Back to results
US 12,662,880 B2Granted
Hydraulic down-the-hole hammer and subsea pile
AssigneeMincon International Limited
InventorsMarkku Keskiniva, Joseph Purcell, Simon Duck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a method and system for installing a load-bearing element in a seabed, a method and system for installing a subsea anchor on a seabed, a subsea pile and a subsea anchor.
Claims21
A method for installing a load-bearing element in a seabed, comprising:
- drilling a hole of a desired depth in the seabed using a hydraulic down-the-hole hammer, wherein the hammer is operated by supplying working fluid to the hammer;
- while the hammer is located in the hole, ceasing supply of working fluid to the hammer;
- supplying grout to the hammer to at least partially fill the hammer and the hole in which the hammer is located with grout;
- and
- allowing the grout to cure such that the hammer and the grout form a load-bearing element in the seabed.
2 more elements
A system for installing a load-bearing element in a seabed, comprising:
- a hydraulic down-the-hole hammer;
- a supply of working fluid, wherein the hammer is connectable to the supply of working fluid for drilling a hole of a desired depth in the seabed;
- a supply of grout, wherein the hammer is connectable to the supply of grout while located in the hole to allow the hammer and the hole to be at least partially filled with grout the hammer being sacrificially grouted in the hole.
A subsea pile, comprising:
- a hydraulic down-the-hole hammer, located in a hole in the seabed;
- and
- cured grout arranged within the hammer and between the hammer and a wall of the hole such that the hammer is bonded to the material of the seabed by the grout.
A method for installing a subsea anchor on a seabed, comprising:
- connecting a drill rig and one or more down-the-hole hydraulic hammers to an anchor frame, wherein the drill rig is configured to provide a rotation and feed force to each of the one or more hammers;
- lowering the anchor frame to the seabed;
- supplying working fluid to the or each hammer, such that the or each hammer drills a hole of a desired depth in the seabed;
- while the or each hammer is located in its respective hole, ceasing supply of working fluid to the or each hammer and supplying grout to the or each hammer to at least partially fill the hammer and the hole in which the hammer is located with grout;
- allowing the grout to cure such that the or each hammer is bonded to the material of the seabed by grout;
- and
- disconnecting the drill rig from the anchor frame.
4 more elements
A system for installing a subsea anchor on a seabed, comprising:
- an anchor frame;
- a drill rig and one or more down-the-hole hydraulic hammers connectable to the anchor frame, wherein the drill rig is configured to provide a rotation and feed force to each of the one or more hammers;
- a supply of working fluid, wherein the or each hammer is connectable to the supply of working fluid for drilling a hole of a desired depth in the seabed;
- a supply of grout, wherein the or each hammer is connectable to the supply of grout while located in its respective hole to allow the hammer and the hole to be at least partially filled with grout, the or each hammer being sacrificially grouted in the hole.
1 more element
A subsea anchor, comprising:
- an anchor frame, disposed on the seabed;
- and
- one or more hydraulic down-the-hole hammers connected to the anchor frame, the or each hammer located in a respective hole in the seabed;
- and
- cured grout arranged within the or each hammer and between the hammer and a wall of the respective hole such that the or each hammer is bonded to the material of the seabed by the grout.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.