Method and system for escaping from an offshore drilling platform
AssigneeThe Reynoir Company
InventorsRonald H. Reynoir, Robert A. Flautt, Clyde M. Leavitt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Improvements in a system for escaping from an offshore drilling or production platform in an emergency situation which includes a stable floating structure forming a safe haven anchored near but at a safe distance from the platform, an aerial cableway extending between the platform and the haven, and a personnel carrier movable along the cableway. The principal improvement is that the haven is a semi-submersible structure for increased stability.
Claims17
In a system for escaping from an offshore drilling or production platform, or the like, in emergency situations which includes an offshore platform in operative position substantially fixed relative to the marine bottom at an offshore location for engaging in hazardous operations involving combustible and explosive fluids entrapped in the marine bottom, a floating haven fixedly anchored near but at a safe distance from the platform, at least one cableway unsupported between its ends attached to and extending above water between the platform and the haven with the cableway inclining downwardly from the platform to the haven, and a personnel carrier suspended from and movable along the cableway for transferring personnel from the platform to the haven, the improvement wherein the haven comprises:
- at least one upright buoyant cylinder;
- means for ballasting and deballasting said cylinder;
- means defining an enlarged watertight compartment mounted to the upper end of said cylinder with the top of said compartment forming a weather deck, said cylinder and said compartment-defining means together forming a structure ballastable to float with said compartment partly submerged for increased stability.
An apparatus for use in escaping from an offshore platform in emergency situations while such platform is in an operative position substantially fixed relative to the marine bottom at an offshore location for engaging in hazardous operations involving combustible and explosive fluids entrapped in the marine bottom which includes a floating haven adapted to be anchored near but at a safe distance from the platform, at least one cableway adapted to be connected to and to extend above water between the platform and the haven, and a personnel carrier adapted to be suspended from and to be movable along the cableway when the latter is so connected, the improvement of the haven comprising:
- at least one upright buoyant cylinder;
- means for ballasting and deballasting said cylinder;
- and
- means defining an enlarged watertight compartment mounted to the upper end of said cylinder with the top of said compartment forming a weather deck, said cylinder and said compartment-defining means together forming a structure ballastable to float with said compartment partly submerged for increased stability.
A personnel carrier for use in a system for escaping from an offshore platform in emergency situations while such platform is in an operative position substantially fixed relative to the marine bottom at an offshore location for engaging in hazardous operations involving explosive and combustible fluids entrapped in the marine bottom which includes a floating haven anchored near but at a safe distance from the platform and at least one cableway connected to and extending above water between the platform and the haven, said carrier comprising:
- a buoyant structure forming an elongated personnelaccommodating cabin provided with a doorway in at least one end thereof;
- sheaves secured to the top of said structure for stably suspending said carrier from and for travel along, a cableway connected to and extending above water between an offshore platform and a floating haven,
- an outhaul winch in said cabin having a cable wound thereon, one end of said cable being adapted to be fastened to the haven;
- and
- an inhaul winch in said cabin having a cable wound thereon, one end of said cable being adapted to be fastened to the platform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.