Buoyant Tower With Variable Ballast for Deep Water Relocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current offshore structures for oil and gas production are limited in their ability to operate in water depths greater than 800 feet and are not easily movable between locations, making them costly and impractical for smaller, marginal fields.
Innovation Solution
A buoyant tower system comprising a base secured to the sea floor, an elongate stem with a pivotally coupled upper module and deck, and a variable ballast system that allows for adjustment of buoyancy, enabling the structure to be easily moved and installed in varying water depths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional floating production systems are used in deep water, then the structure can operate in water depths greater than 800 feet, but the system becomes difficult to move between locations and requires expensive mooring systems with large piles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the tower structure movable rather than fixed. The tower can be ballasted to sink to the sea floor, positioned, and then anchored in place, allowing it to be relocated between different oil and gas fields. This dynamic positioning capability resolves the contradiction between deep water operation and ease of movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses ballast water to change the density and buoyancy parameters of the tower structure. By controlling the amount of ballast water in ballast tanks, the tower can transition between floating (for transport) and sunk (for operation), enabling both deep water capability and relocatability without requiring expensive mooring systems.
2Reliability
If fixed platforms are used in water depths between 300 and 800 feet, then the structure provides stable operation, but the platform cannot be easily moved and has fixed height
Solution Approach 1:
The tower structure incorporates dynamic elements including ballast tanks for depth control and a telescoping or articulating stem mechanism for height adjustment. The stem can extend or retract to accommodate different water depths and operational requirements, while the ballast system allows the tower to be positioned at different locations by controlling its buoyancy and sinking depth.
Solution Approach 2:
The tower is divided into segmented components including a base, stem sections, and an upper module that can be independently adjusted or reconfigured. This segmentation allows for height adjustability and facilitates relocation by enabling modular assembly and disassembly as needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If jackup platforms are used in water depths less than 300 feet, then the structure provides height adjustability and can be moved between wells, but it cannot operate in greater water depths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs ballast tanks that can be filled or emptied to change the tower's buoyancy and sinking depth parameters. This allows the same structure to operate in various water depths by adjusting the ballast water volume, overcoming the fixed water depth limitation of jackup platforms while maintaining height adjustability through the stem mechanism.
4Stability of the object's composition
If floating production systems with mooring lines are used, then the structure can remain stationary at a specific location, but the mooring piles are difficult to handle, transport, and install at substantial water depths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex mooring pile system from the traditional floating platform design and replaces it with a simplified anchor system that attaches directly to the tower base. The tower itself acts as the mooring structure through its ballast-controlled positioning, eliminating the need for separate, difficult-to-install mooring piles while maintaining position stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system allows for efficient storage and offloading of hydrocarbons in deep water depths, is economically feasible for smaller fields, and can be easily relocated, addressing the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
The upper module includes a variable ballast chamber. The first ballast control conduit is configured to supply a gas to the variable ballast chamber of the upper module and vent the gas from the upper module
Implementation Method 2
The first ballast control conduit is configured to supply a gas to the variable ballast chamber of the upper module and vent the gas from the upper module
Data Source
AI summary
An offshore structure comprises a base configured to be secured to the sea floor. In addition, the offshore structure comprises an elongate stem having a longitudinal axis, a first end distal the base and a second end pivotally coupled to the base. Further, the offshore structure comprises an upper module coupled to the first end of the stem. The upper module includes a variable ballast chamber. Still further, the offshore structure comprises a first ballast control conduit in fluid communication with the variable ballast chamber of the upper module. The first ballast control conduit is configured to supply a gas to the variable ballast chamber of the upper module and vent the gas from the variable ballast chamber of the upper module. Moreover, the offshore structure comprises a deck mounted to the upper module.