Loading patent…
OwnerJulien Bessonartinventor
Estimating the term…
The invention concerns a device for driving into the marine subsurface, in particular at great depths exceeding a thousand metres, a tubular tool for soil sampling or for measuring said soil characteristics. The invention is characterised in that the tubular tool (1) to be driven into the marine subsurface is secured to a base plate for positioning on the sea floor, and the device comprises at least a fluidic actuator (16), capable of being controlled from the surface, which is fixed to said base plate comprising a piston (4) moving in a cylindrical annular chamber (3) with an axis oriented parallel to the axis (y′y) of the tool (1) penetration, driving in the tool (1) depending on the discharge of intake of the fluid which is produced in said chamber (3), said piston (4) being subjected to the hydrostatic pressure prevailing at the depth where the device has been lowered by being in communication with the marine environment by its side external to said chamber (3).
Device for driving into the marine subsurface, in particular at great depths exceeding a thousand meters, a tubular tool for soil sampling or for measuring said soil characteristics, in which the tubular tool (1) to be driven into the marine subsurface is secured to a base plate (19) for positioning on the ocean floor, and the device comprises at least a fluidic jack (16), capable of being controlled from the surface, which is fixed to said base plate comprising a piston (4) moving in a cylindrical annular chamber (3) with an axis oriented parallel to the axis (yy′) of the tool (1) penetration, driving in the tool (1) depending on the discharge or intake of the fluid produced in said chamber (3), said piston (4) being subjected to the hydrostatic pressure prevailing at the depth to which the device has been lowered by being in communication with the marine environment by its outer side to said chamber (3), said device characterized in that the control of said fluidic jack is performed by a hydraulic pump (26) of the reversible type set in communication with the volume of the chamber (3).
Device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the tool (1) is made at least partly of tube portions screwed end to end to one another.
Device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that, near the upper part of the jack, is set an annular piston (4) that slides in a watertight way in said chamber (3) and is integral with the outer wall of the part facing the tool (1), while at the base of the jack is an annular piston (6) integral with the inner wall of the outer tube (2) of the jack and in which slides in a waterproof way the outer wall of the part facing the tool (1).
Device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that are provided, in said chamber (3) between the outer wall of the tool (1) and the inner wall of the outer tube (2) of the jack, spacing rings (10a, . . . , 10j) capable of sliding in said annular chamber while guided by cables (11), said spacing rings being designed with holes for the passage of the fluid in said chamber.
Device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that, at the base of the tool, is provided an instrumentation (14) for the control and registering of the measurements performed by the tool (1).
Device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that said hydraulic pump (26) is mounted on said base plate (19) to perform the fluid intake and discharge in said chamber (3), said fluid being ocean water exchanged with the marine environment.
Device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that said base plate (19) is integral with a legstand (20, 21, 22) ensuring the good positioning and orientation of the device on the marine subsurface.
Device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the tubular tool (1) being a sampling tool, it comprises, at least at its lower end, a sealing organ such as a gate valve.
Method for driving into the marine subsurface, in particular at great depths exceeding a thousand meters, a tubular tool for soil sampling or for measuring said soil characteristics using a device according to any of the previous claims concerning the device, characterized in that the driving motion into the marine subsurface of said tool or its retrieval motion from the marine subsurface is controlled from the surface via an on-board instrumentation (14) on said tool by controlling in parallel the discharge of the fluid contained in the chamber (3) or the fluid intake into the chamber (3).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.