Abstract: The method includes the steps of cleaning, priming, and coating pipe segments with a bituminous composition. The coated pipe segments are wrapped and carefully handled so as not to disturb the bituminous coating. Wire reinforcing cages are formed around the pipe segments and the individual pipe segments are then loaded into individual mold cars positioned end-to-end upon a first railway track assembly. The cars are then translated onto a first transfer car, which rides on a second track means, and are conveyed to a third railway track assembly comprising a plurality of parallel sets of rails. The mold cars are transferred abreast from the transfer car onto the third railway track assembly, filled with a cementitious weight coating material and fed into a drying kiln whereby the cementitious weight coating cures at least until the cement becomes self-supporting.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for retrieving, securing, and launching an anchor buoy characterized by an anchor buoy handling mechanism mounted on the stern of a service vessel and including apparatus for engaging a floating anchor buoy, elevating the anchor buoy, and moving the anchor buoy to a substantially immobilized position on a stern deck portion of the service vessel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling piling and anchoring an offshore tower are disclosed wherein sudden loading of a derrick handling the piling is avoided as the piling is moved into position preparatory to driving. The apparatus entails a base intended to rest upon an upper end of a piling guide. A releasable gripping means is connected to the base and serves to grip and restrain an add-on piling while the add-on piling is connected to a piling connected and thus suspended within the piling guide and also while the suspended piling is released therefrom. Releasing means are employed to release the gripping means to permit concurrent downward movement of the add-on and suspended piling.In further aspects, the apparatus and method of the invention effect the connection of an add-on piling to a piling suspended from an offshore tower by first at least partially enclosing the add-on piling within a chuck releasably gripping the add-on piling.

Abstract: An offshore tower is anchored to a water bed by inserting piling elements into piling jackets located at the tower base and driving the piling elements into the water bed. Grouting material is poured between each jacket and piling element to bond these members together. Grouting material is also poured into the tubular piling elements and into a bell-shaped cavity located therebelow to form a bell footing which anchors the piling element to the water bed. A metallic reinforcement tube which is at least one-half the diameter of the piling element, is inserted into the piling element so as to extend between the piling element and the bell footing. The reinforcing tube presents considerable grouting-encased surface area extending between the piling element and the bell footing to maximize the connection therebetween. In addition, the reinforcing tube effectively reinforces the grouting material against tension, compression, and torsion.

Abstract: A drill conductor is installed into a water bed from an offshore tower situated in a body of water by lowering the conductor from a deck portion of the tower along a straight path which is inclined relative to vertical until the bottom end of the conductor reaches a predetermined depth in the water bed. The conductor is then bent about a fulcrum to displace an upper segment thereof to a vertically straight posture while maintaining a lower segment thereof above the water bed in a straight and inclined posture. A special arrangement of apertured guides is provided along the tower to accommodate the initial inclinedly straight insertion of the conductor and to accommodate the subsequent displacement of the upper conductor segment. The guides thus support the conductor such that a portion of the conductor disposed above the water bed includes upper and lower straight segments, the upper segment being vertically disposed and the lower segment being inclined relative to vertical.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transporting and erecting an offshore tower jacket is disclosed. The apparatus involves a first pair of elongated buoyancy members which are spaced apart along the lengths thereof and which are operable to float in a horizontal posture on the surface of a body of water. The apparatus further involves a second pair of elongated buoyancy members likewise spaced apart and operable to float in a horizontal posture. The first and second pairs of buoyancy members are themselves maintained in spaced apart relation to one another so that a leg of an offshore tower jacket carried thereby reposes in vertical alignment with the space between the buoyancy members of each pair. A plurality of bridging means serve to interconnect the buoyancy members to maintain the buoyancy members of each pair in the spaced apart relation. The bridging means further serve to carry the offshore tower jacket.

Abstract: A barge includes port and starboard sides in which longitudinal troughs are formed. Each trough is bounded at its top by an outwardly directed undersurface of an upper wing section and bounded at the bottom by an outwardly directed topsurface of a lower wing section. The topsurface of the lower wing section is located for submersion during offshore operations to oppose heave and roll motions of the barge. An upper ballast system is provided in the upper wing sections to carry ballasting fluid above the center of the barge. A lower ballast system is provided in the lower wing sections to carry ballast fluid below the barge center. Operation of the upper and lower ballast systems enables a unique control of floatation characteristics to be provided. Namely, by ballasting the upper ballast tanks, the center of gravity is raised and the metacentric height is reduced. Deballasting of the upper ballast tanks causes a lowering of the center of gravity and an increase of the metacentric height.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for purging water from a submerged pipeline including means for handling pipeline "pigs" (i.e., sphere, plug, or other device movable through a pipeline interior in sliding peripheral engagement therewith). In the system of the invention a pig launcher is attached at a first pipeline means end and a pig receiver is attached at a second, submerged pipeline means end. The pig launcher is operable to propel a plurality of pig elements in sequence through the pipeline under the urging of pressurized gas in order to displace fluid and/or locate obstructions. The pig receiver is arranged to exhaust such displaced fluid and receive and store the propelled pig elements. The pig receiver may include a fluid discharge system for exhausting propulsion gas into the ambient water in response to the arrival of a pig element and thus provide means to signal such arrival.

Abstract: Apparatus for burning fluid at a burner mounted on a floating vessel subject to wave action, the apparatus including a floating vessel, a generally upright pedestal, and a boom mounted in a centilever manner on a pivot member supported for swinging movement on the pedestal. A burner is carried by an outer portion of the boom. An outrigger is mounted on the pedestal and supports a drive member which is drivingly engaged with the pivot member, with the drive member being operable to effect swinging movement of the pivot member and the boom about the pedestal. A wave-action-accommodating mechanism is operable to sense the effects of wave-action-induced force acting on the boom and restrain or impede undesired swinging movement of the boom which would otherwise be induced by such wave-action-induced force.

Abstract: The invention affords a method and apparatus for transporting and erecting an offshore tower. The invention entails a barge which buoyantly supports the tower as it is conveyed to a desired offshore location. Supporting means connected to the barge and sliding means connected to the tower slidingly interconnect the tower and the barge. Suitable rotating means operably associated with the barge serves to rotate the barge about the longitudinal axis thereof to lower one side and thus statically, laterally incline the supporting means and the sliding means relative to the surface of the surrounding water. This occurs once the barge and tower reach the desired offshore location. Translating means operably associated with the barge are afforded for the purpose of moving the tower down the resulting incline, off the lowered side of the barge, and into the surrounding water. In the course of this downward movement, the tower and sliding means move in sliding relation along the supporting means.

Abstract: A slant-type drilling rig assembly is disclosed having a pipe handling device which requires one operator during the transfer of conduit sections between an inclined drilling mast and a generally vertical conduit storage structure. The pipe handling device, or transfer apparatus, includes a pair of support columns having a horizontal structure connecting the upper end portion thereof. Freely suspended below the horizontal structure are an operator control station and an elevator. The elevator is connected to a fluid pressure operated means for raising and lowering which means is in turn connected to a fluid pressure actuated slidably mounted carriage. The transfer apparatus is pivotally mounted at its lower end for arcuate movement in a plane between the drilling mast and the pipe storage structure.

Abstract: A system for determining the thermal characteristics of a cooling system and controlling the cooling system in response to the determined thermal characteristics. The flow pattern of a cooling reservoir having a surface exposed to the atmosphere is represented by a plurality of water segments each representing a specified time interval, preferably equal time intervals. A thermal characteristic of the segments is determined at least periodically, preferably in response to the prevailing thermal transfer characteristics at the surfaces of the segments, and the flow pattern of the cooling reservoir is modified to accommodate the required cooling needs of the system and to prevent the discharge of cooling water into natural reservoirs if the thermal characteristics of the cooling water do not permit such discharge because of set standards. A method for at least periodically calculating the temperature of each segment from known and assumed thermal data through a trial iteration process is also disclosed.