Offshore base-supported column structure and method of installation
AssigneeKvaerner Earl and Wright
InventorRoger E. Lewis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An offshore base-supported column structure for installation in the water on an offshore floor having an elongate column vertically supported entirely from a column foundation on the offshore floor and releasably engaged to the foundation with the top of the column extending above the offshore water level. A column support base is supported from the offshore floor and engages and provides lateral support for the column with a slidable connection. A support structure is connected to the top of the column above the water level.
Claims15
An offshore base-supported column structure for installation in the water on an offshore floor comprising,
- a column foundation supported from the offshore floor,
- an elongate column having a top and a foot, said foot contacting and vertically supported entirely by the column foundation, and said foot being releasably engaged to the foundation, said top extending upwardly above the offshore water level,
- a column support base supported from the offshore floor for engaging and providing lateral support for the column, said base including a structural framework extending upwardly from the floor to an intermediate portion of the column and the top of the base having a column support slidably engaging the column in the vertical direction against lateral movement, and
- a support structure connected to the top of the column above the water level.
The method of setting an offshore base-supported column structure comprising,
- setting a column support base having a column support on the offshore floor with the column support positioned at the top of the base and above the offshore floor,
- anchoring the column support base to the offshore floor,
- installing a column foundation in the offshore floor below the column support,
- installing the column by releasably engaging the bottom of the column to the column foundation and extending the top of the column above the offshore water level and supporting the entire vertical load of the column from the foundation,
- laterally supporting the column by the column support without providing vertical support, and
- installing a support structure to the top of the column above the water level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.