Auxiliary floating structure and procedure for descent of equipment into the sea

A procedure for descent of equipment into the sea, characterized in that said procedure is composed of the following steps:

• (a) providing an auxiliary floating structure comprising a deck, supporting columns and pontoons, wherein said deck is provided with means to hoist equipment and is sustained by said supporting columns, and said pontoons being attached to said columns at a lower portion thereof, said pontoons containing tanks to ensure floatability by means of a ballast control, and dimensions of said auxiliary floating structure being sufficient so that a vessel transporting equipment may pass between said supporting columns and take up a position under said deck:
• (b) conducting said auxiliary floating structure, attached to an auxiliary tug boat, by means of beams, provided with articulation joints, until reaching a location where equipment will be lowered into the sea, said auxiliary tug boat having compressors associated therewith;
• (c) attaching said compressors of said auxiliary tug boat to said tanks of the auxiliary floating structure, as well as other requirements of said auxiliary floating structure, the auxiliary floating structure remaining prepared to hoist equipment;
• (d) at the same time, as a main tug boat approaches said location, bringing on board said auxiliary floating structure equipment desired to be lowered;
• (e) positioning said auxiliary floating structure by means of said auxiliary tug boat in said location where equipment will be lowered into the sea, while said main tug boat approaches jointly with same and penetrates in reverse gear status under said deck of said auxiliary floating structure;
• (f) positioning said equipment, tied to cable to be hoisted, by means of said main tug boat;
• (g) activating said auxiliary tug boat compressors to alleviate said tanks of said auxiliary floating structure, thereby permitting said auxiliary floating structure to raise, hoisting said equipment and releasing said main tug boat;
• (h) if required, unwinding cable to assist in hoisting operation;
• (i) moving said main tug boat away from said auxiliary floating structure after a hoisting of said equipment;
• (j) attaching a sling to said equipment and to said cable activated by said main tug boat before the main tug boat moves away from said auxiliary floating structure, however, the exact occasion of attaching said sling to said cable and to said equipment is being defined as a result of facilities available for each case;
• (k) after main tug boat has moved away from said auxiliary floating structure, the auxiliary floating structure unwinds cable, lowering said equipment until a point, where said equipment remains below a lower level of the main tug boat hull and, at the same time, said main tug boat maneuvers cable, accompanying a descent of said equipment;
• (l) after said equipment attains a level below said main tug boat, the latter again penetrates into auxiliary floating structure, winding up cable, until said sling is as close as possible to being vertically positioned and supported on a stern roller;
• (m) transferring said equipment, so far as sustained by said auxiliary floating structure to said main tug boat, disconnecting said cable from said equipment and retracting said cable;
• and
• (n) moving said auxiliary tug boat away with auxiliary floating structure.