socket connector 74 and the lifting and handling sling 72 as shown in Fig. 9. Movement of the suction anchor continues as shown in Fig. 10 until its
• a remote operating vehicle (ROV) 92 may be utilized to manipulate the overboarding hook and release it from the overboarding sling.
• the ROV is operationally and controllably coupled with the vessel 10 via a power and service cable 94 under control by personnel of the vessel.
• the ROV 92 and lowering and heaving wire 108 with its lowering hook 110 will be recovered to the anchor handling vessel.
• the anchor handling vessel is loaded with wire and buoys for rig connection and, as shown in Fig. 22, the ROV 92 functions to connect the hoisting and lowering wire 108 with its hook 110 to the connector 112 immediately above the buoy 106.
• the primary mooring wire section 76 is hoisted to the anchor handling vessel and is pulled over the stem roller of the vessel as shown.
• an intermediate section of mooring wire is connected to the primary mooring wire section by a connector 114 as shown in Fig. 24.
• the intermediate mooring wire section 116 is then provided with one or more buoys as shown at 118 and 120 for supporting the intermediate mooring wire 116 and for providing the completed mooring line assembly with support intermediate its length.
• the upper winch wire 122 of the anchor handling vessel which is connected to the intermediate mooring wire 116 above the uppermost buoy 118, will be paid out from the anchor handling vessel to thus allow the vessel back into the rig as shown in Fig.
• the mooring wire of the rig will be paid out from its winch so that, after its connection to the intermediate mooring wire 116, the mooring wire installation from the rig to the suction anchor pile can be controlled by the on-board winch of the rig.
• the upper winch wire 122 of the anchor handling vessel is heaved to a position adjacent the stern of the vessel to expose the mooring wire connection.
• the rig mooring wire 124 is then connected to the intermediate mooring wire section 116 at a connector 126 that is located immediately above the upper buoy 118 of the intermediate mooring wire.
• the mooring wire installation is completed as shown in Fig. 27 by lowering the rig mooring wire and the intermediate mooring wire with its buoys by a winch line 126 having a J-chaser 128 connected thereto.
• the J-chaser will simply become unhooked from the mooring wire and may then be recovered to the vessel.
• the mooring wire winch system of the vessel will then adjust the mooring wire assembly as is proper for stationing of the rig at its proper location relative to the sea floor.
• the anchor handling vessel 10 When it is appropriate to disconnect the rig from its mooring wire installation, the anchor handling vessel 10 will position its heaving wire with the J-chaser 128 in contact with the mooring wire of the rig. The anchor handling vessel will then move away from the rig, thereby causing the J-chaser 128 to move along the rig mooring wire 124 until it comes into contact with a short chain located immediately above the upper buoy 118 of the intermediate mooring wire section. After this has been done, the heaving line and J-lock chaser is heaved to a position exposing the short recovery chain above the upper buoy 118 as shown in Fig. 30 and thus also exposing the connection between the rig mooring wire 124 and the intermediate mooring wire 116.
• the rig mooring wire is then disconnected from the intermediate mooring wire at the vessel deck and is recovered to the rig by the rig winch system as shown in Fig. 31.
• the connector 125 for making the connection of the rig mooring wire 124 with the intermediate mooring wire may be in the form of a quick release type socket connector which is explained in detail hereinbelow in connection with Figs. 49-53.
• each of the connectors along the length of the mooring wire installation may be defined by wire socket connectors, if desired, or may take the form of any other suitable mooring wire connector without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
• the anchor handling vessel will lower a subsea retrieval tool 130 to a depth below the lower buoy 120 as shown and will then connect the subsea retrieval tool to the intermediate mooring wire 116 below the buoys.
• the ROV 92 can be utilized for this purpose.
• the subsea retrieval tool is then heaved to the deck of the vessel thereby causing the buoys 118 and 120 to be decked without damage because the weight of the intermediate mooring wire 116 will not be present on the buoys are as they are heaved over the stem roller of the anchor handling vessel.
• the intermediate mooring wire section is then recovered by the anchor handling vessel.
• the vessel will reinstall the syntactic buoy with a deployment/recovery sling and begin to deploy the primary mooring wire section 76.
• the primary mooring section is then lowered to the sea floor by the winch wire 106.
• the ROV 92 is deployed from the anchor handling vessel 10 and is used to disconnect the deployment recovery hook 132 of the winch wire 126 from the sling 134 above the syntactic buoy.
• the wire 126 and deployment/recovery hook are then recovered to the anchor handling vessel, leaving the primary mooring wire 76 lying on the sea floor with its terminal end being positioned by the syntactic buoy 106 so that its sling 134 will be positioned for immediate reconnection to the intermediate mooring wire section as needed.
• the anchor handling vessel can then proceed to the rig as shown in Fig. 39 to repeat the suction anchor pile and mooring line installation for another one of the plurality of suction anchor pile and mooring line assemblies of the rig mooring system.
• Fig. 40 it may be appropriate at some point to recover the suction anchor pile 70 so that is may be reinstalled at some other location as may be desired for different stationing of the rig relative to the sea floor. This is accomplished by connecting a vessel winch line to the heaving sling 134 of the primary mooring wire 76 and heaving the primary mooring wire onto the anchor handling vessel until it is oriented substantially vertically above the suction anchor pile 70. With the primary mooring wire so positioned, the ROV 92 is then utilized to direct the mooring wire extension 82 so that it enters an entrapment slot 83 of the suction anchor pile.
• the ROV will then manipulate a lock on the suction anchor pile to secure the mooring wire extension 82 within the entrapment slot.
• the ROV 92 will be moved to the subsea connector 74 as shown in Fig. 41 and will disconnect the connector from the mooring wire extension. Since the mooring wire extension will be locked within the entrapment slot of the suction anchor pile, it will remain substantially vertically oriented as shown in Fig. 42, with its socket element 88 positioned for subsequent reconnection to a mooring wire section in simple and efficient manner. As shown in Fig.
• the ROV will then move the subsea connector 74 from the mooring wire extension to the anchor lift sling 72 in preparation for lifting the suction anchor pile to the deck of the anchor handling vessel. Then, as shown in Fig. 43, the ROV 92 will be maneuvered for connection of its fluid transfer line 96 with the fluid transfer connection 98 of the suction anchor pile. The pumps on the vessel are then energized, forcing water through the connection 98 into the suction anchor pile and thus developing a differential pressure induced force that moves the suction anchor pile upwardly.
• a heaving force is applied to the winch wire 126 of the vessel, which, through the wire socket connector 74, lifts the suction anchor pile from its embedded relation within the sea floor until the suction anchor pile is located within the 15' silt line of the sea floor.
• the ROV will disengage its fluid transfer conduit 96 from the suction anchor pile coupling 98.
• the suction anchor pile is heaved upwardly by the winch line 126 until the suction anchor pile is located at a predetermined depth, i.e. about 60' below the anchor handling vessel as shown in Fig. 45.
• the ROV 92 With the suction anchor pile 70 stationary below the stern of the vessel, the ROV 92 will be utilized to connect a recovery hook 132 of a recovery winch line 134 to the deployment/recovery sling 80 of the suction anchor pile.
• the recovery wire is then heaved as shown in Fig. 46, moving the suction anchor pile upwardly toward the stem of the vessel and causing the deployment/recovery wire 76 to become slack.
• Fig. 47 heaving is continued, causing the deployment/recovery sling 80 to pass over the stern roller 12 of the vessel and thus initiating boarding movement of the suction anchor pile over the stem roller as shown.
• the vessel is moved forwardly in the water as shown by the movement arrow in Fig. 48, thus applying a water drag induced force against the lower portion of the suction anchor pile to assist in its pivot-like movement about the stem roller 12.
• the winch wire 34 will continue movement of the suction anchor pile until it is slowly brought aboard the vessel and is allowed to rest in a cradle that is positioned by the moveable track system that is mounted on the deck of the vessel.
• the subsea connector shown generally at 74 in the various figures described above may conveniently take the form of a wire socket connector, which is shown in Figs. 49-53.
• the wire socket connector 74 incorporates a basket structure 140 having spaced, generally parallel surfaces 142 and 144 which defined a wire access opening 146.
• a bail structure, shown generally at 148, is formed integrally with the basket structure 140 and defines upwardly extending basket support arms 150 and 152 that are interconnected at the upper ends thereof by a curved bail section 154 of circular cross-sectional configuration as shown in Fig. 51.
• the cross- sectional geometry along the length of the basket support arms 150 and 152 is indicated by sections A-A through F-F.
• the basket structure 140 defines a central socket receptacle opening 156 in communication with the wire access opening 146. About the central opening 156, the basket also defines a reverse angled circular shoulder 158 which extends to the wire access opening 146. The conical, reverse angled shoulder 158 provides for seating of a wire socket within the basket as will be discussed hereinbelow.
• the basket structure also defines a pair of locking tabs 160 and 162 which project downwardly on each side of the wire access opening 146 as is best shown in Fig. 49.
• These locking tabs define registering through bores 164 and 166 that can receive a bolt, pin or other suitable locking connector for securing a winch line or mooring line, as the case may be, within the central socket receptacle opening 156 of the basket.
• the bolt or locking pin may be extended through the registering through bores 164 and 166 by the ROV in order to prevent inadvertent disassembly of the wire socket connection assembly in the event the mooring line or other wire should become slack for any reason.
• a socket member shown generally at 170 is defined by a socket body 172 having a tapered central passage 174 through which a wireline or mooring line extends.
• the socket body is fixed to the wireline by zinc, polymer or any other material that is poured into the passage 174 in its molten or uncured liquid state and is then allowed to harden or cure to permanently fix the socket body to the wireline.
• the socket body also defines a circular conical shoulder, having the same angle as the reverse angled conical shoulder 158 of the socket body 140.
• the wireline After the wireline has passed through the wire access opening 146, and has located the socket body 172 above the central opening 156, the wireline is lowered in relation to the basket structure causing a tapered external guide surface 178 of the socket body to guide the socket into the socket receptacle opening 156, thus causing the conical shoulder 176 of the socket body to seat against the conical shoulder 158 of the basket structure.
• the wire socket will become unseated from its supported relation within the wire socket receptacle opening 156 of the basket simply by its upward movement relative to the basket structure.
• the wire and wire socket are moved laterally relative to the basket structure thereby causing the wire to exit from the receptacle opening 156 via the wire access opening 146.
• the wire socket connector shown in Figs. 49-53 may be of other convenient configuration if desired, it being appropriate only that it have the capability of being quickly assembled and disassembled particularly in the subsea environment and perhaps with the use of an ROV for controlling relative movement of the basket and wire socket structures for accomplishing quick connection or disconnection thereof.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Earth Drilling (AREA)
• Other Liquid Machine Or Engine Such As Wave Power Use (AREA)
• Revetment (AREA)

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• 1999
  • 1999-03-26 BR BR9910349-4A patent/BR9910349A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1999-03-26 AU AU33636/99A patent/AU743420B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1999-03-26 CA CA002331176A patent/CA2331176C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-03-26 WO PCT/US1999/006469 patent/WO1999064684A2/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1999-03-26 ID IDW20002550A patent/ID27033A/id unknown
  • 1999-03-26 EP EP99915019A patent/EP1076738A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1999-03-26 OA OA1200000306A patent/OA11691A/en unknown
• 2000
  • 2000-11-03 NO NO20005579A patent/NO20005579L/no not_active Application Discontinuation

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