Patent ID: 9664306
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: B63B,F01K,F03G,F16L,Y02E

Claim:
1. A method of assembling a pipe on a water-supported floating platform that includes an open central bay, and a gantry on the platform arranged so as to surround at least a portion of the bay, the method comprising: providing a pipe intake assembly on the platform; providing staves; transferring the pipe intake assembly to an interior space of the bay; assembling the individual staves on the pipe intake assembly in an offset stave construction so as to form an annular pipe portion having a crenellated upper end; lowering the pipe portion within the bay and into the water until the upper ends of the staves reside within a lower portion of the gantry; increasing the length of the pipe portion by assembling additional staves to the upper ends of the staves that form the pipe portion; and repeating the step of increasing the length of the portion of the pipe until the pipe has a desired length; wherein transferring the pipe intake assembly to the interior space of the bay includes lowering the pipe intake assembly over a side of the platform, moving the pipe intake assembly under the platform to a location underlying the bay, and raising the pipe intake assembly up through the bay to a desired location within the gantry.