Patent ID: 8025463

Claim:
An offshore foundation system comprising: a reaction base in the form of a hollow slab, which has an upper surface and a bottom surface, the upper and bottom surfaces defining a thickness of the reaction base; and a suction compartment in the form of a substantially open-bottom and closed-top cylindrically elongate shell, wherein the closed top has a pump port with vent hatches and valves allowing the air and water trapped in the cylindrically elongate shell to be pumped out during installation when the pump port is connected to a suction pump; wherein the suction compartment is integrally formed with the reaction base so that the open-bottom of the suction compartment opens downward with a longitudinal axis of the elongate shell substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the reaction base and the closed-top projects a distance H above the bottom surface of the reaction base, such that, in use, there is a gap h between a top of a soil plug inside the suction compartment and the closed-top.