Drilling Platform Buoyant Foundation Transitioning Between Floating and Stationary States
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drilling and production rigs for oil and gas lack the ability to be easily installed and removed from a fixed location, limiting their flexibility and efficiency in operations such as test drilling and permanent placement.
Innovation Solution
A buoyant heavyweight foundation with a pipe tower and a buoyant platform that can transition between floating and stationary states, allowing for temporary or permanent placement by flooding a fillable chamber to secure the foundation on the seabed, while the pipe tower remains above water to facilitate drilling and transport operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional fixed drilling platform is used, then the platform provides stable support for drilling operations, but the platform cannot be easily moved or removed from the location
Solution Approach 1:
The gravity foundation is designed to transition between two stable states: floating mode for mobility and grounded mode for stability. The fillable chamber allows dynamic adjustment of the foundation's weight, enabling the platform to be moved when empty and secured when filled, thus achieving both adaptability and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The platform's key parameter - weight - is made variable through the fillable chamber that can be filled with or emptied of material. This parameter change enables the platform to switch between mobile and stationary states, resolving the contradiction between mobility and stability
2Reliability
If the gravity foundation is lowered to the seabed for permanent placement, then the platform achieves stable support, but the platform loses the ability to be easily removed
Solution Approach 1:
The gravity foundation incorporates a reversible transition mechanism between floating and grounded states. The fillable chamber can be filled to lower the foundation to the seabed for stable operations, or emptied to raise the foundation for removal, enabling both stability and removability
3Stability of the object's composition
If the platform structure is made rigid and permanent, then the drilling operations are stable and secure, but the platform cannot be easily transported or repositioned
Solution Approach 1:
The platform's structural state is made dynamic through the fillable chamber mechanism. When empty, the platform floats and can be transported; when filled, the platform grounds and achieves structural stability for drilling operations, resolving the contradiction between transportability and structural stability
4Reliability
If the tubular tower is closed to prevent water ingress, then the equipment is protected from water damage, but the structure becomes more complex and harder to construct
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire tubular tower complex and closed, the invention extracts only the essential function of water protection to the critical lower sections. The tower remains open where possible, simplifying construction while still protecting equipment from water ingress through selective closure at water-exposed sections
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
Enables easy installation and removal of drilling and production rigs, ensuring a secure and dry environment for equipment and reducing the risk of water ingress, thus simplifying drilling and transport processes while maintaining a stable platform.
Implementation Method 1
The gravity foundation can be flooded by flooding the chamber (5), thereby securing the position of the drilling platform and/or production rig
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to drilling platforms and/or production platforms for locating, producing, processing and/or transporting crude oil or natural gas. These are characterized in particular in that they can be placed and secured in position easily and can be removed again easily. For this purpose, the drilling platform and/or production platform comprises a floatable heavyweight foundation, a tubular tower and a floatable platform or drilling vessel. The floatable heavyweight foundation has a solid slab of concrete, reinforced concrete, a composite comprising concrete, or a combination thereof. Furthermore, at least one fillable chamber is provided, which is empty for floating and which is filled for locating, producing, processing and/or transporting crude oil or natural gas. The tubular tower is open on both sides and connected to the heavyweight foundation in such a way that the tubular tower intersects the heavyweight foundation and projects above same at least towards the water surface. In addition, the floatable platform or the drilling vessel is connected to the tubular tower in order to carry equipment for locating, producing, processing and/or transporting crude oil or natural gas.