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US 4,616,956 AGranted
Pipeline launching module
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorDean P. Hemphill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Marine pipelaying is carried out from the surface of floating ice by use of modules which straddle a slot in the ice and carry the pipeline, each module having a large central float which is forced downward into the water and which functions to reduce loading on the sides of the ice slot.
Claims10
A method for deploying an object through an ice slot into underlying water, comprising:
- supporting the object with at least one module which straddles the ice slot;
- reducing the loading on the sides of the ice slot by deploying flotation from the module through the ice slot and into the water;
- and
- providing auxiliary reserve buoyancy flotation, substantially submersible only during a failure of the ice surrounding the ice slot and functionable to float the module.
1 more element
Apparatus for deploying an object through an ice slot and into underlying water comprising:
- at least one module which straddles the ice slot and having means for supporting the object;
- flotation means for reducing the loading by the module on the sides of the ice slot, the flotation means being deployable from the module through the ice slot into the water;
- and
- auxiliary reserve buoyance flotation, substantially submersible only during a failure of the ice surrounding the ice slot and functionable to float the module.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.