Jacket for offshore structure

Abstract

A jacket (4) for an offshore structure comprises a plurality of jacket modules (6) stacked one above the other, each of the jacket modules having multiple hollow legs (10); and a plurality of piles (8) passing through the hollow legs (10) for securing the jacket (4) to the sea-bed; wherein the piles (8) include: foundation piles (8a) passing through legs (10) of a lowermost jacket module (6a), with a lower part of each foundation pile extending downward below the lowermost jacket module (6a) into the sea-bed, and an upper part of each foundation pile extending upward out of the tops of the legs (10) of the lowermost jacket module (6a) and into legs (10) of a second jacket module (6b) located atop the lowermost jacket module (6a) such that the upper parts of the foundation piles (8a) extend into the legs (10) of the second jacket module (6b) by a height less than the height of the jacket modules (6); and follower piles (8b) within the legs (10) of the second jacket module (6b) located atop the upper parts of the foundation piles (8a) and extending upward out of the tops of the legs (10) of the second jacket module (6b).

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to jackets for offshore structures, and to methods for installing such jackets. The offshore structure may for example be the foundation of a wind turbine. Background technique [0002] Due to the increased energy demand and the need to generate large amounts of so-called renewable energy, the offshore wind industry has grown. Offshore wind farms avoid many of the constraints of land-based wind farms through planning management and the like. Offshore wind farms also make transporting and installing large components to the wind farm site significantly easier, since there is no longer a need to design components for road transport, which can limit the size and weight of individual components. Offshore wind turbines of many designs have already been installed, and more are being installed. [0003] The mechanism and tower of the turbine can be derived to some extent from land-based technology, since the basic requirements ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Offshore wind farms also make transporting and installing large components to the wind farm site significantly easier, as there is no longer a need to design components for road transport, which limits the size and weight of individual components

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