Abstract: A foundation system for tension leg platforms without use of foundation templates, wherein each tendon (5) is directly connected to a socket (9) inside a pile (8), the piles (8) being positioned for driving purpose by a pile-driving template (10) which is employed as a spacing device. The pile-driving template (10) is positioned with the aid of pins (11) that slot into guides (7) built into the well template (6). After the groups of piles (8) needed to anchor a corner of the platform (1) have been driven in, the pile-driving template (10) is withdrawn and repositioned so as to enable the piles for the other group of legs to be driven; this process continues until all of the pile-driving is finished. Alternatively one single pile-driving template (16) may be employed to guide the driving of all the piles (8) thus doing away with the need to reposition the template every time.

Abstract: A foundation system for tension leg platforms without use of foundation templates, wherein each tendon (5) is directly connected to a socket (9) inside the pile (8), said piles (8) being positioned for driving purpose by means of a pile-driving template (10) which is employed as a spacing device is described. The pile-driving template (10) is positioned with the aid of pins (11) that slot into guides (7) built into the well template (6). After the groups of piles (8) needed to anchor a corner of the platform (1) have been driven in, the pile-driving template (10) is withdrawn and repositioned so as to enable the piles for the other group of legs to be driven; this process continues until all of the pile-driving is finished. Alternatively one single pile-driving template (16) may be employed to guide the driving of all the piles (8) thus doing away with the need to reposition the template every time.

Abstract: A method of installing a foundation for a tension leg platform is described that eliminates the foundation template as a permanent, load bearing part of the foundation. As an embodiment of the invention, piles are installed by, for example, being driven into the ocean floor so that each pile is secured to the ocean floor, but is unsecured to any other structure that is on the ocean floor. A tension leg platform is coupled via tendon structures to the piles so that anchoring load paths are defined from the tension leg platform to the ocean floor in a plurality of generally vertical paths extending in axial alignment through the tendon structures to the pile and the ocean floor. Each of the tendon structure to pile anchoring systems is substantially independent of one another.

Abstract: A foundation system for tension leg platforms without use of foundation templates, wherein each tendon (5) is directly connected to a socket (9) inside the pile (8), said piles (8) being positioned for driving purpose by means of a pile-driving template (10) which is employed as a spacing device is described. The pile-driving template (10) is positioned with the aid of pins (11) that slot into guides (7) built into the well template (6). After the groups of piles (8) needed to anchor a corner of the platform (1) have been driven in, the pile-driving template (10) is withdrawn and repositioned so as to enable the piles for the other group of legs to be driven; this process continues until all of the pile-driving is finished. Alternatively one single pile-driving template (16) may be employed to guide the driving of all the piles (8) thus doing away with the need to reposition the template every time.