Method of forming a mudline cellar for offshore arctic drilling

A method of forming a mudline cellar comprising:

• positioning a mudline cellar forming member on a seafloor surface, the mudline cellar forming member having a cylindrical cross section and including a first open end and a second open end opposite said first end and a continuous outer surface and a continuous inner surface between said first end and said second end that defines an uninterrupted inner cavity;
• driving the mudline cellar forming member into the seafloor surface with a pile driver system using a plurality of impact forces on said first end of the mudline cellar forming member;
• lowering a water jet and a vacuum to said inner cavity;
• and
• delivering a pressurized stream of sea water via said water jet into said inner cavity to break up a portion of seafloor and vacuuming said portion of seafloor via said vacuum,
• thereby excavating the inner cavity of the mudline cellar forming member from said first end to said second end to establish a mudline cellar,
• wherein the entire excavated inner cavity is devoid of seafloor, and
• wherein there is substantially no change in structural integrity of the seafloor surface outside of the mudline cellar.