Global Patent Index - EP 1030804 A1

EP 1030804 A1 20000830 - BALLASTING OF SEMI-SUBMERSIBLE RIG

Title (en)

BALLASTING OF SEMI-SUBMERSIBLE RIG

Title (de)

BEBALLASTUNG EINES HALBTAUCHERS

Title (fr)

BALLASTAGE D'UNE BARGE SEMI-SUBMERSIBLE

Publication

EP 1030804 A1 20000830 (EN)

Application

EP 98961213 A 19981113

Priority

  • EP 9807369 W 19981113
  • GB 9724063 A 19971115

Abstract (en)

[origin: WO9925608A1] A semi-submersible structure is adapted to carry consumable solid or liquid material such as mud, and removable equipment, for example drilling tubulars. Both consumables and removable equipment are removed from the structure during use, thereby reducing the structure's total mass. The structure is provided with pontoon means (4, 8) containing a first set of compartments (66, 68, 70, 72, 84, 86, 88) for consumable material and ballast control means for introducing ballast into the first set of compartments to compensate for the removal of consumable material. The structure also includes dedicated ballast tanks (40, 42, 56, 106, 108), but the arrangement is such that, if the first set of compartments is empty, and no consumable material or removable equipment is being carried by the structure, the filling of the ballast tanks with ballast will not cause the structure to be submerged to an extent sufficient to achieve a semi-submerged condition (the structure therefore still being over-buoyant), whereas said condition would be achieved if the first set of compartments (66, 68, 70, 72, 84, 86, 88) were also at least partially filled. The structure thus includes "dual purpose" compartments which can accept either consumable materials or ballast, thereby increasing the effective deck load of the structure.

IPC 1-7

B63B 11/02; B63B 35/44

IPC 8 full level

B63B 11/02 (2006.01); B63B 35/44 (2006.01)

CPC (source: EP KR)

B63B 1/107 (2013.01 - EP); B63B 1/121 (2013.01 - EP); B63B 11/02 (2013.01 - EP KR); B63B 35/4413 (2013.01 - EP); B63B 2001/123 (2013.01 - EP)

Citation (search report)

See references of WO 9925608A1

Designated contracting state (EPC)

AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE

DOCDB simple family (publication)

WO 9925608 A1 19990527; AU 1671099 A 19990607; CA 2310012 A1 19990527; EP 1030804 A1 20000830; GB 9724063 D0 19980114; JP 2001523614 A 20011127; KR 20010015823 A 20010226; NO 20002508 D0 20000515; NO 20002508 L 20000706

DOCDB simple family (application)

EP 9807369 W 19981113; AU 1671099 A 19981113; CA 2310012 A 19981113; EP 98961213 A 19981113; GB 9724063 A 19971115; JP 2000521008 A 19981113; KR 20007005283 A 20000515; NO 20002508 A 20000515