Patent ID: 9062429
Filing Date: 2015-06-23
Classification: E02B

Abstract:
1. A method for installing a jacket at an offshore installation site, comprising: preparing a plurality of non-steel buoyancy tanks for the installation, wherein each buoyancy tank comprises a plurality of launching air bags, wherein the plurality of launching air bags comprise a plurality of a first type launching air bags, wherein each of the first type launching air bags has a plurality of rows of ears circularly arranged at the air bag surface, wherein the act of preparing the plurality of non-steel buoyancy tanks comprises dividing the plurality of the first type launching air bags into a plurality of groups, each group comprising two or more the first type launching air bags bonded together through the ears; installing the prepared plurality of non-steel buoyancy tanks on the jacket; injecting air into each of the plurality of non-steel buoyancy tanks to achieve a first predetermined internal air pressure level; transporting the jacket to the installation site with a transportation apparatus; removing the jacket from the transportation apparatus, wherein the jacket becomes self afloat maintaining positive reserve buoyancy after removing from the transportation apparatus; lowering the jacket to the seabed; releasing air from each of the plurality of non-steel buoyancy tanks to reach a second predetermined internal air pressure level; and removing the plurality of non-steel buoyancy tanks air bags from the jacket; wherein the plurality of non-steel buoyancy tanks contribute a reserve buoyancy more than 20% of the jacket total reserve buoyancy.