Patent ID: 9586650
Date: 2017-03-07
CPC Classifications: B63B

Claim:
1. A semi-submersible offshore platform for operations in a body of water, comprising: a buoyant hull configured to be at least partially submerged in the water; an equipment deck coupled to the hull and configured to be positioned above the water; wherein the hull comprises: a horizontal pontoon having a longitudinal axis, a first end coupled to the lower end of the first column, and a second end coupled to the lower end of the second column; wherein the tapered section of each column has an outer surface oriented at an acute angle θ measured from the longitudinal axis of the column in side view, wherein the acute angle θ is between 3° and 60°; wherein tapered section of each column includes a plurality of planar sides disposed about the longitudinal axis, wherein at least one of the planar sides of the tapered section of each column is disposed at the acute slope angle θ.