Patent ID: 8517110

Claim:
A ram tensioner system positioned between well head surface equipment and a hull or deck of a vessel, wherein the ram tensioner system comprises: a. a deck mountable frame comprising: (i) an upper portion comprising: (a) a plurality of upper cylinder holes; (b) an upper portion center hole for allowing a riser to pass therethrough; and (c) at least one upper guide post hole; (ii) a lower portion for connecting to the hull or deck of the vessel, wherein the lower portion comprises: (a) a plurality of lower cylinder holes aligned with the plurality of upper cylinder holes; (b) at least one guide post hole disposed in alignment with the upper guide post holes; (c) a lower portion center hole aligned with the upper portion center hole for allowing the riser to pass therethrough; (d) a plurality of cylinder sleeves extending from the upper portion to the lower portion, wherein each of the cylindrical sleeves are concentric to the cylinder holes providing a rigid connection between the lower portion and the upper portion; and (e) at least one guide post sleeve disposed between the upper portion and the lower portion, wherein each guide post sleeve is concentric to one of the guide post holes; b. a plurality of individually replaceable modular cylinders, wherein each individually replaceable modular cylinder is at least partially disposed within the cylinder sleeve; c. a plurality of individually removable seal glands disposed adjacent each individually replaceable modular cylinder, wherein each individually removable seal gland is contained within each individually replaceable modular cylinder; d. a plurality of slidable rods, wherein each slidable rod slides within one of the individually removable seal glands and then into one of the individually replaceable modular cylinders, and wherein each individually removable seal gland is replaced without removing all of the individually replaceable modular cylinders and all of the cylinder sleeves from the vessel; e. a tension deck connected to each of the plurality of slidable rods, wherein the tension deck is connected to the slidable rods opposite the individually replaceable modular cylinders; f. at least one guide post mounted to the tension deck, for slidably or rotatably engaging within each guide post sleeve; g. at least one hydraulic power unit connected to each individually replaceable modular cylinder to lubricate seals within the individually removable seal glands; and h. a tension ring supported within the tension deck for providing tension to the riser.