Pressure balanced buoyant tether for subsea use

Patent · Tue Dec 02 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:7053227

Gunderson, R H

A buoyant tether is described for a tension leg offshore platform, comprising: a tubular, load bearing wall portion adapted to extend from a foundation at the bottom of the water body in which the platform is situated to a buoyant main body of the platform proximate the surface of the water body. The wall portion defines an enclosed volume isolated from the water body by the wall portion; bulkheads secured to the wall portion and extending laterally across the enclosed volume. The bulkheads are spaced one from the other along the length of the tubular wall portion and serving to divide the enclosed volume into a series of buoyancy cells adapted to contain gas, the bulkheads defining fluid flow passages extending therethrough; valves, each of the valves corresponding to and being in sealed fluid communication with one of the bulkhead fluid flow passages. Each of the valves are adapted to open to permit fluid flow through the fluid flow passage in response to the pressure differential across the bulkhead exceeding a preselected valve.

• Assignee: Exxon Production Research Co., Houston, TX
• Patent Number(s): US 4626136
• OSTI ID: 7053227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
03 NATURAL GAS
030300 -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
42 ENGINEERING
420206 -- Engineering-- Mining & Drilling Equipment & Facilities-- (1980-1989)
423000 -- Engineering-- Marine Engineering-- (1980-)
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FLOW REGULATORS
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
FOUNDATIONS
GASES
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MOORINGS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OFFSHORE PLATFORMS
OIL WELLS
PRESSURE GRADIENTS
SPACE DEPENDENCE
SUPPORTS
VALVES
WALLS
WELLS