Submersible production storage barge and method for transporting and installing a jack-up rig in a body of water

A submersible production storage barge and method for transporting and installing a jack-up rig in a body of water has the submersible production storage barge releasably secured to a jack-up rig while the jack-up rig and submersible production storage barge are towed as a unit to the desired offshore location.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention relates to a submersible production storage barge and a 
method for transporting and installing a jack-up rig in a body of water. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
In the production of hydrocarbon fluids from offshore sites located in a 
body of water, such as the oceans and gulfs throughout the world, it is 
necessary to provide for the transportation of the hydrocarbon fluids 
produced from the offshore site to a site on land. Typically, such 
transportation is provided by bankers, both ocean-going and shuttle, which 
receive the hydrocarbon fluids through conventional piping from the 
offshore platform, and transport it to land. In some instances, the 
hydrocarbon fluids are pumped directly to the tanker or to shore, via a 
pipeline, while in other instances, the hydrocarbon fluids produced at the 
offshore location are stored in suitable containers at the offshore site, 
and the hydrocarbon fluids are subsequently transferred to the tanker. 
In many instances, the offshore wells are drilled through use of a mobile 
offshore drilling unit, such as a jack-up rig, or a semi-submersible rig, 
which mobile offshore drilling unit may subsequently be used as a 
production facility. Such mobile offshore drilling units are typically 
towed to the offshore site by a vessel such as an ocean-going tugboat. In 
the case of a conventional jack-up rig, the jack-up rig, after having been 
towed to the offshore site, is associated with a pre-installed offshore 
platform. With respect to both the semi-submersible rigs and the jack-up 
rigs, it is typically necessary to provide some storage device for the 
hydrocarbon fluids produced, so that they may be stored prior to transfer 
to a tanker. It is necessary to provide for the transportation of such 
storage device, such as a barge or submersible storage tank, as well as is 
necessary to provide for the connection of the storage device to the rig 
by suitable piping and related rigging, whereby the produced hydrocarbon 
fluids may be transferred from the well to the storage device. 
When the produced hydrocarbon fluids are to be directly transferred to 
tankers, problems can sometime result whereby production of the 
hydrocarbon fluids may be interrupted. Examples of such problems can 
typically result from severe weather conditions, wherein the ocean-going 
tanker cannot be made available to receive the produced hydrocarbon 
fluids. Another example of a problem which could cause the interruption of 
the production of hydrocarbon fluids would be labor problems which exist 
in some countries, whereby it might be difficult to obtain crews to 
operate the ocean-going tanker or shuttle tankers. Accordingly, in many 
instances, it is not only desirable, but necessary to have some storage 
device or facility associated with the offshore well, whereby the 
production of hydrocarbon fluids would not be interrupted due to severe 
weather conditions or labor problems. 
Accordingly, prior to the development of the present invention, there has 
been no submersible production storage barge or method for transporting 
and installing a jack-up rig in a body of water, which: permits the 
jack-up rig and hydrocarbon fluid storage facility to be transported to 
the offshore site as a unit; prevents interruption of the production of 
hydrocarbon fluids during severe weather conditions or due to labor 
problems associated with the tanker to which the hydrocarbon fluids are 
being transferred; is easily assembled and economically used with reduced 
costs associated with attaching and rigging up the storage facility with 
the rig. Therefore, the art has sought a submersible production storage 
barge and method for transporting and installing a jack-up rig in a body 
of water, which: permits the hydrocarbon storage device and the jack-up 
rig to be transported to the offshore site as a single unit; prevents 
interruption of the production of hydrocarbon fluids during severe weather 
conditions or during labor problems associated with the tankers to which 
the hydrocarbon fluids are being transferred; and is easily assembled and 
economically used with reduced costs associated with attaching and rigging 
up the hydrocarbon storage facility with the rig. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the invention, the foregoing advantages have been 
achieved through the present method for transporting and installing, in a 
body of water, a jack-up rig, having a hull and at least one jack-up leg. 
The present invention includes the steps of: associating a submersible 
production storage barge, having an upper wall surface, with the hull of 
the jack-up rig; moving the jack-up rig and submersible production barge 
to a desired site in the body of water, the jack-up rig being disposed 
above the upper wall surface of the submersible production storage barge 
while the jack-up rig and the submersible production storage barge are 
being moved; and lowering the at least one jack-up leg and the submersible 
production storage barge until they rest upon a surface below the body of 
water. A feature of the present invention is that the submersible 
production barge may be associated with the jack-up rig by passing the at 
least one jack-up leg through an opening formed in the submersible 
production storage barge and releasably securing the submersible 
production barge to the jack-up rig. 
A further feature of the present invention is that while the jack-up rig 
and submersible production storage barge are being moved, the hull of the 
jack-up rig is disposed above the body of water and rests upon the upper 
wall surface of the submersible production storage barge, and flotation of 
the jack-up rig may be provided by the submersible production storage 
barge. 
Another feature of the present invention is that ballast may be provided to 
the submersible production storage barge to make it slightly negatively 
buoyant prior to lowering the at least one jack-up leg; and supporting the 
submersible production storage barge by the at least one jack-up leg after 
the submersible production storage barge has become slightly negatively 
buoyant. A further feature of the present invention are the steps of 
further lowering the at least one jack-up leg and slightly negatively 
buoyant submersible production storage barge to a location intermediate an 
upper surface of the body of water and the surface below the body of 
water; and moving the jack-up rig and submersible production storage barge 
prior to lowering the at least one jack-up leg and submersible production 
storage barge until they rest upon the surface below the body of water. 
In accordance with the invention, the foregoing advantages have also been 
achieved through the present submersible production storage barge adapted 
to be transported and installed in a body of water with a jack-up rig 
having a hull and at least one jack-up leg. The present invention includes 
a plurality of wall members defining at least one enclosed cavity for the 
storage of hydrocarbon fluids, the plurality of wall members forming an 
upper wall surface, a lower wall surface, and at least one side wall 
surface; and means for releasably securing the plurality of wall members 
to the jack-up rig while the jack-up rig is being transported to a site in 
the body of water, whereby the jack-up rig and plurality of wall members 
may be transported together to the site in the body of water, where the 
plurality of wall members may be lowered to rest upon a surface below the 
body of water. 
A further feature of the present invention is that the releasable securing 
means may include at least one opening formed in the upper and lower wall 
surfaces and is adapted to permit passage of the at least one jack-up leg 
therethrough. A further feature of the present invention is that the 
releasable securing means may further include at least one stop member 
associated with the at least one opening, and is adapted to abut a portion 
of the at least one jack-up leg. Another feature of the present invention 
is that guide members may be associated with the at least one opening and 
are adapted to guide the at least one jack-up leg through the at least one 
opening as the plurality of wall members move with respect to the at least 
one jack-up leg. A further feature of the present invention is that the 
size of the at least one enclosed cavity defined by the plurality of wall 
members has enough buoyancy to provide flotation of the jack-up rig above 
the body of water when the hull of the jack-up rig rests upon the upper 
wall surface of the plurality of wall members. 
The submersible production storage barge and method for transporting and 
installing a jack-up rig in a body of water of the present invention, when 
compared with previously proposed prior art hydrocarbon fluid storage 
devices and facilities and methods for transporting and installing a 
jack-up rig in a body of water, have the advantages of: permitting 
transportation of the jack-up rig and the hydrocarbon fluid storage 
facility as a unit to the offshore site; preventing interruption of the 
production of hydrocarbon fluids during severe weather conditions or 
during labor problems associated with tankers to which the hydrocarbon 
fluids are being transferred; and being easily assembled and economically 
used with reduced costs associated with attaching and rigging up the 
hydrocarbon storage facility with the jack-up rig.

While the invention will be described in connection with the preferred 
embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the 
invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all 
alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the 
spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended 
claims. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
In FIG. 1, a conventional jack-up rig 90 is illustrated and is provided 
with a submersible production storage barge 110 in accordance with the 
present invention. The jack-up rig 90 and submersible production storage 
barge 110 are shown in the positions they would be disposed with respect 
to one another when hydrocarbon fluid, such as oil, is being produced from 
well 91 disposed at the surface, such as ocean floor, 92 disposed beneath 
a body of water, or ocean or gulf, 93. The jack-up rig 90 is disposed 
adjacent a conventional offshore platform 94, and one or more conductors, 
or piping, 95 ascend from well 91 upwardly through offshore platform 94. 
Still with reference to FIG. 1, the conventional jack-up rig 90 includes 
hull 96 and at least one, and preferably a plurality, of jack-up legs 97, 
which permit the hull 96 and working deck 98 to be raised above the water 
line 99 of ocean 93, as is conventional in the art. Jack-up rig 90 may 
include one or more cranes 100, a helideck 101, a cantilever beam 102 upon 
which drill floor 103 and derrick 104 are disposed, as is conventional in 
the art. Cantilever beam 102, with derrick 104 disposed thereon, is 
movable with respect to working deck 98 as is conventional in the art. As 
is also conventional in the art, jack-up rig 90 may be further provided 
with conventional equipment for drilling well 91, as well as for 
production of the hydrocarbon fluids therefrom, such as flares, scrubbers, 
survival craft, power generation devices (not shown) all of which are 
conventional in the art. Flow lines 105 are provided (dotted lines), as is 
conventional in the art, to communicate between the wellhead of well 91 
and the working deck 98. 
As shown in FIG. 1, as will be hereinafter described in greater detail, 
submersible production storage barge 110 has been disposed upon ocean 
floor 92 and is in fluid communication with flow lines 105 of jack-up rig 
90, via conventional flow lines extending downwardly from the deck 98 of 
jack-up rig 90. Hydrocarbon fluids, or oil, may then be transferred from 
the submersible production storage barge 110 via a flow line, or flow 
lines, 106 in fluid communication with a flexible riser, or risers, 107 
which are supported by a flexible riser float 108 which communicate with a 
mooring buoy 109. Secured to the mooring buoy 109, via conventional 
mooring lines 111, is a tanker 112 such as a shuttle tanker, and 
conventional tanker fill lines 113 extend from the mooring buoy 109 to the 
shuttle tanker 112, as is conventional in the art. 
With reference now to FIGS. 2-4 and 6, the submersible production storage 
barge of the present invention will be described in greater detail. 
Submersible production storage barge 110 includes a plurality of wall 
members 120 which define at least one enclosed cavity, or storage tank, 
121, and preferably a plurality of storage cavities or storage tanks 121 
for the storage of hydrocarbon fluids (not shown). The design of the 
submersible production storage barge 110 of FIG. 2 is shown to include 12 
enclosed cavities, or storage tanks, 121A-121L; however, as will be 
hereinafter apparent, the design of the submersible production storage 
barge could have a greater or fewer number of storage tanks 121 for the 
storage of hydrocarbon fluids. 
The wall members 120 of the submersible production storage barge 110 form 
an upper wall surface 122, a lower wall surface 123, and at least one side 
wall surface 124. If the configuration of submersible production storage 
barge 110, when viewed from the top, as seen in FIG. 2, has a circular 
configuration, there would be only one side surface 124; however, as seen 
in FIG. 2, it is preferable that the configuration of the submersible 
production storage barge 110, as seen in FIG. 2, is either square or 
rectangular, wherein there are four side wall surfaces 124A-124D. The 
outer configuration of the submersible production storage barge 110, when 
viewed from the top as seen in FIG. 2, can of course be any configuration, 
the configuration being selected based upon considerations of strength, 
ease of manufacturing, and resistance to pressures exerted upon it by the 
water 93 as submersible production storage barge 110 is being towed, or is 
disposed upon the ocean floor 92, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The plurality 
of wall members 120 can be formed of any suitable material, such as steel 
plate and steel members, which have the requisite strength, 
characteristics, as is conventional in the art. A plurality of ballast 
tanks 125A-125N may be also provided about the outer periphery of 
submersible production storage barge 110, as seen in FIG. 2. 
As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the submersible production storage barge 110 may 
be provided with a means for heating 127 the hydrocarbon fluids (not 
shown) contained in the at least one cavity, or storage tank, 121A-121L. 
Preferably, heating means 127 includes a plurality of interconnected pipes 
128 which pass through all of the storage compartments 121A-121L, as well 
as the ballast tanks 125A-125N. Preferably hot water is circulated 
throughout piping 128 of heating means 127, insofar as the pour point of 
crude oil is approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit, which is typically not 
the temperature of the submersible production storage barge 110, 
particularly when it is disposed upon the ocean floor 92 as illustrated in 
FIG. 1. Thus, heating means 127 assures that the hydrocarbon fluids may be 
readily transferred from the submersible production storage barge 110, 
through the previously described risers 107 and fill lines 113 to tanker 
112. Conventional flow lines (not shown) may extend downwardly from the 
work deck 98 of jack-up rig 90 to a suitable, conventional connection with 
piping 128 of heating means 127, in order to provide the necessary heating 
medium, such as hot water. In this regard, it should be noted that other 
heating mediums or fluids, other than hot water, such as steam, could be 
used to circulate through piping 128 of heating means 127. 
FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of submersible production storage barge 
110, wherein a single wall construction is utilized for the submersible 
production storage barge 110. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, a single wall 
member 120 is disposed between the at least one enclosed cavity 121A-121L 
and the body of water, or ocean, 93. Thus, the storage tanks 121A-121L 
take up the entire enclosed space between the wall members 120 which form 
the top surface 122 and bottom surface 123, and bounded by the at least 
one side wall surface 124. 
In the embodiment of submersible production storage barge 110 of FIG. 4, 
outer wall members 120 which form the upper wall, lower wall, and side 
wall surfaces 122,123,124, are spaced apart from a plurality of inner wall 
members 120' and the outer and inner wall members 120' are disposed 
between the at least one enclosed cavity, or storage tanks 121A-121L, and 
the body of water 93, whereby an enclosed space 130 is defined by the 
outer and inner wall members 120,120'. Insulation of a conventional type 
may be disposed within cavity 130, which coupled with heating means 128, 
helps to insure that the hydrocarbon fluids stored within the submersible 
production storage barge 110 may be readily transferred therefrom to 
tanker 112. The double wall construction described in connection with FIG. 
4 is particularly useful when the submersible production storage barge 110 
is used at a location where the ambient temperature of the water 93 is 
particularly cold. 
With reference now to FIGS. 2 and 6, it is seen that submersible production 
storage barge 110 is provided with a means for releasably securing 135 the 
plurality of wall members 120 to the jack-up rig 90, while the jack-up rig 
90 is being transported to a site in the body of water 93, as will be 
hereinafter described in greater detail. Releasable securing means 135 
permits the jack-up rig 90 and the plurality of wall members 120, which 
form the submersible production storage barge 110, to be transported 
together as a unit to the desired site in the body of water 93. Releasable 
securing means 135 may comprise any suitable device or structure having 
the requisite strength characteristics to releasably connect the 
submersible production storage barge 110 to jack-up rig 90 while they are 
both being transported to the desired site in the body of water 93, 
provided during such transportation, the jack-up rig 90 is disposed above 
the upper wall surface 122 of submersible production storage barge 110. In 
this regard, it should be noted that the term jack-up rig 90 could also 
encompass a semi-submersible rig which could be provided with a 
submersible production storage barge 110 of the present invention, 
provided the semi-submersible rig has the submersible production storage 
barge 110 of the present invention releasably secured below the 
semi-submersible rig during the transportation of the semi-submersible rig 
and the submersible production storage barge 110 to the desired site in 
the body of water 93. 
Preferably, releasable securing means 135 includes at least one opening 136 
formed in the upper and lower wall surfaces 122,123 of submersible 
production storage barge 110 and the at least one opening 136 is adapted 
to permit the passage of the at least one jack-up leg 97 to pass through 
the at least one opening 136. Releasable securing means 135 may further 
include at least one stop member 137 associated with the at least one 
opening 136, the at least one stop member 137 being adapted to abut a 
portion of the at least one jack-up leg 90. Preferably, two or more stop 
members are provided for each opening 136, three stop members 137 being 
used for each opening 136, as seen in FIG. 2. As seen in FIG. 6, the 
portion 138 of the lower end of jack-up leg 97 which is abutted by stop 
member 137 is the upper surface of a conventional spud can, or spud tank 
139, which is disposed at the lower end of jack-up leg 97 in a 
conventional manner. As seen in FIG. 2, a portion of each stop member 137 
also forms a guide member 140, the guide members 140 being adapted to 
guide the at least one jack-up leg 97 through the at least one opening 136 
as the plurality of wall members 120, which form the submersible 
production storage barge 110, are moved with respect to the at least one 
jack-up leg 97, as will be hereinafter described in further detail. 
As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, when jack-up legs 97 are in their completely 
retracted position, as during transportation of the jack-up rig 90 and 
submersible production storage barge 110, as will be hereinafter described 
in greater detail, the submersible production storage barge 110 is 
releasably secured to the hull 96 of jack-up rig 90. This releasable 
connection is due to the abutting between stop members 137 and the upper 
surface 138 of spud can, or spud tank, 139 fixedly secured to the lower 
end of jack-up leg 97, whereby the weight of submersible production 
storage barge 110 is supported by jack-up leg 97 via the contact of stop 
member 137 with the upper surface 138 of spud can or spud tank 139. If 
desired, conventional cribbing, or a framework of timber, 140' may be 
disposed between the upper wall surface 122 of submersible production 
storage barge 110 and the bottom surface 141 of jack-up rig hull 96. 
As seen in FIG. 5, and as will be hereinafter described in further detail, 
when the jack-up rig 90 and submersible production storage barge 110 are 
being transported to the desired site within the body of water 93, jack-up 
rig 90 rests upon the upper surface 122 of submersible production storage 
barge 110, as previously described, and the jack-up rig 90 is supported 
thereby above the body of water 93. Accordingly, the submersible 
production storage barge 110 preferably has enough buoyancy to provide 
flotation of the jack-up rig 90 in the manner previously described. Thus, 
the size of the at least one enclosed cavity, or storage tanks 121A-121L, 
defined by the plurality of wall members 120 which form the submersible 
production storage barge 110 must provide the necessary buoyancy and 
flotation to support the weight of the jack-up rig 90 upon the body of 
water 93. It should be noted that dependent upon the configuration of the 
jack-up rig 90, and the size of the submersible production storage barge 
110, releasable securing means 135 could comprise a plurality of annular 
guide members fixedly secured to the at least one side surface 124, or 
124A-124D, which annular guide members are disposed about the jack-up legs 
97 in a manner similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein the 
jack-up legs 97 pass through the at least one opening 136 formed in the 
submersible production storage barge 110. Such annular guide members (not 
shown) could further include the previously described stop member 137 and 
guide member 140. 
With reference now to FIGS. 5, 7 and 8, the method of the present invention 
for transporting and installing, in a body of water 93, jack-up rig 90 
will be described. Initially, as shown in FIG. 5, a submersible production 
storage barge 110, such as that previously described herein, is associated 
with the hull 96 of jack-up rig 90. Jack-up rig 90 and submersible 
production storage barge 110 may then be moved to a desired site in the 
body of water 93, wherein the jack-up rig 90 is disposed above the upper 
wall surface 122 of the submersible production storage barge 110, while 
the jack-up rig 90 and the submersible production storage barge 110 are 
being moved, as illustrated in FIG. 5. After the associated, or releasably 
connected submersible production storage barge 110 and jack-up rig 90 have 
reached the desired site in the body of water 93, the legs 97 of the 
jack-up rig 90 and the submersible production storage barge 110 are 
lowered until they rest upon a surface, or ocean floor 92 below the body 
of water 93, and assume the position shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, the 
jack-up leg and submersible production storage barge 110 are 
simultaneously lowered together. FIG. 8 illustrates the disposition of 
submersible production storage barge 110 as it is being lowered to rest 
upon the ocean floor 92. Preferably, the submersible production storage 
barge 110 and jack-up rig 90 are moved to the desired site in the body of 
water 93 by conventional oceangoing tugs (not shown). Preferably, the 
submersible production storage barge 110 is associated with, or releasably 
secured to, the jack-up rig 90 by passing the leg, or legs, 97 of the 
jack-up rig 90 through an opening, or openings, 136 formed in the 
submersible production storage barge 110 as previously described in 
connection with FIGS. 2 and 6. 
As seen in FIG. 5, while the jack-up rig 90 and submersible production 
storage barge 110 are being moved, the hull of the jack-up rig 90 is 
preferably disposed above the body of water 93 and rests upon the upper 
wall surface 122 of the submersible production storage barge 110, 
flotation of the jack-up rig 90 being provided by the submersible 
production storage barge 110 as previously described. 
Preferably, the submersible production storage barge 110 is initially 
associated with the jack-up rig 90 by first floating the jack-up rig over 
the submersible production storage barge 110. The submersible production 
storage barge 110 is sufficiently ballasted, as by filling ballast tanks 
125A-125N, in an amount sufficient enough so that the submersible 
production storage barge 110 is disposed beneath the water line 99 and 
there is sufficient clearance between the submersible production storage 
barge 110 and the jack-up rig 90, when the jack-up rig 90 is floated to a 
position disposed above the submersible production storage barge 110. The 
legs 97 of jack-up rig 90 may then be stabbed through the openings 136 
formed between the upper and lower wall surfaces 122,123 of submersible 
production storage barge 110. After the jack-up legs 97 have been stabbed 
through the openings 136, the stop members and guide members 140, as 
previously described in connection with FIGS. 2 and 6, may be fixedly 
secured and associated with openings 136 of submersible production storage 
barge 110 in the manner previously described in connection with FIGS. 2 
and 6. The ballast, or sea water, contained within ballast tanks 125A-125N 
may then be pumped out, whereby the jack-up rig 90 and the submersible 
production storage barge 110 will assume the disposition shown in FIG. 5, 
whereby it may then be towed to the desired site in the body of water 93 
as previously described. 
Preferably, prior to lowering the jack-up legs 97, as shown in FIG. 8, 
ballast, or sea water, is provided to the ballast tanks 125A-125N to make 
the submersible production storage barge 110 slightly negatively buoyant. 
Ballast may also be supplied to one or more of the centrally located 
storage tanks, such as tanks 121F and 121G, to assit in achieving this 
slightly negatively buoyant condition. The submersible production storage 
barge 110 will then be supported by the jack-up legs 97, such as by the 
weight of the submersible production storage barge 110 resting upon the 
spud can, or spud tank, 139 via stop members 137, as previously described 
in connection with FIG. 6. Preferably, while the submersible production 
storage barge 110 is slightly negatively buoyant, as previously described, 
the jack-up legs 97 and the slightly negatively buoyant submersible 
production storage barge 110 are lowered to a location intermediate the 
water line 99 and the ocean floor 92 as illustrated in FIG. 7. Preferably, 
the submersible production storage barge 110 is lowered a distance of from 
10 to 50 feet. As seen in FIG. 7, flotation for the submersible production 
storage barge 110 and the jack-up rig 90 is provided solely by the hull 96 
of the jack-up rig 90. 
When the submersible production storage barge 110 and jack-up rig 90 are 
disposed in the manner described in connection with FIG. 7, the jack-up 
rig 90 is relatively stable, and may be easily towed short distances when 
the submersible production storage barge 110 is disposed in the 
intermediate position shown in FIG. 7. For example, for moving submersible 
production storage barge 110 and jack-up rig 90 across an ocean, as for 
example from the United States to New Zealand, it would be preferable to 
have the jack-up rig 90 and submersible production storage large 110 
disposed in the position shown in FIG. 5. Once the jack-up rig 90 and 
submersible production storage barge 110 have reached the distant 
location, and are disposed in shallow water, such as in a harbor, it is 
preferable that the submersible production storage barge 110 be lowered to 
the position shown in FIG. 7, as previously described, before towing the 
jack-up rig 90 and submersible production storage barge 110 to the final 
site, or offshore platform 94. It should be noted that due to the "free 
surface effect", or "loss of free surface area" occurring as the 
submersible production storage barge 110 is initially lowered from the 
position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 7 the jack-up rig 
90 and submersible production storage barge 110 encounters some 
instability, as is well known in the art; however, the cooperation between 
jack-up legs 97 and guide members 140 helps to maintain the stability of 
the jack-up rig 97 and the submersible production storage barge 110, until 
the submersible production storage barge 110 is lowered into the position 
shown in FIG. 7. 
After the jack-up rig 90 and the submersible production storage barge 110 
have arrived at the offshore platform 94, or other desired site in ocean 
93, the jack-up legs 97 and the submersible production storage barge 110 
are lowered as shown in FIG. 8, until the submersible production storage 
barge 110 rests upon ocean floor 92, and jack-up legs 97 are spudded into 
ocean floor 92 in a conventional manner, as shown in FIG. 1. When 
submersible production storage barge 110 is resting upon ocean floor 92, 
it is only supporting its own weight, and all of the weight of the jack-up 
rig 90 is supported by the jack-up legs 97 via spud cans, or spud tanks, 
139. After jack-up legs 97 are resting upon ocean floor 92, the hull 96 of 
jack-up 90 is elevated in a conventional manner until it is in the 
position shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, after submersible production storage 
barge 110 is resting upon ocean floor 92, ballast tanks 125A-125N, as well 
as storage tank 121F and 121G may be flooded to maximize the bottom weight 
of the submersible production storage barge 110. In this regard, flow 
lines are preferably provided into the submersible production storage 
barge 110 from the jack-up rig 90 to provide the ballast material. 
Additional flow lines from the jack-up rig 97 to the submersible 
production storage barge 110 are provided to transfer the hydrocarbon 
fluids to the submersible production storage barge 110. 
Additionally, additional flow lines may be provided from jack-up rig 90 via 
jack-up leg 97 into submersible production storage barge 110 to provide 
fluid, such as air, to remove the ballast material from the submersible 
production storage barge 110, when it is desired to retrieve the 
submersible production storage barge 110 and remove the jack-up rig 90 
from its location and move it to another desired location. As previously 
described in connection with FIG. 1, at least one fluid transfer device, 
or flexible risers 107 and mooring buoy 109, as previously described in 
connection with FIG. 1, may be associated with the submersible production 
storage barge 110 whereby stored hydrocarbon fluids may be transferred 
from the submersible production storage barge 110 to tanker 112 by use of 
the fluid transfer device, or flexible risers 107, mooring buoy 109, and 
tanker fill lines 113. 
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact 
details of construction, operation, exact materials or embodiments shown 
and described, as obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparent 
to one skilled in the art. For example, the submersible production storage 
barge 110 could be associated with a semi-submersible rig, as by 
releasably securing the submersible production storage barge beneath, and 
to, a semi-submersible rig by a plurality of anchor cables, while the 
semi-submersible rig and submersible production storage barge are 
transported to the desired location. Accordingly, the invention is 
therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.