This invention provides a method and apparatus for transporting marine fuel by rail car directly to a fueling vessel, by loading rail cars loaded with marine fuel onto a specially equipped roll-on/roll-off rail barge and transporting the barge by towboat to a mooring, where it is moored/secured in position, after mooring the barge will have the capability for offloading marine fuel from its rail cars via a barge-included distribution system to fuel a vessel. The barge may operate and be regulated as a fuel terminal when secured to the mooring.

Solar roof system for the propulsion and/or habitability of barges powered by solar energy provided by photovoltaic covers connected to each other, which serve as a lid for the containers where the barge load is transported. The covers can be connected to a power bank and a voltage regulation system and inverters, which avoid energy spikes and have the aim of providing a constant current.

A method and apparatus for disposing of drill cuttings 500 from an oil and/or gas well drilling platform 510, comprising (a) transporting the drill cuttings 520 to a cuttings collection area 530 on the platform 510; (b) providing a barge 10, the barge 10 having at least one storage area 30, a cover 100 operably connected to the at least one storage area 30, and covering the at least one storage area 30; (c) placing the cover 100 in a first open state so that cuttings 500 can be placed in the at least one storage area 30; (d) transporting the drill cuttings 500 from the cuttings collection area 530 to the at least one storage area of the barge 10; (e) placing the cover 100 in a closed state so that the cuttings 520 in the storage area 30 of the barge 10 are contained; (f) transporting the barge 10 from the drilling platform 510 to a collection site 540; (g) placing the cover 100 in a second open state so that the cuttings 520 in the storage area 30 can be removed; and (h) removing the cuttings 520 from the storage area 30.

A method and apparatus for disposing of drill cuttings 500 from an oil and/or gas well drilling platform 510, comprising (a) transporting the drill cuttings 520 to a cuttings collection area 530 on the platform 510; (b) providing a barge 10, the barge 10 having at least one storage area 30, a cover 100 operably connected to the at least one storage area 30, and covering the at least one storage area 30; (c) placing the cover 100 in a first open state so that cuttings 500 can be placed in the at least one storage area 30; (d) transporting the drill cuttings 500 from the cuttings collection area 530 to the at least one storage area of the barge 10; (e) placing the cover 100 in a closed state so that the cuttings 520 in the storage area 30 of the barge 10 are contained; (f) transporting the barge 10 from the drilling platform 510 to a collection site 540; (g) placing the cover 100 in a second open state so that the cuttings 520 in the storage area 30 can be removed; and (h) removing the cuttings 520 from the storage area 30.

A process for installing or removing a subsea structure in a non-vertical manner at a well includes securing a plurality of barges together in a linear formation in which one of the plurality of barges has a downline extending therefrom, connecting an end of the barges to a primary vessel, moving the primary vessel such that one of the barges is positioned over a target at or adjacent to the well, connecting a plurality of secondary vessels by plurality of mooring lines to an opposite end of the barges, tensioning the mooring line so as to fix the opposite end of the barges, positioning a deployment vessel away from the barges, deploying an ROV, manipulating the ROV so as to connect the subsea structure to the downline, and moving the downline and the subsea structure toward or away from the well.

A process for installing or removing a subsea structure in a non-vertical manner at a well includes securing a plurality of barges together in a linear formation in which one of the plurality of barges has a downline extending therefrom, connecting an end of the barges to a primary vessel, moving the primary vessel such that one of the barges is positioned over a target at or adjacent to the well, connecting a plurality of secondary vessels by plurality of mooring lines to an opposite end of the barges, tensioning the mooring line so as to fix the opposite end of the barges, positioning a deployment vessel away from the barges, deploying an ROV, manipulating the ROV so as to connect the subsea structure to the downline, and moving the downline and the subsea structure toward or away from the well.

A marine distribution vessel includes a barge that fuel tanks and lubricant tanks, and a distribution station disposed on the barge and connected with the fuel tanks and the lubricant tanks. The distribution station includes a fuel pump and a fuel line that connects the fuel tanks with the fuel pump, a lubricant pump and lubricant lines that connect the lubricant tanks with the lubricant pump, a fuel flow meter disposed in the fuel line, an automated fuel valve disposed in the fuel line, a lubricant flow meter disposed in the lubricant lines, automated lubricant valves disposed in the lubricant lines, and a computerized controller electrically connected with the fuel flow meter, the lubricant flow meter, the automated fuel valve, the automated lubricant valves, the fuel pump, and the lubricant pump.

A marine distribution vessel includes a barge that fuel tanks and lubricant tanks, and a distribution station disposed on the barge and connected with the fuel tanks and the lubricant tanks. The distribution station includes a fuel pump and a fuel line that connects the fuel tanks with the fuel pump, a lubricant pump and lubricant lines that connect the lubricant tanks with the lubricant pump, a fuel flow meter disposed in the fuel line, an automated fuel valve disposed in the fuel line, a lubricant flow meter disposed in the lubricant lines, automated lubricant valves disposed in the lubricant lines, and a computerized controller electrically connected with the fuel flow meter, the lubricant flow meter, the automated fuel valve, the automated lubricant valves, the fuel pump, and the lubricant pump.

An improved system and method of storing water for a closed-loop pumped storage hydroelectric system is provided. The method includes providing a floating reservoir, positioning the floating reservoir in a waterbody, loading the floating reservoir with a volume of water from a source other than the surrounding waterbody, and transferring water from within the floating reservoir to an upper or lower reservoir of a pumped storage hydroelectric system. The floating reservoir includes a flexible membrane defining one or more reservoir cells including a vertically collapsible sidewall, such that each reservoir cell defines a depth varying in proportion to its internal volume of water. Each reservoir cell is buoyed by pontoons adjacent an outer periphery of the reservoir cell and is anchored to the shore or streambed.

A ballast and de-ballast system and method for an articulated tug barge (ATB) or integrated tug barge (ITB) are described herein. The system includes a tug ballast tank located on the tug, the tug ballast tank being configured to hold ballast water; and a barge trim tank located on the barge, the barge trim tank being configured to hold ballast water. The system further includes at least one umbilical line connecting the tug ballast tank to the barge trim tank. The system is configured to transfer ballast water between the tug ballast tank and the barge trim tank via the at least one umbilical line.