Patent ID: 8336388
Filing Date: 2012-12-25
Classification: E02B,G01L,G01M

Abstract:
1. A method for monitoring a load and power consumption to raise a chord of one of a plurality of legs of an oilfield platform, each of the plurality of legs with a plurality of chords, each of the plurality of chords with a corresponding toothed rack, each of the plurality of legs having a rack-and-pinion leg jacking system for jacking a corresponding one of the plurality of legs up or down, each rack-and-pinion leg jacking system with a motor, gear system with pinions, and a climbing pinion for meshing with a leg's toothed rack, the method comprising: providing for a selected chord of the plurality of chords at least one strain sensing apparatus on a selected pinion of the rack-and-pinion system associated with the selected chord, with the at least one strain sensing apparatus, sensing strain on the selected pinion, said strain indicative of load on the selected chord and on the selected chord's associated leg; sensing power consumption and producing a signal indicative thereof; transmitting said signals to a control system; processing said signal producing a value of a load and power measurement on the selected chord.