RU2114251C1 - Method for driving underwater mine working or tunnel - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: mining industry. SUBSTANCE: this relates to development of oil and gas deposits in sea shelf and to construction of tunnels in sea bottom. According to method, created are sections of support according to cast-in-situ technology by means of sectional shuttering and then joining aforesaid sections within mother ship. Joint-together sections which create continuous chain are lowered to sea bottom and placed in trench which is made in sea bottom simultaneously with placement of support sections and covering them with ground. Prior to placement on bottom, support sections can be filled with water which is then pumped out before operating of mine working or tunnel. Aforesaid method allows for reducing period of constructing underground mine working or tunnel at simultaneous increase of their lying depth. EFFECT: higher efficiency. 1 cl, 17 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to the development of minerals on the shelf and the continental slope of the ocean (oil, gas, gas, oil and gas condensate deposits, etc.), to transport tunnels (including railway) under the ocean floor between the mainland and the island or islands; to conduct underwater tunnels between the mainland or island and shallow water, followed by the construction of an artificial island in shallow water (with the aim of developing the bottom of the oceans), etc.

 The proposed method also relates to the interdisciplinary problem of industries such as mining, oil, gas, surface and underwater transport, construction industries, etc.

 There is a traditional method of conducting offshore mine workings (GW) and tunnels under normal pressure using mountain combines or blasting machines, including the shield method.

The disadvantages of this method are as follows:
- in mining in a limited space, all operations of the process of conducting hot water are carried out;
- materials, equipment, mechanisms, personnel, spare parts, lining sections, transport of rock mass and materials are located in a limited space of hot water;
- the speed of conducting hot water up to 800 m / month. with a length of paired HS from the coast of 27 km, which is clearly not enough when the length of the underwater route is 100 km or more.

 A method was proposed for laying an underwater tunnel at the bottom of the ocean, but such drawbacks as the ability to damage the ship’s anchor and the presence of only one protection against water breakthroughs did not allow this method of laying.

 In order to eliminate these shortcomings, a method for lowering sections into an underwater trench was developed and mastered (see V.M. Auerbach et al. "Sakhalin is an island ..." Journal of the Underground Space of the World. Tunnel Association. Publishing Center Center. TIMR. 1995, N 1, pp. 28 - 37).

 The way of the lowering sections is carried out according to a special technology and a "flow" scheme: as the tunnel sections are made, they are delivered to the tunnel alignment and plunged to the bottom of the opened underwater trench. After joining adjacent sections, they are covered with soil and stone and mated with the under-tunnel section of the tunnel constructed by the shield method (see ibid., Pp. 35 - 36).

This method has theoretical advantages, as well as the following disadvantages:
1) an imperfect scheme for joining sections (at the bottom of the ocean), expressed in the fact that each individual section has an end diaphragm on each side, support consoles, a device for tightening sections, an echo sounder, support blocks, hydraulic cylinders, approach shafts, ballast tanks, a pump, compressed air (see ibid., Fig. 6, p. 36);
2) imperfect scheme of individual lowering of sections into the trench, for which the following equipment and mechanisms are used: portal frame, sighting mast, winches, control cabin, pontoons, cable braces, pendants, support beams, anchors (see ibid., Fig. 5, p. 36);
3) an imperfect scheme for the formation of an underwater trench and its laying of sections after they are docked on the ocean floor is characterized by a small depth of lowering of the sections.

 As a result, these shortcomings negate the theoretical advantages over the traditional method.

 There is a known (see ed. St. USSR N 935621, BI N 22, dated 06/15/82, RF) method of erecting an underwater tunnel for oil and gas production from offshore fields, including the production of lowering sections on the shore installation site, launching sections on water, transporting them to the place of immersion, controlling the docking of the sections and equipping them with drilling and production equipment, while the installation sites are placed above the water level, and the water area is connected to the sea through a water outlet with a shutter, and as the sections are made, a waterproof fence is erected perimeter of the installation site.

 The disadvantages of this method are as follows: excessive scheme of coastal sections creation, including the presence of temporary partitions at the ends, descent of sections into and under water, transportation of sections to the place of immersion, the need for an onshore installation site, etc.

 Eliminates the above disadvantages, the method of laying a tunnel through a water barrier, including mounting sections of the tunnel, digging the trench at the bottom of the pond, lowering the sections of the tunnel to the bottom of the trench, docking the sections of the tunnel, characterized in that in order to increase the productivity of the method, the sections of the tunnel are mounted on a floating base and joined sections by elastic inserts, lowering the tunnel to the bottom of the trench is made by means of hydraulic boosters, starting from the extreme section. From above the tunnel is covered with soil.

 There is also a method (see. The journal "Science and Life", 1986, N 12, p. 15), which is similar to the method (see ibid., Pp. 28 - 37) for small water obstacles, and consists of the following operations: the blocks are laid out on the deck, they are welded together, the seams are sealed with special mortar, the assembled canvas is laid at the bottom of the tunnel, equipment and hydraulic boosters are lowered for mounting the tunnel, that is, to fix the blocks in the right position; the finished part of the tunnel is shifting to normal; drying joints and painting the tunnel; the tunnel goes with continuous tape. At the bottom of the water barrier using a dredger, a trench is developed; the stern is fed to the shore; with the help of hydraulic rollers above the deck they raise the tunnel by 2 cm, lower it with the help of electric. winches. The tunnel is pulled out along the trench; the tunnel continues to grow; upon reaching the coast on rails, special wagons are introduced to put the tunnel in place; the tunnel is filled with soil from above; when the PGW is reached, the tunnel rises above the deck with 2 cm hydraulic rollers and bow winches installed at the plant, pull it out from under the tunnel 2.

 For ease of installation, a soft insert is mounted in the tunnel; as the tunnel is ready, it descends into the trench with rigid fixation of units. lengths. When the plant reaches the other shore, soil is developed up to the PGV shore mark at a width equal to the double width of the plant so that it can be brought into the pond.

This method has advantages:
- the tunnel is mounted and docked at the floating base, and not on the shore and not in the water;
- the tunnel is laid with tape, and not with individual sections;
- all operations are done under normal pressure.

The method has the following disadvantages:
1) it provides for the laying of a tunnel through a water barrier, and not for underwater mining to develop oil and gas fields;
2) tunneling is conducted through a water barrier, and not in shallow water;
3) sections of the tunnel are mounted on a floating base, which corresponds to the installation of reinforced concrete blocks, that is, the technology of a prefabricated version of mounting each section of the tunnel is proposed, and not the technology of a monolithic version using formwork; the latter has several advantages over the technology of the prefabricated version;
4) sections of the tunnel are mounted on the floating base, that is, it is alleged that a floating base is being created on which the tunnel is being assembled, which leads to an operation that involves additional soil development equal to the width of the double width of the floating plant and the excess ballast tank;
5) join the sections through elastic inserts that can be used with reinforced concrete blocks, at a shallow depth of the reservoir;
6) lowering the tunnel to the bottom of the trench is made by means of hydraulic booster. However, the latter are mentioned only in the operation for fixing the blocks in the desired position, i.e., for fixing the block relative to the latter. The most important operation is fixing the block relative to the already installed (as if "anchor") section, taking into account the location of the walls of the trench.

 All this is possible with preliminary trenching and a shallow water depth and with the possibility of visual observation of this operation. These restrictions sharply reduce the pace of tunneling and do not exclude miscalculations in the laying parameters, since there is no automatic control over the execution of this operation.

Moreover, lowering the tunnel with hydraulic booster implies automation and computerization of this operation, and at the same time the floating base must strictly observe its location relative to the laid and expanding tunnel;
7) the tunnel is covered with soil from above, and it is not indicated when this operation is carried out. However, it is produced in the presence of normal pressure in the tunnel, which indicates the area of shallow depths of the ocean and the weight of the tunnel structure;
8) an additional operation involves the commissioning of special wagons with cargo for pressing the tunnel to the ground, since a "dry" method of tunneling is provided;
9) hydraulic rollers are unnecessary;
10) for ease of installation, a soft insert is mounted in the tunnel. This insert takes place, the barrier is a river, a small bay, and not the ocean;
11) the presence of a section of the tunnel, assembled from blocks of rectangular cross section, that is, for shallow depths.

 This method is adopted as a prototype.

 The aim of the invention is to eliminate the above disadvantages.

 This goal is achieved by the fact that the sections of the lining of the mine or tunnel produce sectional formwork using monolithic technology at the floating base above the water level and join the sections by means of sectional universal joints, and lowering the created chain of sections to the bottom of the trench is based on the fixed ("anchor") section in the trench and the guide (for the chain of sections) at the "dredger", which excavates the trench at the same time as the differentiated tab of the fixed section with the same soil (rock), using an infinite t yagovoy chain, closed in a vertical plane. The sections of the support of a mine or tunnel located on the ocean floor are pre-filled with sea water (under pressure), which is pumped out before the mine or tunnel is operated, and previously, the trench with sections is filled in sections (simultaneously with excavation) with a waterproof component, on which a layer is laid destroyed rock with cementing additives, and on top - the remaining soil (rock).

 In FIG. 1 shows a floating base, a plan view; in FIG. 2 - floating base, side view; in FIG. 3 - floating base, front view; in FIG. 4 - floating base, view from the stern; in FIG. 5 - a section of a lining of a mine working or a tunnel, made by monolithic technology; in FIG. 6 - the same side view; in FIG. 7 - the same, part, universal joint, cut; in FIG. 8 is a diagram of an underwater hot water or tunnel, side view; in FIG. 9 - same, plan view; in FIG. 10 is a diagram of the relative location of the binder (floating base and "dredger") and chain sections, section; in FIG. 11 is a diagram of the location of the trench and the support section in the "dry" version, a section; in FIG. 12 - the same, with the "wet" option; in FIG. 13 - the same with a waterproof component; in FIG. 14 - the same, when laying the destroyed rock with cementing additives; in FIG. 15 - the same, when laying the soil - "dry" option; in FIG. 16 - the same with the "wet" version; in FIG. 17 is a diagram of FIG. 8 with the location of the oil field in the GW and the scheme of drilling production wells in the oil reservoir.

A method for conducting underwater mining or a tunnel under the ocean floor with the development of trenches and lowering sections with their subsequent laying contains the following technological operations:
1. The created floating base (Fig. 1-4) is produced using monolithic technology using sectional formwork 2 above the water level of the roof support section 3.

 2. Sections 3 are joined by means of sectional universal joints 4 (Figs. 5–7) directly in formwork 2, each section of the formwork consists of internal and external parts.

 3. Each finished (extreme) section 3, located at the bow of the floating base 1 in the formwork 2 and pivotally connected to the other 4, is moved with the help of the guide 5 by means of an endless traction chain 6 with sectional grips closed in a vertical plane, to the side of the stern to it end, where the inner formwork of the section is separated, folded and moves along the inner space of the formwork to the vacated place of the fore nasal future section of the support 3, and the outer part of the section formwork is also separated from the section that extends beyond The limits of the floating base 1 and in another external way comes to the docking with its internal part in the initial position.

 4. Lowering the sections (Fig. 8 - 9), assembled by the above operations into a chain of 7 sections, to the bottom of the trench 8 is carried out relying on a fixed, as if "anchor", section 9 in the trench in the presence of a rigid guide 10 and a flexible binder 11 ( for chain 7) connected to the “dredger” 12 and floating base 1, using the infinite traction chain 6 of the floating base. Chain 7 slides along the guide 10 and the binder 11.

 5. Each section 13 (Fig. 8), which extends beyond the stern of the floating base, is freed from the formwork 2, and the internal components of the lining section, for example, the railroad assembly, are fed through the inner space of the "stationary" (relative to each other) sectional formwork etc., which are installed in the section, section 13 is ready for descent.

 6. At the bottom of the ocean, the "dredger" 12 excavates the trench at the same time as the differentiated tab of section 14 with additives coming in through the link 11, and moves along the trench track. The components and cementing additives of the bookmark, like energy, fresh air, etc., move from the floating base 1 to the dredger 12 and the trench 8.

 7. The initial operation of joining the land part 15, developed in the traditional way, is as follows.

 The floating base 1 using the formwork 2 produces a chain of sections located above the water level, a length equal to the sum of the lengths of the floating base and chain 7.

 From the floating base, binders 11 of the required length are similarly supplied with the help of the internal plate conveyor and connected to the chain 7.

 Then the naval base 1 stern approaches the shore, and a chain of 7 sections joins with the land part 15, and the "dredger" 12 begins to conduct a trench along the rocks with a fortress coefficient on the scale of prof. M.M. Protodyakonova 1 - 3 (with a larger value of the coefficient of the speed of the conduct of HB decrease). This is followed by technological operations 4-6, where section 15 serves as the initial "anchor" section.

 8. The final operation of joining a similar part of the other shore is as follows.

 The floating base 1 stops at a certain distance to the coast with the expectation that the already created chain 7 and sections within the floating base reach the "land" intended part of the sections. Then, the binders 11 are disconnected (above the water level) from the floating base, removed to the side and fixed at the floating base, from which another part of the binders is released about the length of the floating base and installed near sections 3 within the floating base. These binders 11 are joined together and are lowered into the water. As the "dredger" 12 moves, the chain 7 is laid in the trench, and the binders 11 are moved (option 1) by the winches to the shore, periodically they are disconnected and stored in the floating base 1.

 "Dredger" 12 paves a trench to the shore and makes a bookmark, and the floating base is in a fixed place.

 9. In order to achieve a greater depth of the ocean, the sections located at the bottom of the trench 8 of the ocean are pre-filled with sea water (under the pressure of a column of water, a shallower depth of the sections), which allows each section to settle firmly to the bottom of the trench. The trench with section 14 is filled with a waterproof component (Fig. 12), the level of which is slightly increased and exceeds the height of the sections (Fig. 13), on which a layer of destroyed rock with cementing additives is laid (Fig. 14), and the remaining soil (rock) on top (Fig. 16).

 After the lapse of time, the waterproof component and the rock with cementitious additives harden and absorb water pressure together with the side rocks of the trench.

 10. Then, and before operating the hot water supply or tunnel, water is pumped out.

 11. Carrying out the underwater GW 16 (Fig. 17) is a continuation of the main trunk 17 of the offshore oil mine 18, which is essentially an alternative to the offshore platform.

 In GV 16, an oil field with equipment is used to drill production wells 19 into oil reservoir 20 using traditional technology (with some deviations). Arrow - a fresh stream of air, an arrow with a circle - transport of oil and gas.

 Moreover, the cross-section of the GW is not a constant, but a variable.

 Problems such as drilling wells from horizontal hot water (underwater) and ensuring the safety of operations that exclude fires and explosions in the mine do not pose technical difficulties. The method has a number of advantages over the offshore platform, for example, an increase in the oil recovery coefficient, etc.

The scope of the method:
1. Distance from the coast - up to 100 - 300 km.

 2. The depth of the ocean - up to 1000 m.

 3. Oil and gas reserves of 10 - 100 million tons of equivalent fuel equivalent. and more.

 4. The duration of the construction of a hot water supply or tunnel is 1 to 3 years.

5. The cross-section of the GW in the light of 30 - 120 m ² .

 6. Coefficient of bottom rock strength - up to 1 - 3.

 The economic feasibility of the method, first of all, is based on the high speed of conducting hot water and tunnels (up to 5 - 10 km / month), which will allow you to "freeze" finances for a short time (1.5 - 3.5 years) with the ensuing consequences and achieve great depths of the ocean.

Claims (2)

 1. A method of conducting underwater mining or a tunnel, including creating and joining sections of a lining of a mining or tunnel within a floating base, holding a trench on the ocean floor, lowering the tape of the sections of the lining to the bottom of the trench, starting from the extreme section, and filling the sections of the lining with soil, different the fact that the mine support section or the tunnel is made using monolithic technology using sectional formwork within the floating base above the water level and is joined together by means of universal sectional joints, lowering the flax You attach the sections to the bottom of the trench using an endless traction chain located within the floating base and closed in a vertical plane, relying on the section fixed in the trench and the guide located near the dredger, while carrying out the trench is carried out simultaneously with a differentiated tab and backfilling with soil fixed support sections.  2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that before laying the sections of the lining of the mine or tunnel into the trench, they are filled with sea water under a pressure lower than a column of water from sea level to the trench, and the trench is filled with a partially waterproof component, after laying backfill lining sections are produced in layers by rock or soil, and rock or soil with cementing additives is placed in the first layer, while water is pumped out of the lining sections before the tunnel is operated.

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