GB2228452A - Flexible barges and method of transporting cuttings - Google Patents
Flexible barges and method of transporting cuttings Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2228452A GB2228452A GB8824921A GB8824921A GB2228452A GB 2228452 A GB2228452 A GB 2228452A GB 8824921 A GB8824921 A GB 8824921A GB 8824921 A GB8824921 A GB 8824921A GB 2228452 A GB2228452 A GB 2228452A
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- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- barge
- zone
- figures
- flexible
- drilling station
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
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- 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
- B63B35/28—Barges or lighters
- B63B35/285—Flexible barges, e.g. bags
Abstract
A flexible barge 1 for containing and transporting contaminated cuttings, the flexible barge being provided with at least one first zone 3 for accommodating the cuttings and at least one second zone 2 having provision for positive buoyancy to counter the effect of the heavier-than-water cuttings contained in the first zone. Also disclosed is a method of transporting oil-contaminated cuttings from a drilling station to a distant disposal point. the method comprising securing in relation to the drilling station a flexible barge having at least one first zone for containing the cuttings and at least one second zone for providing positive buoyancy, piping cuttings from the drilling station to the first zone(s) of the barge, and towing the barge to the distant point. <IMAGE>
Description
FLEXIBLE BARGES AND METHOD OF TRANSPORTING CUTTINGS
This invention relates to flexible barges and to a method of transporting contaminated cuttings.
Currently, when drilling occurs under difficult conditions in, for example, the North Sea a drilling mud, which is an oil based mud, is fed down to the region of the drill bit to assist in lubrication, and the oil based mud, sand and cuttings are fed under pressure up to the drilling station, which can be a drilling vessel or a drilling rig or platform. Usually the oil based mud is separated from the sand and cuttings and the oil based mud is recirculated to assist with further lubrication. The cuttings, which are contaminated by the presence of oil on their surface, are currently dumped on the sea bed.
There is currently legislation afoot prohibiting the introduction of oil into the North Sea and in the not too distant future it will not be permissible to dump the oil-contaminated cuttings on the sea bed.
There is therefore the need to remove the cuttings from the drilling station and to transport them to a land based disposal point. As drilling takes place on a twenty-four hour per day basis, if the cuttings were continually fed from the drilling station to a supply vessel, this would occupy a large number of supply vessels, which would not be cost effective.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a flexible barge for containing and transporting contaminated cuttings, the flexible barge being provided with at least one first zone for accommodating the cuttings and at least one second zone having provision for positive buoyancy to counter the effect of the heavier-than-water cuttings contained in the first zone.
Sea water generally has a specific gravity of 1.025 and the specific gravity of a slurry of cuttings tends to be in the range from 1.8 to 2.0.
Flexible submersible or semisubmersible barges, which are known as dracones, are well known and have been employed for containing and transporting oil. As oil has a specific gravity less than that of sea water, a dracone full of oil is buoyant, whereas a dracone full of the oil based mud and cuttings would tend to sink in the absence of any provision to provide positive buoyancy. Hence the need for the provision of the one or more second zone for the flexible barge according to the first aspect of the present invention.
In practice, the dracone can be secured to the drilling station and tends to lie downstream, in terms of the wind and tide, of the drilling station, and the cuttings from the drilling station can be piped directly through a pipe having a diameter of six or eight inches, say fifteen or twenty centimetres, directly into the dracone. When the first zone of the dracone is full, the dracone can either be removed directly to the land-based disposal point or can be moved further away from the drilling station whilst a second dracone takes its place. A supply vessel can then take the first and second, and possibly more, full dracones from the drilling station to the shore.
The cuttings usually have a maximum diameter of about two inches, say five centimetres, but if necessary a crushing machine can be provided on the drilling station, and also a filter. Any material not passing through the filter can be collected separately but this should eccount for only a very small percentage of the cuttings, to be removed from the drilling station. Any of these larger cuttings can be removed in a separate operation and, because they account for such a small percentage of the cuttings, they do not create a storage problem on the drilling station.
With the aid of the flexible barge according to the present invention, it is possible to dispose continually of the cuttings from the station, thereby obviating the need for any considerable storage facilities for the cuttings on the station, apart from the oversized cuttings.
As the dracones can be semi submersible or submersible and as they can align themselves with the wind or any tidal stream, they can be stationed downstream of the drilling station and can remain on station and operational in virtually all weather conditions, unlike a rigid floating barge.
As there has been considerable use of conventional dracones for storing and transporting oil, the flexible barges of the present invention can make much use of current proven technology, rather than venturing into the field of completely untried technology.
The flexible barges according to the first aspect of the present invention can take the form of a modified version of conventional dracones. The modification involves increasing the buoyancy of the flexible barge artificially, in order to enable products with a specific gravity higher than that of the surrounding medium to be carried. Additionally, the mooring of the flexible barge to the drilling station can be relatively simple by virtue of the fact that it can be achieved by the loading hose itself in the form of a single connection which allows for up to 1800 of freedom of rotation in a horizontal plane.
The provision for buoyancy in the second zone of the flexible barge according to the first aspect of the present invention can take many forms. For example there can be internal buoyancy by the location within the main body of the barge of foam pads, i.e. pads of closed cell construction or of open cell construction with an impervious skin, which can extend laterally across, or longitudinally along, the generally elongate dracone.
In addition to, or as an alternative to, the internal and/or external foam pads there can be provided internal and/or external buoyancy chambers which can be filled with%ny convenient gas, usually air. The chambers are, for safety reasons, often present as a plurality of chambers each with its own air supply line and pressure relief valve. These chambers can be provided on the exterior of a conventional dracone, usually in an upper region, or can be provided internally. A particularly preferred form is that wherein the dracone has two coaxial skins with the cuttings being contained within the inner skin and with the buoyancy being provided in the annulus between the inner and outer skins.Again, for the sake of safety, the annular compartment is usually divided into separate sub-compartments so that, even if one sub-compartment is punctured, adequate buoyancy remains to support the flexible barge and its cargo.
To assist the dracone in lying to the wind or to the tidal stream, depending on the circumstances required, a semi rigid or inflatable section, like a fin or sail, can be secured to the dracone.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of transporting oil-contaminated cuttings from a drilling station to a distant disposal point, the method comprising securing in relation to the drilling station a flexible barge having at least one first zone for containing the cuttings and at least one second zone for providing positive buoyancy, piping cuttings from the drilling station to the first zone or zones of the barge, and towing the barge to the distant point.
Assuming a drilling station with a generally rectangular plan view, provision can be made for the oil-contaminated cuttings to be fed to an outlet at one corner of the station or to another outlet at the diagonally opposed corner of the station. Assuming, then, that the flexible container is secured by means of the filling hose to the one corner, the barge can safely laterally swing through at least 1800 without any risk of it fouling the platform. Should, however, there be a considerable change in direction of the currents or wind, the barge can be disconnected from the one corner and towed by means of a supply boat to the diagonally opposed corner and secured in position there, whereupon the filling of the barge with cuttings can continue.
Each flexible barge can have its own associated towing and loading hose, the free end region of which can be provided with a buoyant rope net so that, when the hose is near the surface of the water the buoyant rope net floats in the surface region and can be grasped by a grapnel lowered on a line from a crane on the drilling station. Once the free end of the towing and loading hose has been lifted towards the station it can be lowered by the crane into a suitable guide which, with the aid of the horns on the guide, locates a flange at the end of the loading and towing hose in the correct position opposite an automated shut-off valve.Once the flange of the hose is suitably located with the flange of the valve and any necessary rotation of one flange with respect to the other has occurred, the valve can be opened automatically and the cuttings, in their own medium, discharged from the drilling station into the flexible barge.
The guide for the free end region of the hose from the flexible barge can have a part in the form of a saddle which can be provided with sensors so that, if the hose moves away from the centre line of the saddle, as a result of lateral movement of the barge away from its original position as a result of a change in current or wind, the sensors can activate alarms to warn the operator of the shift in location of the barge so that a decision can then be made as to whether the barge should be detached from the station and taken to the opposite corner of the station.
In the case of extremely bad weather, the flexible barge can be detached from the drilling station and taken to an auxiliary mooring point for the duration of the bad weather; also, several empty barges can be stored at a auxiliary mooring point and brought into position when required.
With regard to the flexible barge which achieve buoyancy by the provision of compressed air fed through lines to the second zone of the barges, if desired the barges can be hooked up and loading can be allowed to commence without the provision of any compressed air.
As loading continues the barge sinks under the increasing load, and it is only when the barge is full that air under pressure is introduced into the second zone to provide sufficient positive buoyancy to bring the barge and its contents back to the surface, whereupon the barge can be removed.
This facility, for allowing a full barge to "rest" below the sea surface can be particularly useful during extremely adverse weather conditions and it will be appreciated that this will not be possible for a conventional rigid container held in location by a supply vessel.
For n better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a schematic view from above of a first embodiment of flexible barge in accordance with the present invention, the schematic nature of the view allowing certain internal regions of the barge to be shown even though not visible from above the barge;
Figure 2 is a cross-section along the line II-II shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a schematic view from above of a second embodiment of flexible barge in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 4 is a cross-section taken along the line
IV-IV shown in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is view from above of a third embodiment of flexible barge in accordance with the present invention;;
Figure 6 is a cross-section along the line VI-VI shown in Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a view from above of a fourth embodiment of flexible barge in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 8 is a cross-section taken along the line
VIII-VIII shown in Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a view from above of a fifth embodiment of flexible barge in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 10 is a cross-section taken along the line
X-X shown in Figure 9;
Figure 11 is a view from above of a sixth embodiment of a flexible barge in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 12 is a cross-section taken along the line
XII-XII shown in Figure 11;
Figure 13 is a schematic view from above of a seventh embodiment of flexible barge in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 14 is a cross-section taken along the line
XIV-XIV shown in Figure 13;;
Figure 15 is a schematic view from above of an eighth embodiment of flexible barge in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 16 is a cross-section taken along the line
XVI-XVI shown in Figure 15;
Figure 17 is a vertical section through part of the length of a ninth embodiment of a flexible barge in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 18 is a schematic view from above of a tenth embodiment of a flexible barge in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 19 is a cross-section through an eleventh embodiment of a flexible barge in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 20 is a side view of a flexible barge in accordance with the present invention, provided with a stabilising fin;
Figure 21 is an end view of the barge shown in
Figure 20;
Figure 22 shows part of the equipment for lifting a floating, towing and loading hose onto a drilling station; ;
Figure 23 shows, from above, the free end region of the hose shown in Figure 22, in conjunction with an automated shut-off valve and also showing part of a guide;
Figure 24 is an end view of the loading flange at the free end of the hose shown in Figure 23;
Figure 25 shows a view similar to that in Figure 23 but from one side;
Figure 26 is an end-on view of the guide and a base on which it is pivotally mounted;
Figure 27 is a side view of the base shown in
Figure 26;
Figure 28 shows a side view of the guide shown in
Figures 23, 25 and 26;
Figure 29 shows a view from above of the guide of
Figure 28 in conjunction with two hydraulic units for enabling the guide to approach the valve;
Figure 30 is a perspective view from above as part of the guide showing the location of sensors;;
Figure 31 is a view from above showing the location of some of the sensors relative to the centre line;
Figure 32 is a view from above showing a drilling station and tethered to it a flexible barge in accordance with the present invention and, located some distance away, further barges;
Figure 33 is a side view of an auxiliary mooring system;
Figure 34 is a side view of a sequence of filling operations;
Figure 35 is a plan view of a filling and mooring arrangement and its relationship to a drilling station; and
Figure 36 is a side view of the arrangement shown in Figure 35.
Referring firstly to Figure 1, there is shown a flexible barge or dracone 1 which is provided internally with a plurality of pads each formed of a foam having closed cells. The pads 2 are generally arcuate and are provided in an upper region of the interior of the dracone 1 at spaced apart intervals.
The remainder of the interior constitutes the cargo space 3 which is intended to accommodate the slurry of oil-contaminated cuttings.
Figures 3 and 4 show an alternative arrangement in which the closed-cell foam pads, instead of extending transversely, extend'longitudinally, The pads here are numbered 2A in the dracone 1A and the remainder 3A constitutes the cargo space.
With reference to the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6 and to the embodiment shown in Figures 7 and 8, the dracone 1B or 1C is again provided with closed-cell foam pads, 2B or 2C, which in these embodiments are provided externally of the dracone 1B or 1C, thus leaving the whole of the interior 3B or 3C of the dracone to serve as the cargo space. Although the foam pads 2B and 2C are shown in Figures 5 and 7 as continuous, they could be discontinuous. The arrangements shown in Figures 5 and 6 on the one hand and Figures 7 and 8 on the other hand are similar, but the pads 2C in Figures 7 and 8 are fitted more at the side as saddle tanks.
The arrangements shown in Figures 9 and 10 on the one hand and Figures 11 and 12 on the other hand are similar to each other in that both embodiments employ on the exterior on the dracone 4 or 4A a plurality of buoyancy compartments 5 or 5A to which airlines 6 or 6A extend and which are provided with pressure relief valves 7 or 7A. The whole of the interior 8 or 8A serves as a cargo space and the only difference between these fifth and sixth embodiments is that the buoyancy compartments 5A are mounted on the side of the dracone 4A as saddle tanks, whereas the buoyancy compartments 5 are mounted somewhat higher on the dracone 4.
In the embodiments of Figures 9 and 10 and Figures 11 and 12 the buoyancy compartments 5 and 5A are mounted externally, whereas in the arrangements of the seventh and eighth embodiments illustrated in Figures 13 and 14 and Figures 15 and 16, respectively, the buoyancy compartments 5B and 5C of the dracones 4B and 4C are mounted internally within the dracones. This means that there is therefore a somewhat reduced cargo space 8B or 8C. In the embodiment of Figures 13 and 14, there are two buoyancy compartments 5B mounted high up on opposite sides, whereas in the embodiment of
Figures 15 and 16 there is a single buoyancy compartment 5C.Although in many of the embodiments the buoyancy compartments appear to be continuous, they are, for reasons of safety, usually divided into sub compartments (often not shown).
Figure 17 shows a ninth embodiment of the present invention in which the dracone generally indicated by the reference numeral 9 has an inner skin 10 and concentrically located therewith an outer skin 11. The generally annular region 12 between the inner and outer skins 10 and 11 serves as a buoyancy compartment 12, and the chamber within the inner skin 10 serves as the cargo space 13. This is a particularly desired arrangement because, even if part of the buoyancy chamber 12 is punctured, there is less likelihood of the cargo space being ruptured and therefore there is less likelihood of the contaminated cargo being accidentally released.
Figure 18 is a horizontal section through a tenth embodiment of a flexible barge and is generally similar to that shown in Figure 17. Again, the dracone 9A has an inner skin 10A and outer skin 11A and a buoyancy compartment 12A in the annular region between the inner and outer skin 10A and 11A. The central region 13A serves as the cargo space. Here, though, the buoyancy compartment 12A is divided into sub-compartments for the sake of safety, the divisions being generally lateral. In contrast, in the arrangement shown in
Figure 19, the dracone 9B has inner and outer skins 10B and 11B which define the buoyancy compartment 12B which is divided by longitudinal divisions into subcompartments. Again the cargo space 13B is located at the centre of the dracone 9B.
For stabilising purposes, the dracone can be provided with a stabilising fin or sail. This can be in the form shown in Figures 20 and 21 where the dracone 14 has at one end, its stern, an upwardly projecting stabilising sail 15.
Figure 22 shows part of the equipment for connecting a dracone to a drilling station. Extending from the dracone (not shown) is a hose 16 which is employed for both towing and loading, the hose having near its free end a hook-up flange 17 and at its free end a loading flange 18. Attached to the hose region near to the flanges 17 and 18 is a buoyant rope net 19.
Dependent from a crane on the drilling station (not shown) is a line with a hook 20 which leads via a line 21 to a grapnel 22 which, in use, can be lowered into the water and brought up in the region of the net 19 whereby the hose 16 can be lifted onto the drilling station.
Figures 23, 24 and 25 show part of the arrangements for securing the free end region of the hose 16 on the drilling station and then connecting it to a pipe which is to feed the slurry containing the contaminated cuttings through the hose 16 to the cargo space in the dracone.
By means of the hook 20 the hose 16 is brought towards a guide generally indicated by the reference numeral 23, provided with two spaced apart, upwardly extending horns 24 which help to locate the leading portion of the hose, although the flanges 17 and 18 are not-located between the horns 24. Instead the hook-up flanges 17 abut one edge region of the horns 24 as the hose 16 is lowered into the guide. This brings the loading flange 18 into proximity with a supply pipe 25 which terminates in a flange 26 intended to cooperate with the flange 18 on the hose 16. Associated with the supply pipe 25 and the flange 26 is an automatic control unit 27 for causing rotation of the flange 26 (to enable it to connect in a fluid type manner with regard to the flange 18) and for controlling a valve to permit contaminated slurry containing the cuttings to pass from the supply pipe 25 to the hose 16.
The guide 23 is pivotally mounted with regard to a transverse pin 28 which is located in a base 29 having two upwardly extending lugs 30 between which the pin 28 extends, as shown in Figure 26.
Also present as shown in Figures 28 and 29, are two hydraulic units 31 having piston rams 32 linked to upper regions of the horns 24, the arrangement being such that upon appropriate actuation of the hydraulic units 31 the rams are caused to move into the units 31 thereby pivoting the guide 23 about the pivot pin 28, thus bringing the flange 18 into cooperating engagement with the flange 26, which can then be rotated so as to lock the two flanges together, after which the cargo can be transferred from the pipe 25 to the hose 16 and into the dracone.
The hose will normally be positioned such that it lies along the centre line of the saddle of the guide, and sensors 33 can be provided at increasing distances from the centre line of the guide 23 such that any lateral movement of the hose 16 lying in the saddle of the guide 23 causes the sensors to be activated, which can be used to provide an alarm system as a warning that the dracone at the far end of the hose 16 is swinging from its original position. Figures 30 and 31 show the position of the sensors in the saddle of the guide 23.
Figure 32 shows a plan view of a platform 34 with a dracone 9 tethered to the platform 34 by a flexible floating hose 16. Typically the hose might have a length of 50 metres and the dracone 9 a length of 90 metres.
Some way away from the drilling station 34 is a mooring buoy 35 tethered by a line 36 to a submerged buoy 37 held by its own line 38 to a sea bed mooring point 39. This is shown in Figure 33. One or more dracones 9 can be tethered by their flexible hoses to the mooring buoy 35.
With regard to those dracones which have a buoyancy effected by the introduction of compressed air into suitable compartments, if desired the dracones can be brought into location near the drilling station 34 and filled through their hoses 16. As the material being introduced into the dracone is heavier than water, the dracone 9 will sink as shown in Figure 4.
Once the dracone is fully loaded, compressed air can be introduced through the appropriate lines into the buoyancy compartments 5 so as to bring the loaded dracone back to the surface. After this it can be towed away by a supply vessel or left tethered to a mooring buoy whilst another dracone is loaded.
Figure 35 shows a plan of the drilling station 34 and mooring buoy 35. This is shown in side view in
Figure 36, from which it can be seen that if the combined length of the dracone 9 and hose 16 is the length L, the mooring buoy 35 is preferably at a distance of 1.3L away from the drilling station 34.
The mooring buoy 35 can be provided with a loading swivel 40 capable of permitting rotation through 3600, and there can be provided a floating hose 41 extending from the drilling station 34 to the mooring buoy 35, so that slurry containing the contaminated cuttings can be fed from the drilling station through the floating hose 41 to the mooring buoy 35 with its loading swivel 40, and from there through a plurality of hoses 16 to respective dracones 9. The loading swivel can incoporate a plurality of valves each associated with a respective hose 16 and each radio-controlled so that the control of the flow of cargo to the dracones can be controlled from the drilling station 34. This is a preferred arrangement in that, even if there is a change of tidal stream, current or wind, the need to move the dracones to an opposite corner of the platform can be obviated.
Claims (53)
1. A method of transporting oil-contaminated
cuttings from a drilling station to a distant disposal
point, the method comprising securing in relation to
the drilling station a flexible barge having at least
one first zone for containing the cuttings and at least
one second zone for providing positive buoyancy to
counter the effect of the heavier-than-water cuttings
contained in first zone(s), piping cuttings from the drilling drilling station to the first zone(s) of the barge, and towing the barge to the distant point.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the
flexible barge is submersible or semi-submersible.
3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
the second zone for providing positive buoyancy is
internal.
4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the
internal second zone comprises foam pads.
5. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
the second zone is external.
6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the
external second zone comprises foam pads.
7. A method according to claim 4 or 6, wherein
the foam pads extend laterally across, or
longitudinally along, the barge.
8. A method according to claim 4, 6 or 7,
wherein the foam pads are of closed cell construction
or of open cell construction with an impervious skin.
9. A method according to any preceding claim,
wherein the second zone for providing positive buoyancy
comprises internal and/or external buoyancy chambers
capable of being filled with a gas.
10. A method according to Claim 9, wherein the or
each chamber has its own air supply line and pressure
release valve.
11. A method according to Claim 9 or 10, wherein the flexible barge has two coaxial skins, and the cuttings are contained within the inner skin and the buoyancy is provided in the annular chamber between the inner and outer skins.
12. A method according to Claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein each chamber is divided into sub-chambers such that, even if one sub-chamber is punctured, adequate buoyancy can remain to support the flexible barge.
13. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the barge also includes a fin or sail intended to provide directional stability.
14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the flexible barge is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 and 2, Figures 3 and 4, Figures 5 and 6, Figures 7 and 8, Figures 9 and 10, Figures 11 and 12, Figures 13 and 14, Figures 15 and 16, Figure 17, Figure 18, Figure 19 or Figures 20 and 21 of the accompanying drawings.
15. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the barge is provided with a towing and loading hose.
16. A method according to Claim 15, wherein the hose has a diameter of 15 to 20 cm.
17. A method according to Claim 15 or 16, wherein there is provided a buoyant rope net in the free end region of the hose.
18. A method according to Claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in Figures 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 of the accompanying drawings.
19. A drilling station which optionally includes a crushing machine and optionally a filter, and securable thereto a flexible barge for containing and transporting contaminated cuttings, the flexible barge being provided with at least one first zone for accommodating the cuttings and at least one second zone having provision for positive buoyancy to counter the effect of the heavier-than-water cuttings contained in the first zone, and also being provided with a towing and loading hose.
20. A drilling station according to Claim 19, wherein the hose has a diameter of 15 to 20 cm.
21. A drilling station according to Claim 19 or 20, which includes a buoyant rope net in the free end region of the hose.
22. A drilling station according to Claim 19, 20 or 21, which also includes a guide in which the free end region of the towing and loading hose can be located.
23. A drilling station according to Claim 22, wherein the guide is intended to assist in the location of a flange on the free end of the towing and loading hose.
24. A drilling station according to Claim 23, wherein the station is provided with a valve capable of operating automatically once the flange is in the correct position relative to the guide.
25. A drilling station according to any one of
Claims 19 to 24, which includes one or more sensors intended to detect lateral movement of the free end region of the hose and intended to activate an alarm upon excessive movement of the hose.
26. A drilling station according to Claim 19, which includes equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in,
Figures 22 to 31 of the accompanying drawings.
27. A drilling station, in conjunction with one or more flexible barge, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in,
Figure 32 or Figures 35 or 36 of the accompanying drawings.
28. A drilling station according to any one of claims 19 to 25, wherein the flexible barge is submersible or semi-submersible.
29. A drilling station according to any one of claims 19 to 25 and 28, wherein the second zone of the barge for providing positive buoyancy is internal.
30. A drilling station according to claim 29, wherein the internal second zone comprises foam pads.
31. A drilling station according to any one of claims 19 to 25 and 28, wherein the second zone is external.
32. A drilling station according to claim 31, wherein the external second zone comprises foam pads.
33. A drilling station according to claim 30 or 32, wherein the foam pads extend laterally across, or longitudinally along, the barge.
34. A drilling station according to claim 30, 32 or 33, wherein the foam pads are of closed cell construction or of open cell construction with an impervious skin.
35. A drilling station according to any one of claims 19 to 25 and 28 to 34, wherein the second zone for providing positive buoyancy comprises internal and/or external buoyancy chambers capable of being filled with a gas.
36. A drilling station according to Claim 35, wherein the or each chamber has its own air supply line and pressure release valve.
37. A drilling station according to Claim 35 or 36, wherein the flexible barge has two coaxial skins, it being intended that the cuttings should be contained within the inner skin and that the buoyancy should be provided in the annular chamber between the inner and outer skins.
38. A drilling station according to Claim 35, 36 or 37, wherein each chamber is divided into subchambers such that, even if one sub-chamber is punctured, adequate buoyancy can remain to support the flexible barge.
39. A drilling station according to any one of claims 10 to 25 and 28 to 38, wherein the barge also includes a fin or sail intended to provide directional stability.
40. A drilling station according to claim 19, wherein the flexible barge is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 and 2, Figures 3 and 4, Figures 5 and 6,
Figures 7 and 8, Figures 9 and 10, Figures 11 and 12,
Figures 13 and 14, Figures 15 and 16, Figure 17, Figure 18, Figure 19 or Figures 20 and 21 of the accompanying drawings.
41. A flexible barge for containing and transporting contaminated cuttings, the flexible barge being provided with at least one first zone for accommodating the cuttings and at least one second zone having provision for positive buoyancy to counter the effect of the heavier-than-water cuttings contained in the first zone; wherein the second zone comprises foam pads.
42. A flexible barge according to claim 41, wherein the second zone for providing positive buoyancy is internal.
43. A flexible barge according to claim 41, wherein the second zone is external.
44. A flexible barge according to claim 41, 42 or 43, wherein the foam pads extend laterally across, or longitudinally along, the barge.
45. A flexible barge according to any one of claims 41 to 44, wherein the foam pads are of closed cell construction or of open cell construction with an impervious skin.
46. A flexible barge for containing and transporting contaminated cuttings, the flexible barge being provided with at least one first zone for accommodating the cuttings and at least one second zone having provision for positive buoyancy to counter the effect of the heavier-than-water cuttings contained in the first zone; wherein the flexible barge has two coaxial skins, it being intended that the cuttings should be contained within the inner skin and that the buoyancy should be provided in the annular chamber between the inner and outer skins.
47. A flexible barge according to Claim 46, wherein the annular chamber is divided into subchambers such that, even if one sub-chamber is punctured, adequate buoyancy can remain to support the flexible barge.
48. A flexible barge according to any one of claims 41 to 47, which also includes a fin or sail intended to provide directional stability.
49. A flexible barge according to any one of claims 41 to 48, wherein the second zone also includes chambers capable of being filed with a gas.
50. A flexible barge substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 and 2, Figures 3 and 4, Figures 5 and 6,
Figures 7 and 8, Figure 17, Figure 18 or Figure 19 of the accompanying drawings.
51. A flexible barge according to any one of claims 41 to 50, which is associated with a towing and loading hose.
52. A flexible barge according to Claim 51, wherein the hose has a diameter of 15 to 20 cm.
53. A flexible barge according to Claim 51 or 52, which includes a buoyant rope net in the free end region of the hose.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8824921A GB2228452A (en) | 1988-10-25 | 1988-10-25 | Flexible barges and method of transporting cuttings |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8824921A GB2228452A (en) | 1988-10-25 | 1988-10-25 | Flexible barges and method of transporting cuttings |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB8824921D0 GB8824921D0 (en) | 1988-11-30 |
| GB2228452A true GB2228452A (en) | 1990-08-29 |
Family
ID=10645729
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8824921A Withdrawn GB2228452A (en) | 1988-10-25 | 1988-10-25 | Flexible barges and method of transporting cuttings |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2228452A (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1997005012A1 (en) * | 1995-07-28 | 1997-02-13 | Mcalister Steven A | Towable floating container for transportation of particulate solid materials |
| WO2002000495A1 (en) * | 2000-06-28 | 2002-01-03 | Aquarius Holdings Limited | Vessels for transporting fluent cargoes |
Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB874229A (en) * | 1957-01-02 | 1961-08-02 | Henry Norton | Flexible barges for liquid or semi-liquid cargoes |
| GB981167A (en) * | 1963-01-18 | 1965-01-20 | Dracone Developments Ltd | Improvements in or relating to flexible barges |
| GB1440800A (en) * | 1972-12-12 | 1976-06-23 | Superflexit | Flexible marine transport tank |
-
1988
- 1988-10-25 GB GB8824921A patent/GB2228452A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB874229A (en) * | 1957-01-02 | 1961-08-02 | Henry Norton | Flexible barges for liquid or semi-liquid cargoes |
| GB981167A (en) * | 1963-01-18 | 1965-01-20 | Dracone Developments Ltd | Improvements in or relating to flexible barges |
| GB1440800A (en) * | 1972-12-12 | 1976-06-23 | Superflexit | Flexible marine transport tank |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1997005012A1 (en) * | 1995-07-28 | 1997-02-13 | Mcalister Steven A | Towable floating container for transportation of particulate solid materials |
| WO2002000495A1 (en) * | 2000-06-28 | 2002-01-03 | Aquarius Holdings Limited | Vessels for transporting fluent cargoes |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB8824921D0 (en) | 1988-11-30 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 732 | Registration of transactions, instruments or events in the register (sect. 32/1977) | ||
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |