Patents Assigned to GVA Consultants AB
  • Publication number: 20100296873
    Abstract: Method for installing a topside module on an offshore support structure that in use comprises at least one support leg that extends a height above the water level. The method comprises the steps of supporting said topside module on a barge in a position adjacent to said at least one support leg and de-ballasting the barge to lift the topside module a height above water level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: GVA CONSULTANTS AB
    Inventors: Jan Rystedt, Peter Ankarswärd
  • Publication number: 20100206213
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for constructing a unit adapted to float in a body of water, the method comprising the steps of: providing a cavity in the unit such that the cavity is open to the environment surrounding the unit, wherein at least a portion of the cavity is adapted to be located below a still water surface when the unit floats in the body of water, and determining a first value of at least a first parameter relating to required hydrostatic properties for the unit. The present invention also relates to a unit adapted to float in a body of water. The unit comprises a cavity such that the cavity is open to the environment surrounding the unit. At least a portion of the cavity is adapted to be located below a still water surface when the unit floats in the body of water. Moreover, the present invention relates to a use of a cavity in a unit adapted to float in a body of water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: GVA CONSULTANTS AB
    Inventors: Thomas Kullander, Tommy Lager, Daniel Åstrand
  • Publication number: 20100183455
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a submersible pump and a submersible pump system for pumping liquid to a marine structure, the pump being adapted to be located in a tube. The pump comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is adapted to be connected to means for suspending the pump in the tube. The pump has a vertical direction extending from the lower portion to the upper portion. The pump further comprises an inlet for allowing the liquid into the pump and an outlet for allowing the liquid out of the pump. The pump further comprises a sealing means located downstream of the inlet and the outlet in the vertical direction, the sealing means being adapted to seal against an inner surface of the tube. The invention further relates to an arrangement for hydraulic drive of the submersible pump and to a semi-submersible unit comprising the submersible pump system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: GVA CONSULTANTS AB
    Inventor: Lars-Olof Liberg
  • Publication number: 20100180810
    Abstract: A sea water system comprises, an inlet conduit assembly, a ballast tank and an overflow arrangement arranged in fluid communication with the inlet conduit assembly. The inlet conduit assembly provides a fluid communication between ambient environment and the ballast tank. A first pump assembly is arranged in the inlet conduit assembly for pumping sea water through at least a first conduit portion towards the ballast tank. A second pump assembly is arranged in fluid communication with the ballast tank and is arranged for pumping sea water from the ballast tank through an outlet conduit assembly arranged after the second pump assembly. The second pump assembly and the outlet conduit assembly are separate from the inlet conduit assembly. The sea water system may be arranged on a floating vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: GVA CONSULTANTS AB
    Inventor: Lars-Olof Liberg
  • Publication number: 20100104452
    Abstract: The present embodiments relate to a pump assembly comprising a pump which in turn comprises a low side and a high side. The pump assembly comprises a first inlet conduit in fluid communication with the low side and the pump assembly is adapted to provide a first operation condition in which first operation condition fluid is transported in the first inlet conduit towards the low side at a first flow rate. The pump assembly is further adapted to provide a second operation condition in which second operation condition fluid is transported in the first inlet conduit towards the low side at a second flow rate, wherein the first flow rate is lower than the second flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: GVA CONSULTANTS AB
    Inventor: Lars-Olof Liberg
  • Publication number: 20100101655
    Abstract: The present embodiments relate to ballast systems for marine structures. The ballast system comprises a ballast tank and a pump. The pump comprises a low side and a high side and the ballast system comprises a first inlet conduit assembly adapted to provide a fluid communication between the ballast tank and the low side. The ballast system is adapted to provide a first operating condition in which first operating condition a fluid is pumped from the low side to the high side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: GVA CONSULTANTS AB
    Inventor: Lars-Olof Liberg
  • Publication number: 20100098490
    Abstract: A marine structure comprising a supporting member that comprises a wall at least partially delimiting said supporting member such that an inner side of said wall is arranged to at least partially delimit an inner volume of said supporting member and an outer side of said wall is arranged to face the ambient environment of said supporting member. The marine structure further comprises a drain pipe adapted to guide fluid from said marine structure to a body of water at least partially surrounding said marine structure. At least a portion of said outer side of said wall partially delimits said drain pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: GVA Consultants AB
    Inventors: Lars-Olof Liberg, Bo Sundquist
  • Publication number: 20100003085
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of constructing a semi-submersible unit comprising a side wall, wherein the method comprises the steps of: placing a hull in a body of water, the hull comprising an opening for receiving an end piece, the end piece constituting at least a portion of the side wall; lowering the hull into the body of water, and connecting a deck structure to the hull to form a semi-submersible unit. The present invention also relates to a kit for constructing a semi-submersible unit comprising a side wall, wherein the kit comprises hull comprising an opening and a deck structure. Moreover, the present invention relates to a semi-submersible unit constructed according to the method and/or from a kit according to the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: GVA Consultants AB
    Inventor: Bernt Erik Westre
  • Patent number: 7628225
    Abstract: The present embodiments relate to systems for building and/or handling a tubular string of a drilling device. The drilling device comprises a drill floor and a drilling derrick extending from the drill floor. The drill floor has an extension in a first plane (P1) being substantially perpendicular to a first direction (N). The system comprises a suspension device being fixedly attached to the drilling derrick, wherein a projection of the suspension device, in the first direction, onto the first plane (P1), is situated outside the drill floor. The present embodiments also relate to drilling device trolleys arranged to transport a component to and from a drilling center of a drilling device. The present embodiments relate to a use of a drilling device having a drill floor, wherein the drilling device has a suspension device being situated outside the drill floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: GVA Consultants AB
    Inventors: Inge Petersson, Robert Ludwigson
  • Publication number: 20090158991
    Abstract: Device (10) or apparatus for launching at least one boat (12) from a structure (14), that is at least partially surrounded by water (16), into the water. The device (10) comprises at least one launch ramp (18) and means to effect translational displacement of said at least one launch ramp (18) when the device (10) has been mounted on said structure (14) in order to enable the position of said at least one launch ramp (18) to be changed before launching said at least one boat (12) into the water (16).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: GVA CONSULTANTS AB
    Inventor: Karlo Velcic
  • Patent number: 7011472
    Abstract: A semi-submersible offshore vessel including a rectangular ring-pontoon having a first transverse pontoon section at a first end of the vessel and a parallel second transverse pontoon section at a second end of the vessel, and two parallel pontoon sections extending between the first and the second end of the vessel. Four support columns extend upwardly from respective edge-portions of the ring-pontoon to support an upper deck structure. The first pontoon section has a vertical mean cross-section area (A) which exceeds the corresponding vertical mean cross-section area (B) of the second pontoon section, and the support columns in the second column pair each has a water-plane area (F) which exceeds the water-plane area (D) of each of the support columns in the first column pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: GVA Consultants AB
    Inventors: Nils Martensson, Thomas Ernby, Yungang Liu
  • Patent number: 7000556
    Abstract: A sealing device (1) and method for sealing between a chain (2) and a chain pipe (3), said chain for example being an anchor chain on a marine offshore platform or on a ship, and said chain pipe (3) leading for example to a chain locker for onboard storage of the chain in said platform or ship. The sealing device (1) comprises at least two opposing cover lids (7) positioned at the mouth (8) of the chain pipe (3) or an extension collar (7) thereof. The cover lids (7) are movably arranged from an open position into a closed position in which the cover lids (7) abut each other and seal the chain pipe (3) from water intrusion by sealingly engaging a chain link (10) of the chain. Furthermore, the cover lids (7) are provided—in mutual abutment sides (15) thereof—with one or more recesses (16) shaped in conformity with the contacting outer periphery (17) of said chain link (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: GVA Consultants AB
    Inventor: Morten Gundersen
  • Patent number: 6997132
    Abstract: A semi-submersible offshore vessel has a substantially ring-shaped lower pontoon, starboard and port forward columns extending upwards from the lower pontoon, and starboard and port aft columns extending upwards from the lower pontoon. An upper deck structure connects upper portions of the columns with each other. The upper deck structure has a substantially rectangular module recess for receiving one or more operation modules, for example, carrying hydrocarbon-processing equipment. The upper deck structure is generally C-shaped, having a forward torsion box extending transversally between the starboard and the port forward columns of the semi-submersible offshore vessel, and two mutually parallel longitudinal side beams extending aft from the starboard and port forward columns to the starboard and port aft columns, respectively, in such a way that the module recess exhibits an open aft end, the width of which substantially corresponds to the width of an operation module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: GVA Consultants AB
    Inventor: Gerry Steen
  • Patent number: 6854411
    Abstract: A semi-submersible offshore platform (1) comprising: a substantially ring-shaped lower pontoon (2); at least three columns (4) extending upwardly from said lower pontoon (2), and an upper beam structure (5) connecting upper portions (6) of the columns (4) with each other. According to the invention, said upper beam structure (5) forms a system of lateral beams (7), arranged in such a way as to allow one or more operation modules (8) to be placed upon or adjacent to the columns (4) next to the lateral beams (7), either directly on the columns (4), on brackets (10) connected to the columns (4) or on a deck (9) arranged between upper ends (6) of the columns (4) and said operation modules (8), the lateral beams (7) protruding vertically upwards above a bottom plane (11) of the operation modules, said operation modules (8) containing, for example, hydrocarbon processing equipment and/or accommodation quarters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: GVA Consultants AB
    Inventor: Peter Ankarsward
  • Patent number: 6247421
    Abstract: A method for converting a semi-submersible drilling or accommodation rig into a dynamically positioned vessel in which the rig has pontoon bodies submergible below a surface of a body of water for producing displacement, support columns extending upright from the pontoon bodies and oriented for intersecting the surface of the body of water to define a waterline area for the rig, and a work deck supported on the support columns and arranged to be disposed at a position above the surface of the body of water. The conversion method includes prefabricating a rig extension in which the rig extension has a pontoon body extension, a work deck extension and a supplemental support structure connecting the work deck extension to the pontoon body extension. The rig extension is then connected to the semi-submersible rig at locations proximate one of the pontoon bodies and at the work deck. Thruster(s) may be optionally added at the pontoon body extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: GVA Consultants AB
    Inventor: Robert Ludwigson