Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B75/00—Building or assembling floating offshore structures, e.g. semi-submersible platforms, SPAR platforms or wind turbine platforms

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method of mounting equipment weighing on a floating ship hull. It also relates to an equipment ready for the implementation of the method.
• a vessel For petroleum exploitation, it is known to moor above a petroleum deposit a vessel ensuring the collection, the treatment, the temporary storage and the shipment of hydrocarbons.
• the hull of the ship is used for the storage of oil.
• the ship has on its deck an installation for processing the crude oil collected before the treated hydrocarbons are sent to the tanks provided in the hull of the ship.
• Such a vessel is commonly designated by the acronym FPSO meaning, in English, "Floating Production, Storage and Off-loading".
• the hull and the tanks contained therein are made on a first constant ⁇ struction site and the facility to be implanted above the hull is made on a second construction site distant from the first site.
• the hulls of this type of ship have very large dimensions. Their length varies approximately from 200 to 400, their width from 35 to 70 m for a total height of the hull varying from 30 to 45 m.
• the facilities to be mounted on the ship's hull have typi- "cally a gross weight of 20,000 tons.
• modules having a unitary weight typically of the order of 1000 to 2500 tons.
• Each module is pre-assembled on the ground and then installed on the ship; using handling means such as: land crane, floating crane, gantry crane etc.
• the installation to be mounted on the hull is thus cut into modules pre-assembled on the ground.
• the modules are successively installed on the hull of the ship then the fluid transport links, the electrical energy and data transfer links are established between the different modules, on the one hand, and between the modules and the hull of the na- on the other hand.
• connections are made to the crude hydrocarbon pipes, on the one hand, and to the shipping pipes for the pretreated products, on the other hand.
• the object of the invention is to propose a method for installing equipment weighing on the hull of a ship which saves time and streamlines the overall manufacturing of the equipped ship.
• the subject of the invention is a method of mounting equipment weighing on a hull of a floating ship, characterized in that it comprises the steps of:
• the method comprises one or more of the following characteristics:
• It includes a step of installing the equipment on a barge, before application of the lifting units on the bottom, a step of separating the equipment and the barge during the lifting of the equipment and a clearing step barge after lifting the equipment;
• - It includes a step of setting up a set of skids at the support points of the lifting units on the bottom, which skids have lateral guide surfaces of the hull of the ship; - It includes a step of securing a set of equipment stiffening elements to form a rigid structure between the lifting units, at least during the lifting and lowering of the equipment and a step of uncoupling stiffening elements to give the equipment increased flexibility after depositing the equipment on the hull of the ship;
• each lifting unit comprises a leg fitted with a rack, which leg is intended to bear on the bottom and a device for guiding and driving the leg removably mounted on the equipment, which device comprises at least a pinion meshed with the rack and a geared motor drive group of the pinion for the movement of the leg relative to the guide and drive device.
• the subject of the invention is also a heavy equipment ready for the implementation of the method as defined above, characterized in that it comprises:
• the trimmed equipment comprises a set of elements for stiffening the equipment, and releasable means for securing the stiffening elements so that the equipment forms a rigid structure when the securing means ensure the structural integrity of the elements thus stiffened.
• - Figure 1 is a top view of the heavy equipment resting on a barge or a transport ship, before mounting on the hull of the ship;
• - Figure 2 is a front view of the heavy equipment resting on the transport barge;
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a lifting unit secured to the equipment;
• FIG. 4 is a side view of the lifting unit of Figure 3;
• FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the lifting unit of Figures 3 and 4;
• - Figure 6 is an end view of the equipment carried by the barge arrived at the mounting location;
• - Figure 7 is an end view of the equipment raised away from the barge resting on the seabed;
• FIG. 8 is an end view of the raised equipment while the hull of the ship is engaged under the equipment;
• FIG. 9 is a top view of the hull of the engaged vessel s ⁇ usl'mony to install
• FIG. 10 is an end view of the equipment resting on the hull of the ship after lifting the legs;
• - Figure 11 is an end view of the equipment resting on the hull of the ship during the disassembly of the lifting units; and - Figure 12 is a top view of the hull of the ship on which rests the equipment released from the action of the stiffening elements.
• the process which will be described is intended in particular for mounting equipment in the process of manufacturing ships for petroleum exploitation.
• the completed vessel has a production facility on its hull.
• This production facility is typically divided into processing equipment, and into auxiliary equipment providing services, in particular energy to the processing equipment.
• Each piece of equipment is made up of interconnected zones or modules, each having a specific function.
• For the assembly of the production installation on the hull of the ship all the elements are assembled together on shore to form a single piece of equipment constituting the entire installation if the dimensions and the total weight (less than 18,000 tonnes for example) of the installation allow it.
• This equipment is then placed directly on the hull of the ship according to the process described.
• the elements constituting the production installation have dimensions and / or an excessive weight (weight greater than 18,000 tons for example)
• the elements are divided into two pieces of equipment, for example one for processing and auxiliary equipment for the ancillary functions providing services, each equipment having dimensions and a weight making it possible to use the process.
• Each piece of equipment is pre-assembled on the ground and then mounted directly on the hull.
• the equipment 10 is initially pre-assembled on the ground and is tested there so that it is able to implement the functions for which it was designed.
• the equipment 10 is based on a transport barge 12.
• the equipment 10 consists of a set of production elements distributed in different zones. For example, and as shown in the attached figures, it can be made up of six zones 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D, 14E, 14F, arranged in two rows and three columns. The elements of the same area are interconnected and the elements of the different modules are interconnected by fluid transport pipes, electric power transport wires and data transport wires.
• the equipment 10 further comprises stiffening members such as beams distributed between the zones.
• the equipment 10 such as the example indicated in the figures, comprises four transverse stiffening beams 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D substantially equidistant from each other. These beams each consist of two sections of beam temporarily joined to each other in the middle region of the equipment.
• the equipment comprises three longitudinal beams 18A, 18B, 18C each consisting of three sections of beam connected to each other by temporary connecting means. These connections are made at the points of intersection with the transverse beams 16A, 16B, 16C and 16D. At these intersection points, the sections of the longitudinal beams and the transverse beams are connected to each other in order to stiffen the equipment, so that the equipment alone constitutes a rigid structure.
• the temporary means for connecting the beam sections are represented by black squares arranged at the intersection points of the beams. They are designated by the general reference 20.
• the connecting means consist for example of removable pins engaged in coaxial slots of the beam sections or of the continuity of the beams cut later.
• the different stiffening sections constituting the longitudinal and transverse beams are rigidly connected to each other.
• the equipment constitutes a rigid structure when it is placed on the barge 12 and during the subsequent stages of the process.
• the installation of the equipment on the transport barge is carried out for example by sliding from a quay whose height corresponds exactly to the non-submerged height of the barge.
• the equipment 10 is provided laterally, on either side of the barge, lifting units 30 disposed at the ends of the transverse beams 16A, 16B, 16C and 16D. These lifting units are arranged on either side of the equipment 10 and are distributed along its length so as to rationalize both the arrangement of the zones inside the equipment and the mechanical properties of the together.
• Each lifting unit 30 comprises, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a vertical leg 32 and a guide and drive device 34 detachably connected to the equipment 10 by temporary connection means 35.
• the lifting units 30 are each adapted to be mounted only temporarily on the mobile equipment.
• a lifting unit is shown in detail in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.
• the leg 32 presented here has in section a rectangular shape, it must be such that its geometrical and mechanical characteristics allow the transmission of the guiding and lifting.
• the guide and drive device 34 consists of a lattice structure 36 extending vertically along the entire height of the equipment.
• This trellis structure 36 defines a vertical reference surface 38 for the leg 32. It further comprises four arms 40 disposed at the ends of the reference surface and projecting with respect thereto. These arms are arranged at the four corners of a rectangle and provide lateral guidance of the leg 32.
• the leg 32 has laterally, on either side, rails 42 applied against the " reference surface_38. These rails project laterally with respect to the sides of the leg.
• Removable pins 44 engaged through the ends of the arms 40 provide maintaining the leg against the reference surface 38 while maintaining the rails 42 sandwiched between the reference surface 38 and the pins 44.
• Each leg 32 has a double rack 46 extending vertically along the height of the leg in the part median of this. This rack is engaged inside the trellis structure 36 of the guide and drive device 34.
• the latter comprises between four eight gear-motor groups 50 distributed on either side of the cre- mesh, according to the height thereof These motor-reducing groups 50 ensure the drive of pinions 52 meshed on either side with the double rack 46.
• the means 35 for retaining the lifting unit are provided, on the one hand, on the device 34 for guiding and driving the leg and, on the other hand, on the lateral flank of the equipment 10.
• These retaining means 35 comprise, in the lower part of the device 34 for guiding and driving, a horizontal beam 54 equipped with a pin 56 at its end, the pin being turned towards the upper end. of the device 34.
• the beam 54 and the pin 56 together form a stock 58 suitable for being engaged below a beam delimiting the longitudinal beam, for example 18A.
• the trellis structure 36 has a retaining lug 60 held clamped against the lateral flank of the equipment and a shoe 62 forming a stop.
• the tab 60 extends, upwards, the trellis structure 36.
• the butt 58 and the tab 60 cooperating with the lower beam of the equipment and the shoe 62 ensure an interlocking of the device 34 and the equipment 10. The retention effective is ensured by burning.
• the lifting units 30 are placed on the equipment from a crane 70 resting on the quay, as illustrated in FIG. 1, while the equipment already rests on the barge.
• the guide and drive devices 34 are first installed on the legs 32.
• the legs are engaged between the arms 34 and the retaining pins 44 are put in place to ensure the joining of the legs 32 and 34 guide and drive units.
• Each lifting unit is then suspended from the crane and brought along the equipment with the guide and drive device 34 available at a level below its final level.
• the assembled lifting unit 30 is then brought closer to the equipment and then raised, so that the butt 58 comes to engage under the longitudinal beam of the equipment and that the retaining tab 60 is received between the outer surface of the beam 198A and the shoe 62.
• the lattice structure 36 is then temporarily burnt to the stiffening beam of the equipment to ensure their connection.
• the lifting unit 30 can be installed in two parts.
• the guide units 34 are installed first on the equipment and then the legs 32 are engaged in the guide units.
• the legs are raised and are kept out of the water, as shown in Figure 2. While the equipment is thus ready for installation on the hull of the ship, the barge transporting the equipment is transported to the site for transferring the equipment from the barge to the hull of the ship.
• This site is previously equipped, as illustrated in FIG. 6, with a set of skids 80 resting on the seabed at the places where the lower ends of the legs 32 must rest on the bottom after being lowered.
• the pads are secured to the legs before the operation.
• the legs 32 are then lowered until they bear on the pads 80 after which the equipment 10 is raised according to the height of the legs to a height sufficient for the passage of the hull of the ship to equip.
• the panels 82 associated with the skids provide lateral guidance of the ship's hull.
• blocks 102 for guiding the hull of the ship are arranged in the extension of the skids 80 in order to ensure lateral guiding of the hull, along its entire length.
• the shell 100 Before installing the equipment, the shell 100 is equipped with supports 104 for supporting the equipment.
• the equipment When the hull of the ship is correctly positioned relative to the equipment to be installed, the equipment is lowered so as to come to bear on the supports 104, as illustrated in FIG. 10.
• the deformations of the equipment are as reduced as possible during its transport, its lifting and its lowering for its installation on the hull of the ship.
• the legs 32 are raised, as illustrated in FIG. 10, and the hull of the ship is transported to a quay so that a crane 70 can dismantle the units of linkage 30, as illustrated in FIG. 1 1.
• This disassembly is carried out by simultaneous withdrawal of the legs and of the guiding and driving devices 34 after the linkage lashings have been released. .
• the lifting unit 30 can be dismantled in two parts.
• the legs 32 are disconnected first from the guide units 34 and then the guide units 34 are disconnected from the equipment.
• the various sections of stiffening of the equipment are separated by releasing the removable connecting elements 20 arranged at the intersections between the different stiffening elements, as illustrated in FIG. 12, where the absence of connection is shown diagrammatically by white squares between the stiffening sections.
• connections of the pipes and electrical conductors are then made between the equipment and the hull of the ship.
• the second piece of equipment is set up in a similar manner.
• the connection between the two devices is made directly on the ship.
• the method described here makes it possible to install very heavy equipment on the ship, so that the ship can be equipped by installing on it only one or two pieces of equipment. So the equipment can be almost completely pre-assembled ashore and the time required to connect the equipment to the ship's hull is reduced, so that the complete construction time of the ship is reduced. Furthermore, the different modules constituting each piece of equipment being mechanically dissociated from each other after the stiffening sections have been separated, the piece of equipment installed on the hull of the ship is liable to be deformed by module in a manner similar to the deformations undergone by the ship during navigation. Thus, the mechanical structure of the ship is reliable.
• the lifting units are made up of legs fitted with racks driven by geared motor groups.
• racks driven by geared motor groups.
• lifting units are constituted by legs comprising, along their length, blocking systems step by step, the movement from one step to the other being ensured by jacking.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Ship Loading And Unloading (AREA)
• Underground Or Underwater Handling Of Building Materials (AREA)
• Earth Drilling (AREA)
• Foundations (AREA)
• Processing Of Solid Wastes (AREA)
• Automatic Assembly (AREA)
• Weight Measurement For Supplying Or Discharging Of Specified Amounts Of Material (AREA)
• Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
• Shovels (AREA)
• Electrical Discharge Machining, Electrochemical Machining, And Combined Machining (AREA)
• Jet Pumps And Other Pumps (AREA)
• Details And Applications Of Rotary Liquid Pumps (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

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• 2001
  • 2001-12-24 FR FR0116835A patent/FR2833922B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2002
  • 2002-06-12 BR BRPI0202211-7A patent/BR0202211B1/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2002-11-28 CN CNB028259939A patent/CN1321858C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2002-11-28 WO PCT/FR2002/004098 patent/WO2003055739A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2002-11-28 DE DE60204596T patent/DE60204596D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-11-28 EP EP02801078A patent/EP1458609B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-11-28 KR KR1020047009928A patent/KR100768765B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2002-11-28 US US10/499,771 patent/US7316192B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2002-11-28 AT AT02801078T patent/ATE297342T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2002-11-28 AU AU2002364797A patent/AU2002364797A1/en not_active Abandoned

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