A foot pad removably attachable to a machine and that Fluid Level supports the machine for operation in a fluid. The foot pad includes a support frame, a skirt coupled to the support frame, a bellows coupled to the skirt, a plenum arranged to move within the skirt, a seal between the plenum and the skirt, and a flexible bellows that allows the foot pad to be secured to, or within, a substrate. The skirt includes an edge that can be embedded in a penetrable substrate. The plenum is configured to pump the fluid into or out of a volume formed by a space below the plenum, the interior of the skirt, and the substrate, thus compressing or decompressing the fluid in the space inside the skirt. The foot pad may also include a rolling, flexible diaphragm to seal the space between the plenum and the skirt, wherein the rolling diaphragm minimized the wear compared to other seal mechanisms. The flexible bellows may include a set of radial ridges that aid in sealing the footpad to the substrate.

A offshore structure (10) comprising a tube (12) having a longitudinal axis (32) and comprising an open-ended lower end (22) whose peripheral edge (24) is adapted to cut into the sea bed (14) as the offshore structure (10) is driven into it, the offshore structure (10) comprising: a plurality of stabilisers (18) each comprising a main body portion forming a hollow interior volume (23) and having an open lower end (22) whose peripheral edge (24) is adapted, in use, to cut into the sea bed (14), whereby in use, a trapped volume of fluids is retained in the hollow interior volume between the main body portion and the sea bed (14), each stabiliser (18) further comprising an outlet (34) communicating with its respective hollow interior volume (23) and a control means (36) to control, in use, the egress of the trapped volume of fluids from the hollow interior volume (23) of each respective stabiliser (18), and wherein the geometric centres of the hollow interior volumes (23) of the stabilisers (18) are radially offset (44) from the longitudinal axis (32) of the offshore structure (10).

The subsea support system includes a suction pile installed underwater without a remote operated vehicle (ROV). A drilling rig or offshore windfarm can be anchored by the suction pile in relatively shallow water with reduced equipment and costs. The system includes a suction pile, a vent valve assembly made integral with the suction pile, and an installation tool assembly removably attached to the vent valve assembly by a clamping device. The system is connected on a vessel before being deployed. Once lowered to the subsea location, the installation tool assembly actuates a seal plate to positions corresponding to closing the suction pile, pumping water through the vent valve assembly to embed the suction pile, and sealing the suction pile at the desired depth. The installation tool assembly can be released by the clamping device to separate from the vent valve assembly and return to the vessel for reuse.

A subsea foundation system and a method of connecting a lower pipe portion to a subsea foundation are provided. The method includes: providing the subsea foundation, an upper pipe portion being connected to the subsea foundation, deploying the subsea foundation subsea; and connecting the lower pipe portion to the upper pipe portion. The subsea foundation system includes: the subsea foundation; the upper pipe portion connected to the subsea foundation, and the lower pipe portion. The lower pipe portion can be connected to the upper pipe portion subsea. The lower pipe portion may be connected to the subsea foundation 10 in a stowed position before deployment subsea. The lower pipe portion may be connected to a pull-in arrangement before deployment subsea.

A subsea foundation system and a method of connecting a lower pipe portion to a subsea foundation are provided. The method includes: providing the subsea foundation, an upper pipe portion being connected to the subsea foundation, deploying the subsea foundation subsea; and connecting the lower pipe portion to the upper pipe portion. The subsea foundation system includes: the subsea foundation; the upper pipe portion connected to the subsea foundation, and the lower pipe portion. The lower pipe portion can be connected to the upper pipe portion subsea. The lower pipe portion may be connected to the subsea foundation in a stowed position before deployment subsea. The lower pipe portion may be connected to a pull-in arrangement before deployment subsea.

The present disclosure generally relates to a system and method for installing a tubular element, such as a suction pile, in a bottom of a body of water. The system comprises a tubular element and a deintensifier in fluid communication with the tubular element. The deintensifier is configured to be exposed to an ambient pressure external to the tubular element and reduce pressure within the tubular element. The method comprises lowering the tubular element to the bottom of the body of water, filling the tubular element with water at ambient pressure, and exposing the water within the tubular element to a deintensified external ambient pressure so as to withdraw the water out of the tubular element.

A system to manufacture a native soil flowable fill onsite includes hydro excavation equipment having a suction hose. In addition, the system includes a plurality of onsite debris tanks, where each onsite debris tank is configured to be coupled separately to the suction hose and to store native soil vacuumed from an adjacent hole at an onsite excavation. The system also includes a mixing apparatus inside each of the onsite debris tanks configured to mix the native soil from the adjacent hole with additional components to form a native soil flowable fill for the respective adjacent hole.

An underwater pile foundation comprises a pump in fluid communication with an internal chamber of the pile to pump water out of or into the chamber. This reduces or increases the pressure of water in the chamber relative to ambient pressure of water outside the chamber during installation or removal of the pile. While that pumping phase is ongoing, and potentially before or after that pumping phase, a pressure variator in fluid communication with the chamber imparts oscillations in the pressure of the water in the chamber. The resulting pressure waves in water within the chamber reduce resistance to movement of the pile relative to soil in which the pile is embedded.

The present disclosure generally relates to a system and method for installing a tubular element, such as a suction pile, in a bottom of a body of water. The system comprises a tubular element and a deintensifier in fluid communication with the tubular element. The deintensifier is configured to be exposed to an ambient pressure external to the tubular element and reduce pressure within the tubular element. The method comprises lowering the tubular element to the bottom of the body of water, filling the tubular element with water at ambient pressure, and exposing the water within the tubular element to a deintensified external ambient pressure so as to withdraw the water out of the tubular element.

A method to manufacture a native soil flowable fill includes hydro excavating native soil to form a hole at a first excavation, transferring the native soil from the first excavation to a debris tank, and adding a pozzolan component, cement and water to the debris tank. The method also includes mixing the native soil in the debris tank using a mixing apparatus to form the native soil flowable fill, and transferring the native soil flowable fill back to the first excavation into the hole. The native soil flowable fill comprises 30-90% by weight of native soil, 0-50% by weight of the added pozzolan component, 0-50% by weight of the cement, and 10-45% by weight of the water.