Patent ID: 8430602

Claim:
A system for increased stability on a tension leg platform, comprising: a deck adapted to support extraction of minerals for an offshore tension leg platform; a column coupled with the deck; a buoyant pontoon base of the tension leg platform coupled with the column and comprising a plurality of pontoons intersecting each other at a plurality of intersections and defining a pontoon periphery, the pontoons extending beyond the intersections to form a plurality of pontoon extension portions extending outwardly from the pontoon periphery and aligned in parallel with the respective pontoons from which the extension portions extend; wherein the plurality of pontoons includes three or more pontoons; one or more pontoon intermediate members extending between at least one of the pontoon extension portions and the pontoon from which it extends, the one or more pontoon intermediate members being disposed within the pontoon base; wherein the plurality of intersections and the plurality of pontoon extension portions are equal; and wherein the pontoon extension portions are adapted to be coupled to one or more tendons extending between the pontoon extension portions and a supporting surface below the pontoon extension portions.