Abstract: A cable deployment system and method for laying a cable on the sea floor. The cable deployment system includes a cable having a first cable section connected to a riser cable section. The riser cable section includes an armor that is connected to a drum capable of containing a required length of the first cable section. A stinger is attached to the drum and shaped to allow the first cable section to exit the drum. The cable deployment system also includes a tensioning device attached to the drum. The tensioning device is capable of maintaining a tension in the first cable section during deployment of the first cable section from the drum. The method of deploying the cable in deep water from a surface vessel includes the steps of containing the first cable section within the drum and lowering the drum from the surface vessel. An end of the first cable section is secured to the sea floor and the first cable section is deployed from the drum onto the sea floor.

Abstract: A submarine power storage system includes a unit base constructed on the floor of the sea, which base has seats for a plurality of electromechanical containers. Each such container has a turbine, a generator, a motor and a pump. The system also includes a plurality of battery tanks which are connected to the unit base.

Abstract: An installation for producing oil from an off-shore deposit has a semi-submersible platform, at least one riser connecting the platform to the sea bed, and devices for tensioning the riser. The tensioning devices include, for each riser, at least one submerged float connected to a point on the main run of the riser for hauling it towards the surface, and a mechanism for hauling the riser. The mechanism is installed on the platform and applied to the top end of the riser.

Abstract: An earth structure comprises a plurality of facing panels, a stabilized earth mass behind the facing panels and a plurality of supports for supporting the facing panels. The supports have rearwardly located portions and rest on their rearwardly located portions to support the facing panels during construction.

Abstract: A buoyancy compensator vest, for providing buoyancy at various underwater depths, having a rigid back board, for supporting an air tank vertically on the rear surface of the board at the back of the diver, surrounded in part by a bladder, for inflating and deflating, and a vest back panel including a pair of spaced-apart over-the-shoulder straps projecting from the top panel edge for joining with a pair of side portions extending about the chest of the diver, and a waist belt passing from behind the compensator vest about the panel side portions and the user's waist to complete the vest, the improvement of a pouch, defined by front and rear surfaces and including an openable panel to expose the interior thereof, the pouch interposed the back board and the scuba diver's back and containing a cushion for placement against the back of the diver, to cushion the back board and tank against the diver's spine, the pouch having openings formed therein to allow filling and draining of water during under

Abstract: A method and apparatus for ensuring against explosion of the gaseous atmosphere of a closed chamber, such as the QDCD room of an internal turret of an offshore production and offloading buoy wherein the closed chamber has production risers and conduit connectors that represent a potential source of flammable gas. The method comprises mixing and diluting the oxidant content of the air by introducing within the closed chamber a sufficient quantity of inert gas to render the mixture of the air and any flammable gas non-combustible regardless of the flammable gas content of the mixture. The method includes removal of the non-combustible mixture of air and any flammable gas from the closed chamber by purging thereof to the natural atmosphere, while introducing inert gas, thereby leaving a substantially inert atmosphere within the closed chamber.

Abstract: A deformed multiple well template and a process for positioning the deformed template downhole, expanding the template and drilling at least one subterranean well bore via said template. The template has at least a portion thereof deformed and may be symmetrical or asymmetrical as deformed and/or expanded.

Abstract: A rotating surfing wave simulator and methods of making surfable waves are provided. The simulator includes a rotatable container of water and a power source for rotating the container. A water-shaping aerofoil structure is disposed in the container for shaping the body of water. A wave-forming device is also provided adjacent and trailing the aerofoil structure, and includes an inclined surface. The aerofoil structure and wave-forming device together form a surfable wave upon rotation of the body of water in the container. Transparent structures may be used to enable spectators to view, from the side or underside, a surfer riding a wave formed on the wave-forming device. Wave enhancing devices are also provided to vary the shape of the surfable wave.

Abstract: A ventilation overcast comprises a frame member that defines a structure having a substantially inverted U-shape with first and second opposed side wall portions and a roof portion. A curtain member having a plurality of longitudinal corrugations therein is positioned adjacent the frame member so that a bottom portion of the curtain member contacts the floor of the mine. The longitudinal corrugations allow the curtain member to be crushed when subjected to floor heave.

Abstract: Footing forms border the bottom of an open space into which concrete may be poured. The forms are adjustable to various widths and lengths, and further provide support for commercially available foam wall forms that are used in concrete wall construction. The combination of adjustable footing forms with foam wall forms allows wall and footing to be poured together to form a monolithic concrete structure. The footing forms are adjustable to work in association with various standard and non-standard widths of foamed resin wall forms used in the building construction industry. The footing forms are fully removable from the concrete monolith, while leaving the foam wall forms with the cast concrete. Various corner components are also illustrated.

Abstract: An anchoring system for the production of hydrocarbons at sea by employing a moored production vessel or ship in which the ship is equipped with a mooring apparatus, preferably at the bow portion, and with at least one connection unit for a production riser from the seabed. Included is an anchor located at the seabed, as well as at least one anchor line adapted to connect the anchor to the mooring apparatus on the ship. There being provided a permanent anchor, preferably in the form of a suction anchor, gravitation anchor, or pile anchor. The anchor being provided with a swivel mechanism for the anchoring line, preferably with a buoyant body attached at a middle portion of the anchoring line, and whereby the riser is in the form of at least one flexible hose, the lower end of which is connected to said swivel mechanism. The flexible hose contains at least two passages for hydrocarbons and possibly other fluids.

Abstract: A method of cutting a well casing located beneath a subsea wellhead wherein a cutting assembly is made and lowered into an operative position. A mounting device is secured to the wellhead and the cutter is radially expanded into engagement with the casing. The motor is operated so as to rotate the tubing string and thereby rotate the cutter to cut the casing. A cutting assembly is used to cut a well casing. The cutting assembly has a motor mounting device, a motor, an output shaft, a radially expandable cutter and a tubing string. The tubing string connects the cutter to the output shaft of the motor and clamp members secure the mounting device to the wellhead so that the rotary reaction forces from the mounting device are transmitted to the wellhead. Axial reaction forces are also transmitted from the mounting device to a radially extending surface of the wellhead.

Abstract: A septic tank structure having first and second lower tank members and a cover member supported on and forming a seal with respective upper ends of the tank members. The tank members each have a closed lower end, an open upper end, and side walls extending between the lower and upper ends to form a receptacle for receiving waste materials. The tank members have respective flat sides that extend in a substantially vertical plane and are placed together when the tank structure is assembled. The upper ends of the assembled tank members define an outer periphery having an oval shape. The cover member has a lower periphery, a manhole opening, and a steeply sloped wall portion extending between the lower periphery and the manhole opening. The lower periphery of the cover member has an oval shape that corresponds to the oval shape of the upper ends of the assembled tank members. A channel-shaped configuration on the lower periphery of the cover member enhances the seal between the cover member and the tank members.

Abstract: To construct an underground structure having smooth wall surfaces in a simple, safe and reliable way, plates (11,12) are buried in parallel, and soil and sand (G1) between the plates is removed. If the places where the plates are to be buried are loosened in advance, they can be buried more easily. A strut member (14) is interposed between the plates, which are used as both forms and sheathing. A hollow body, together with steel plates arranged on both sides of the hollow body, is buried into the ground, the bottom of the hollow body is closed with a shutter, the hollow body is drawn up together with soil in it, leaving the steel plates in the ground, and the remaining steel plates are used as both forms and sheathing. Reinforcement bars are disposed in the groove space thereby formed, and concrete is poured to build an underground structure.

Abstract: A method for controlling the pressure at the base of a gas-lifted riser during casing installation is disclosed. Prior to casing installation, drilling fluid is displaced from the riser and the riser is filled with seawater. During casing installation, the riser base pressure is monitored, and the height of seawater in the riser is adjusted to compensate for increases in the riser base pressure. The riser base pressure is thereby maintained substantially equal to the seawater pressure at the base of the drilling riser throughout installation of the casing.

Abstract: A lock-type fishway comprises a first part having an opening to lower water for discharging water therethrough to lure fishes to the first part and a second part having an opening to upper water. A first pipe between the first and second parts is to be filled with water by closing a gate at the first part for bringing the fishes gathered in the first part to the second part. A second pipe is in parallel to the fishway between the upper water and first part and is provided with a turbine for conducting the luring water therethrough and for recovering energy from the luring water.

Abstract: A cutting element having a cutting table made from sheet segments of commingled ultra hard material and binder. Each segment may be made from a finer or a coarser grade of ultra hard material or from different types of ultra hard material. The segments are aligned side by side over a cutting face of the cutting element to form the cutting table. The material grade and/or the material type of each segment may alternate across the cutting face.

Abstract: A method for transporting petroleum products in deep water from the seabed up to a floating or semi-submersible surface structure wherein at least one rigid and straight hybrid riser extends vertically. The hybrid riser has a rigid central hollow tubular structure surrounded by a cylindrical block of syntactic material which provides buoyancy and thermal insulation for the riser. A plurality of rigid pipelines are embedded in the syntactic material and surround the central tubular structure for receiving petroleum products from wells on the sea bed. The bottom of the riser is connected to a suction or gravity anchor at the sea bed. A submerged float is attached to the top of the riser and exerts an upward vertical force thereon. Flexible pipelines connect the rigid pipelines in the riser to the floating or semi-submersible structure.

Abstract: A rotary drag bit suitable for directional drilling. The bit includes a bit body from which extend radially-oriented blades carrying PDC cutters. The blades extend to primary gage pads, above which secondary gage pads are either longitudinally spaced or rotationally spaced, or both, defining a gap or discontinuity between the primary and secondary gage pads through which drilling fluid from adjacent junk slots may communicate laterally or circumferentially. Longitudinally leading edges of the secondary gage pads carry cutters for smoothing the sidewall of the borehole. The cutters are preferably configured and oriented so as to provide a relatively aggressive cutting edge to the formation in both longitudinal and rotational directions of bit movement, the cutting edges lying adjacent cutting surfaces preferably disposed at negative rake angles to the formation material of the borehole wall for enhanced durability.

Abstract: A method and apparatus have been developed which inserts and withdraws tubing from pipes without bending or kinking the tubing. Beneficially, the method and apparatus may be employed to insert and withdraw tubing to depths greater than ever possible before. The method involves using a thruster pig to provide force to inject the tubing. The thruster pig uses a pressure differential to urge the tubing into and out of the pipe. Advantageously, check valves or relief valves allow fluid to be pumped down the tubing and out the front of the thruster pig, and then to flow back through the valves and up the annulus between the pipe and the tubing.