Internal jacket leg cutter and method
AssigneeTetra Technologies, Inc.
InventorsGalen R. Clark, II, Michael Todd Martin, Gary L. Siems
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An internal caisson/jacket leg cutter and method provides a frame having upper and lower end portions. The upper end portion has rigging that enables the frame to be lifted. Extensible arms are movably supported upon the frame. The arms extend and retract along generally radially extending lines. Extension of the arms enables them to contact the inside surface of a caisson/jacket leg and thus center and anchor the frame within the caisson/jacket leg interior. A cutting mechanism at the lower end portion of the frame includes one or more rotary cutters or milling devices that cut the caisson/jacket leg wall as these cutters traverse an arc shaped path, tracking the caisson/jacket leg wall.
Claims27
An internal caisson/jacket leg cutter comprising:
- a) a frame having upper and lower end portions;
- b) the upper end having rigging that enables the frame to be lifted;
- c) extensible arms movably supported upon the frame and that extend and retract along generally radial lines, extension of the arms enabling the arms to center the frame inside a caisson/jacket leg;
- d) a plurality of extensible cylinders on the frame that simultaneously extend the arms during centralization of the frame within a caisson/jacket leg;
- and
- e) a cutting mechanism that includes circumferentially spaced apart cutters that cut the caisson/jacket leg wall as each cutter travels along an arc shaped path traversing the caisson/jacket leg wall.
(canceled)
(canceled)
10-11. (canceled)
An internal caisson/jacket leg cutter comprising:
- a) a frame having upper and lower end portions;
- b) the frame upper end portion having rigging that enables the frame to be lifted;
- c) upper and lower spacing assemblies, each spacing assembly comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart, radially extending arms that are movably supported upon the frame and that each extend and retract along generally radial lines, the spacing assemblies spacing the frame inwardly of a caisson/jacket leg inner surface at upper and lower spaced apart positions;
- d) each spacing assembly having a plurality of extensible cylinders operatively connected to one of the extensible arms;
- and
- e) a cutting mechanism that includes one or more rotary cutters that cut the caisson/jacket leg wall as each cutter travels along an arc shaped path traversing the caisson/jacket leg wall.
17-22. (canceled)
A method of removing a jacket tubular member from a seabed, comprising the steps of:
- a) lowering a cutter into the jacket tubular;
- b) extending multiple arms from the frame to engage the tubular at circumferentially spaced apart positions;
- c) extending a powered rotary mill to the tubular;
- d) rotating the mill along an arcuate path so that the mill traverses the tubular to form a cut;
- and
- e) removing a cut section of the tubular above the cut of step “d”.
33-35. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.