Arctic walker for hydrocarbon exploration
AssigneeExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
InventorAdel H. Younan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A marine vessel for hydrocarbon exploration and methods of utilizing the same. In some embodiments, the vessel is enhanced with deployable and adjustable land propulsion mechanisms controlled by an active system to maintain position when on top of a drifting ice floe, water propulsion devices connected to the vessel hull capable of station-keeping in open water and/or within broken sea ice, sufficient power and flexibility to enable riding an ice floe, and at least one deployable ice hole cutter to open a channel through the ice floe.
Claims19
A marine vessel comprising:
- a hull having a height defining a first length;
- a plurality of land propulsion mechanisms positioned adjacent to the hull;
- a plurality of water propulsion devices connected to the hull;
- an ice cutter operatively connected to the vessel, the ice cutter having an ice cutter length greater than the first length to cut an opening in an ice floe sufficient for a riser to slide through as the ice floe passes under the hull;
- and
- a control system operatively connected to the plurality of land propulsion mechanisms, the ice cutter and the plurality of water propulsion devices, the control system is constructed and arranged to control the position of the vessel with respect to a wellhead by operation of the plurality of land propulsion mechanisms or the plurality of water propulsion devices or a combination thereof.
A method of drilling a subsea well comprising:
- positioning a vessel in a body of water having pack ice drifting in a first direction, the vessel comprises:
- a hull having a height defining a first length,
- a plurality of land propulsion mechanisms positioned adjacent to the hull;
- a plurality of water propulsion devices connected to the hull, and
- an ice cutter operatively connected to the vessel, the ice cutter having an ice cutter length greater than the first length to cut an opening in the pack ice sufficient for a riser to slide through as the pack ice passes under the hull;
- operatively connecting the vessel to a subsea wellhead, wherein the subsea wellhead is constructed and arranged to enable the drilling of the subsea well;
- determining the position of the vessel with respect to the pack ice;
- operating the vessel utilizing the plurality of land propulsion mechanisms or water propulsion devices or a combination thereof based on the determination of the vessel position;
- and
- operating the ice cutter to cut a path in the pack ice based on the determination of the vessel position.
A method of producing hydrocarbons comprising:
- positioning a vessel in a body of water having pack ice drifting in a first direction, the vessel comprises:
- a hull having a height defining a first length,
- a plurality of land propulsion mechanisms positioned adjacent to the hull;
- a plurality of water propulsion devices connected to the hull, and
- an ice cutter operatively connected to the vessel, the ice cutter having an ice cutter length greater than the first length to cut an opening in the pack ice sufficient for a riser to slide through as the ice pack passes under the hull;
- operatively connecting the vessel to a subsea wellhead, wherein the subsea wellhead is constructed and arranged to produce hydrocarbons;
- determining the position of the vessel with respect to the pack ice;
- operating the vessel utilizing the plurality of land propulsion mechanisms or water propulsion devices or a combination thereof based on the determination of the vessel position;
- operating the ice cutter to cut a path in the pack ice based on the determination of the vessel position;
- receiving the hydrocarbons into the vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.