Mudmat foundation for subsea equipment
AssigneeFMC Technologies, Inc.
InventorHarold B. Skeels
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mudmat foundation for supporting an item of subsea equipment on the sea floor comprises a mudmat on which the item of subsea equipment may be supported and a plurality of legs which are pivotably connected to and depend downwardly from the mudmat. The legs are free to pivot outwardly relative to the mudmat upon insertion of the legs into the sea floor to thereby increase the load bearing capacity of the mudmat.
Claims20
A mudmat foundation for supporting an item of subsea equipment on the sea floor, the mudmat foundation comprising:
- a mudmat on which the item of subsea equipment may be supported;
- and
- a plurality of legs which are pivotably connected to and depend downwardly from the mudmat and which are inserted into the seal floor as the mudmat is lowered into position on the sea floor;
- wherein the legs are free to pivot outwardly relative to the mudmat upon insertion of the legs into the sea floor.
A mudmat foundation for supporting an item of subsea equipment on the sea floor, the mudmat foundation comprising:
- a mudmat on which the item of subsea equipment may be supported;
- a plurality of legs which are inserted into the seal floor as the mudmat is lowered into position on the sea floor;
- means for pivotably connecting an upper end of each leg to the mudmat;
- wherein the legs are free to pivot outwardly relative to the mudmat upon insertion of the legs into the sea floor;
- and
- means for limiting the degree to which the legs may pivot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.