NL2004143C2

NL2004143C2 - Offshore floating deck.

Info

Publication number: NL2004143C2
Application number: NL2004143A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Johannes Antonius Seumeren
Original assignee: Mammoet Europ B V
Priority date: 2010-01-25
Filing date: 2010-01-25
Publication date: 2011-07-26

Description

Offshore floating deck

The invention relates to an offshore floating deck comprising a main deck provided with floating means.

Such a floating deck is used for transporting constructional works to their intended offshore point of erection. When 5 erecting a constructional work at sea one has to take into account the so-called weather window, wherein the erection of the constructional work can take place. When the weather is too rough erection of the constructional work is not possible. It is an object of the invention to provide a floating deck with im-10 proved resistance against rough seas, so as to upscale the allowable weather window within which erection of constructional works can take place. By providing such a floating deck having an increased weather window it is also possible to complete the erection of a constructional work at sea in a smaller timeframe, 15 which is economically very advantageous.

To meet the above objects, the floating deck of the invention has the features of one or more of the appended claims.

First and foremost the floating deck of the invention has the feature that the main deck has legs which are provided 20 with floaters, and in that the legs are movable with respect to the main deck for adjusting the distance of the floaters on the legs with respect to the main deck. This provides the possibility that the main deck can be lifted away from sea level by increasing the distance of the floaters with respect to the main 25 deck, causing that the main deck -and everything supported by it- is less sensitive to the sea waves and in general that the deck can float in the water with improved stability.

In order to enjoy the largest effect of the feature that is mentioned in the previous paragraph, it is preferred 30 that the floaters are provided on extremities of the legs distant from the main deck.

It is further beneficial that the main deck has in between the legs a central floater and in that the legs are extendable to a position wherein the buoyancy of the deck may be 35 exclusively determined by the floaters on the legs. By having the central floater the deck of the invention is possible to visit harbors with limited depth, whereas on the other hand the legs must be extendable to an extent that it are only the floaters on the legs that determine the deck's buoyancy in order to 2 acquire the sought for stability of the deck in rough seas.

An appropriate feature for carrying out that the legs are moved with respect to the main deck is to provide same with an elevation system for adjusting the level of the main deck 5 with respect to the legs.

The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference to a schematic example of an offshore floating deck of the invention and with reference to the drawing.

In the drawing: 10 -figure 1 shows a top view of the floating deck of the invention; -figure 2 shows a side view of the floating deck of the invention with all its floating means being operational; and -figure 3 shows a side view of the floating deck of the 15 invention with the floating means on the legs being operational.

Wherever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.

With reference first to figure 1 and particularly figure 2, the floating deck of the invention is shown having a main 20 deck 1 provided with floating means 2, 3. The floating means are divided in a central floater or floaters 3 that is/are provided below the main deck 1, and floaters 2 that are provided at extremities of the legs 4. In figure 2 both the central floaters 3 as well as the floaters 2 on the legs 4 are operational, giving 25 the largest possible buoyancy to the deck. As the deck is shown in figure 2, it is most suitable for transporting a constructional work to its intended place of erection.

Once at the place of erection, it is intended to lift the main deck 1 away from the sea level, for which purpose the 30 deck is provided with an elevation system 5 for adjusting the level of the main deck 1 with respect to the legs 4. After the elevation system 5 has been operational, the situation as shown in figure 3 may apply in which the buoyancy of the deck may eventually be exclusively determined by the floaters 2 on the 35 legs 4. In this situation the deck of the invention provides favourable stability also in rough seas, due to which the weather window in which the offshore floating deck of the invention may be used is increased as compared to the prior art.

It will be clear to the person skilled in the art that 40 the offer to example is merely intended to elucidate the concept of the invention, and that the protective scope that the ap- 3 pended claims provide is not limited by the offered example.

Many variations may be applied to this example without the departing from the gist of the invention as embodied in the appended claims. It is for instance possible to embody the float-5 ers on the legs with ballast tanks in order to provide the possibility to exactly steer the level at which the main deck 1 is raised above sea level. Further, with reference to the elevation system 5 many embodiments are feasible, notwithstanding that most commonly the elevation system 5 is executed with hydraulic 10 jacks.

Claims

1. Offshore drijfdek omvattende een hoofddek (1) voorzien van drijfmiddelen (2, 3), met het kenmerk, dat het hoofddek (1) poten (4) heeft, welke poten (4) voorzien zijn van drijvers (2) , en dat de poten (4) beweegbaar zijn ten opzichte van het 5 hoofddek (1) voor het aanpassen van de afstand van de drijvers (2) op de poten (4) ten opzichte van het hoofddek (1).Offshore floating deck comprising a main deck (1) provided with floating means (2, 3), characterized in that the main deck (1) has legs (4), which legs (4) are provided with floats (2), and that the legs (4) are movable relative to the main deck (1) for adjusting the distance of the floats (2) on the legs (4) relative to the main deck (1).

2. Offshore drijfdek volgens conclusie 1, met het kenmerk, dat de drijvers (2) voorzien zijn op uiteinden van de poten (4) die verwijderd liggen ten opzichte van het hoofddek (1).Offshore floating deck according to claim 1, characterized in that the floats (2) are provided on ends of the legs (4) that are remote from the main deck (1).

3. Offshore drijfdek volgens conclusie 1 of 2, met het kenmerk, dat het hoofddek (1) tussen de poten (4) een centrale drijver (3) heeft en dat de poten uitgezet kunnen worden tot een positie waarin het drijfvermogen van het dek exclusief bepaald kan worden door de drijvers (2) op de poten (4).Offshore floating deck according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the main deck (1) has a central float (3) between the legs (4) and that the legs can be expanded to a position in which the buoyancy of the deck is exclusive can be determined by the floats (2) on the legs (4).

4. Offshore drijfdek volgens één der conclusies 1-3, met het kenmerk, dat deze is voorzien van een hefsysteem (5) voor het aanpassen van het niveau van het hoofddek (1) ten opzichte van de poten (4).Offshore floating deck according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that it is provided with a lifting system (5) for adjusting the level of the main deck (1) relative to the legs (4).

5. Werkwijze voor het verhogen van de stabiliteit van 20 een offshore drijfdek omvattende een hoofddek (1) voorzien van poten (4) die voorzien zijn van drijvers (2), met het kenmerk, dat de poten (4) bewogen worden ten opzichte van het hoofddek (1) teneinde de afstand van de drijvers (2) die zich op de poten (4) bevinden, te verhogen ten opzichte van het hoofddek (1).5. Method for increasing the stability of an offshore floating deck comprising a main deck (1) provided with legs (4) provided with floats (2), characterized in that the legs (4) are moved relative to the main deck (1) in order to increase the distance of the floats (2) on the legs (4) with respect to the main deck (1).