Effecting connections to subsea anchor piles

Abstract

A subsea anchor pile comprises: upper and lower parts joined end-to-end; a pile chain disposed within and extending along the upper part; and a support that holds an upper end of the pile chain accessible for connection from outside the anchor pile. The support is a buoyancy module attached to the pile chain, an upper support that engages the pile chain, and / or a matrix that embeds the pile chain in a frangible body or a particulate mass. A subsea foundation is installed by: supporting the pile chain upright within the anchor pile to allow access from the seabed for connection to the upper end of the pile chain; connecting a chain of a mooring line to the upper end of the pile chain; and pulling the mooring line to pull the pile chain laterally away from or out of the anchor pile and into engagement with the adjacent seabed soil.

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