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US 4,335,980 AGranted
Hull heating system for an arctic offshore production structure
AssigneeChevron Research Company
InventorCoral L. DePriester
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hull heating system for an offshore production structure for use in arctic waters wherein the heat from the produced fluids is used to maintain the temperature of the outer surface of the structure above the melting temperature of the ice adjacent the structure.
Claims13
An offshore production structure for use in a body of water that contains ice masses, comprising:
- a support portion positioned in a body of water, said support portion having a peripheral wall which converges upwardly and inwardly of the underwater bottom to provide a ramp-like surface to receive ice masses moving relative to and into contact with said support portion so as to elevate the ice above its natural level an amount to cause the ice to fail in flexure adjacent said structure;
- means securing said support portion to the underwater bottom;
- a production well being produced from said structure;
- means for applying the heat from produced fluids from said well to the inner surface of said peripheral wall to maintain the temperature of the outer surface of said peripheral wall above the melting point of ice in contact with said structure to prevent the ice from freezing on and adhering to said peripheral wall so as to assist the ice in moving over said peripheral wall, wherein said means includes at least one chamber disposed within said support portion with said peripheral wall forming the outer wall of said chamber;
- and
- means for circulating a heat transfer fluid through said chamber wherein said heat transfer fluid is heated by said produced fluids in an amount to maintain the outer surface of said peripheral wall above the melting point of the ice.
3 more elements
An offshore production platform for use in a body of water in which ice is formed, comprising:
- a support portion positioned in a body of water;
- means securing said support portion to the underwater bottom;
- a wall section on said support portion extending from below the surface to above the surface of the body of water;
- said wall section formed converging upwardly and inwardly of the underwater bottom at least in the region of potential contact with ice that moves on the body of water and constructed to receive and elevate above its natural level the ice which moves on the body of water and into contact with said wall section so as to fail the ice in flexure;
- a compartment enclosed within said wall section approximately in horizontal alignment with said region;
- at least one production well being produced from said structure;
- means for directing the production from said well to said compartment;
- and
- means for circulating the production from said well within said compartment to place the production in heat transfer relationship with the inner surface of said wall section in said region so that the outer surface of said wall section in said region is heated above the melting point of the ice formed in the body of water to prevent the ice from freezing on and adhering to said wall section.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.