Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
  • B63B35/44—Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices
  • B63B35/4413—Floating drilling platforms, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B3/00—Hulls characterised by their structure or component parts
  • B63B3/14—Hull parts
  • B63B3/48—Decks
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B43/00—Improving safety of vessels, e.g. damage control, not otherwise provided for

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a drillship, in particular for localising, exploring and exploiting deposits of hydrocarbons or other energy and mineral resources .
• the drillship according to the present invention is intended, in particular, for operating in deep (over 450m) and ultra-deep (over 1,500m ) waters.
• Drillships are a class of offshore unit specialised in drilling underwater oil wells at depths of over 3000 m in the seabed.
• the typical operational activity of these units consists of searching ' and preparing oil wells for future use by other offshore units specialised in the production of natural gas and crude oil.
• drillships comprise at least three separate operating zones distributed between bow and stern along the longitudinal extension axis of the ship.
• a first operating zone is used for ship management. Such area, normally positioned at the bow, is where the crew's quarters are located and the safety and abandon ship means are stored.
• a second operating zone is destined for the drilling rig.
• at least one derrick is installed and a drilling aperture through the hull (known in the jargon as moonpool) is made.
• the derrick is used to support the drill strings and manoeuvres them through the aforesaid aperture in the hull.
• Such second operating zone is normally positioned at midship.
• a third operating zone normally situated at the stern, is used for power generation for the propulsion of the ship. All the electricity generation and propulsion systems are concentrated in this third area.
• Drillships are known of having two longitudinal lateral corridors made under the main deck, each of which extends beside a ship side. The two corridors connect the drilling zone and the power generation zone to the first operating zone and ensure the mobility of the crew inside the ship. In addition, in the event of an accident in the drilling zone, they constitute two entirely independent escape routes towards the first operating zone (where the safety and abandon ship means are stored) .
• the independence of the two corridors has advantages and disadvantages.
• the advantage is that in the event of a serious accident - for example a fire in the drilling zone in midship - affecting one of the corridors, the other corridor remains available to permit the evacuation of personnel towards the first operating zone.
• the disadvantage is that the personnel which are on the side of the ship affected by the accident, at the stern of the accident, find the escape corridor obstructed and are forced to come out, on deck (exposing themselves to risks) to reach the first operating zone at bow as rapidly as possible, or to reach the generation zone at stern to then use the other longitudinal . corridor, wasting precious time.
• the purpose of the present invention is to eliminate or at least attenuate the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above, by making available a drillship which in the event of an accident at midship allows the crew to reach the first operating zone of the ship rapidly and safely.
• a further purpose of the present invention is to make available a drillship which guarantees at least two independent escape routes in the event of fire.
• a further purpose of the present invention is to make available a drillship which makes it possible to achieve the aforesaid purposes by means of simple construction expedients.
• FIG. 1 shows a view of a side of a drillship according to a particular embodiment of the invention, partially in cross-section;
• Figure 2 shows a cross-section plan view of the under the main deck of the ship shown in figure 1 according to the plane II-II indicated therein;
• Figure 3 shows a transversal cross-section of a portion of the ship shown in figure 2 according to the cross-section plane III-III indicated therein.
• reference numeral 1 globally denotes a drillship according to the invention .
• the drillship 1 comprises a hull 2 which extends along a longitudinal axis X between a bow 3 and a stern 4.
• the ship 1 comprises at least three separate operating zones (10, 20, 30) distributed between bow and stern along the axis X:
• a second operating zone 20 of drilling where at least one derrick 21 is installed and a drilling aperture 22 through the hull 2 is made; and [0026] -a third operating zone 30 of power generation for the propulsion of the ship; in particular, all the electricity generation and propulsion systems are concentrated in this third area.
• the first operating area 10 may comprise a bow superstructure 11, which preferably extends over various decks.
• Such first operating area in particular also contains the crew's quarters.
• the second operating zone 20 (drilling) and the third operating zone 30 (power generation) are connected to the first operating zone (equipped with the safety and abandon ship means) by two longitudinal lateral corridors 41 and 42.
• Each of such longitudinal lateral corridors extends beside one of the two sides 5, 6 of the hull.
• the aforesaid longitudinal lateral corridors 41 and 42 are made under the main deck so as to create routes protected from the weather elements or any accidents occurring above the main deck.
• the expression "under the main deck” is understood to ⁇ include both the case in which such longitudinal corridors are made on the first deck immediately under the main deck and the case in which such corridors are made on lower decks.
• such two corridors 41 and 42 constitute from a planning point of view the main transit routes inside the ship from bow to stern.
• said two longitudinal corridors 41 and 42 are connected to each other transversally by one or more transversal corridors 51, 52, 53, each of which extends from one ship side to the other.
• Such one or more transversal corridors 51, 52 are also made under the main deck so as to create routes protected from the elements or any accidents occurring above the main deck.
• the expression "under the main deck” is understood to include both the case in which such transversal corridors are made on the first deck immediately under the main deck and the case in which such corridors are made on lower decks.
• corridor is understood to mean a continuous space dedicated specifically for transit, along which there are no obstructions, except at most the doors provided for by naval design, such as watertight doors or fire doors.
• the aforesaid one or more transversal corridors 51, 52, 53 increase the mobility of the crew inside the ship given that they transversally directly interconnect the two lateral corridors 41 and 42, preventing personnel from having to cross areas not specifically intended for transit and thereby encountering unexpected obstacles.
• the presence of such one or more corridors thus permits faster movement from one lateral longitudinal corridor to the other.
• transversal corridors considerably improves normal operating of the ship. Thanks to such transversal corridors it is in fact possible to reach both the end zones at bow and stern and the operating rooms and technical offices located under the main deck much faster.
• the aforesaid at least three operating areas are arranged as follows:
• the first operating zone 10 (equipped with the safety and abandon ship means) is positioned at the bow;
• the second operating zone 20 (drilling) is positioned at midship;
• the third operating zone 30 (power generation) is positioned at the stern.
• the arrangement of the first operating zone 10 at bow is functional to having the area equipped with the safety and abandon ship means as far as possible from zones subject to accidents.
• the arrangement of the second operating zone 20 of drilling at midship is functional to the operation of the drill rigs and the stability of the ship itself.
• the arrangement of the third operating zone 30 of power generation at stern is related to the positioning of the propulsive devices generally at the stern.
• the ship 1 comprises two transversal end corridors 51 and 52, of which:
• each of the two longitudinal lateral corridors 41, 42 extends at least for the entire longitudinal extension of the operating zone situated in midship, which preferably consists of the second drilling operating zone 20.
• the two transversal end corridors 51 and 52 connect the two longitudinal lateral corridors 41 and 42 to each other at their respective ends, at bow 41a and 42a and at stern 41b and 42b, forming a loop path.
• the two transversal end corridors 51 and 52 are positioned between two different operating zones without crossing them.
• a continuous path is thus created which is convenient to use by the crew and is structurally of reduced invasiveness in relation to the other operating zones of the ship situated under the main deck.
• the two longitudinal lateral corridors 41 and 42 may possibly extend in a longitudinal direction beyond the end transversal corridors 51 and 52, in the operating zones at stern and bow..
• the aforesaid three operating areas may be differently arranged.
• an embodiment may be provided for wherein the third operating zone 30 (power generation) is positioned at midship and the second operating zone 20 (drilling) at stern .
• the ship 1 comprises at least one central transversal corridor 53, positioned between the two transversal end corridors 51 and 52.
• Such at least one central transversal corridor 53 crosses the operating zone positioned at midship, which given its position is strategic for the movement of the personnel .
• the second operating zone 20 of drilling when the operating zone positioned at midship is the second operating zone 20 of drilling, such at least one central transversal corridor 53 assumes a particularly strategic character.
• the second operating zone 20 (drilling) is considered the most dangerous, given the dangerousness of the materials treated (hydrocarbons) .
• the aforesaid one or more central transversal corridors 53 thus create secondary transit routes which divide the operating zone situated in midship into sub- zones. This considerably increases the possibility for the personnel to move safely between one lateral longitudinal corridor and the other in this central part of the ship.
• such at least one central transversal corridor 53 is positioned at bow or at stern in relation to the drilling aperture 22.
• the ship 1 comprises inside the second operating zone 20 a hold 23 for the drill strings. Said hold 23 is made between the drilling aperture 22 and the first operating zone . 10.
• the hold 23 creates a safety zone between the first operating zone 10 (where in particular, the safety and abandon ship means 12 of the ship are stored) and the heart of the second operating zone 20 of drilling (that is to say the derrick 21) .
• the aforesaid at least one central transversal corridor 53 is made between the drilling aperture 22 and the hold 23.
• the ship 1 may comprises two or more central transversal corridors, not only at the bow of the drilling aperture 22, but also at the stern.
• each transversal corridor whether end 51, 52 or central 53 is provided with one or more fire doors 54.
• the presence of the fire doors prevents the short circuiting of the two lateral longitudinal corridors 41 and 42 connected by transversal corridors in the event of a fire.
• the fire doors 54 intercept the transversal corridors and thus guarantee, in the case of fire and smoke, the total independence of the two lateral longitudinal corridors 41 and 42.
• the two longitudinal lateral corridors 41, 42 are on the same deck.
• the aforesaid one or more transversal corridors 51, 52, 53 are on the same deck of the two longitudinal lateral corridors 41, 42, so as to create a completely level escape and transit route.
• the two longitudinal lateral corridors 41, 42 may be positioned on different decks and be connected by the aforesaid one or more transversal corridors 51, 52, 53 which extend over two or more decks by means of stairs.
• Embodiments may be provided for (not shown in the appended drawings) wherein the two longitudinal lateral corridors 41, 42, are positioned on the same deck and are connected by the aforesaid one or more transversal corridors 51, 52, 53 which extend over two or more decks by means of stairs.
• the ship 1 comprises a second hull 200 placed inside the first hull 2 to define a double hull structure which forms a structural barrier for protection from lateral breaches on each ship side 5, 6.
• the aforesaid two longitudinal lateral corridors 41, 42 extend longitudinally alongside the second hull 200 on the inner side of the ship.
• each longitudinal corridor 41 and 42 can thus define a continuous path without intermediate barriers composed of watertight doors.
• the drillship according to the invention has a structure such that in the event of an accident the personnel can reach the first operating zone of the ship where the safety and abandon ship means are stored faster and more safely than in the traditional drillships.
• the corridor structure according to the present invention defines a main transit and escape circuit of the entire technical/operating zone of the naval unit (drilling and generation operating zones) , with the dual function of service for the fast and efficient 'transfer of people and technical materials, and of rapid and redundant escape for the transfer of all the people from the operating zones at risk to the lifeboats.
• the drillship according to the invention while offering a direct interconnection between the two lateral longitudinal corridors, continues to guarantee that such escape routes are independent of each other in the event of a fire.
• the presence of at least one central transversal corridor 53 which crosses the operating zone positioned at midship makes it possible to divide such operating zone - strategic for the movement of the personnel - into sub-zones. This considerably increases the possibility for the personnel to move in safety between one lateral longitudinal corridor and the other in this central part of the ship.
• the ship according to the present invention makes it possible to achieve the aforesaid purposes by means of simple construction expedients.
• the transversal connection corridors between the ' lateral longitudinal corridors are not in fact invasive in relation to the operating structures and do not necessitate drastic changes to the topography of the ship.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Emergency Lowering Means (AREA)
• Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
• Earth Drilling (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=48579303

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2013
  • 2013-04-12 IT IT000093A patent/ITPD20130093A1/it unknown
• 2014
  • 2014-03-21 SG SG11201508368SA patent/SG11201508368SA/en unknown
  • 2014-03-21 KR KR1020157032351A patent/KR20160043931A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2014-03-21 EP EP14719094.6A patent/EP2983979B1/de active Active
  • 2014-03-21 WO PCT/IB2014/060031 patent/WO2014167438A1/en active Application Filing
• 2017
  • 2017-08-14 HR HRP20171241TT patent/HRP20171241T1/hr unknown

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