E02F3/8833

Seafloor Pipeline Removal System and Method

The present invention relates to a system and method for uncovering and removing pipeline from the seafloor using a subsea trenching system using pressurized water to uncover pipe, a subsea shear carried by a barge to cut lengths of the pipeline, and a grapple carried by a barge to lift cut lengths of pipeline for placement on a pipe haul and recovery barge.

Seafloor Pipeline Removal System and Method

The present invention relates to a system and method for uncovering and removing pipeline from the seafloor using a subsea trenching system using pressurized water to uncover pipe, a subsea shear carried by a barge to cut lengths of the pipeline, and a grapple carried by a barge to lift cut lengths of pipeline for placement on a pipe haul and recovery barge.

Recovering mature fine tailings from oil sands tailings ponds
09782700 · 2017-10-10 · ·

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for recovering mature fine tailings (MFT) from oil sands tailings ponds. Some examples include a hollow, fully enclosed around its perimeter, ideally of cylindrical form, open bottom structure (a hollow conduit), of predetermined geometry, which is placed at the pond surface. The hollow conduit can penetrate MFT deposits to or below a level at which MFT of required density is located. A width or diameter of the hollow conduit can be determined with respect to the MFT inflow velocity and the corresponding shear rate, so as to enable MFT flow into the hollow conduit at a rate matching a rate at which the MFT is removed from the pond (e.g., a recovery rate). An MFT fill level inside the hollow conduit can be kept constant and equal to a required fill level throughout MFT recovery operations. MFT can enter the hollow conduit during MFT recovery operations solely under action of hydraulic head pressure. MFT can be transferred from within the hollow conduit utilizing a mechanical device such as a pump or a siphon, for transfer to shore based facilities and further processing.

Nuclear facility pool cleaning device

The invention relates to a nuclear facility pool cleaning device having a floating platform, capable of floating in water, having buoyancy bodies; a drive device for displacing the floating platform on the surface of a water-filled nuclear facility pool to be cleaned; a winching device connected to the floating platform; a pump which is winchable vertically by the winching device and has a vacuum hose, connected thereto at its first end, for cleaning the bottom of the nuclear facility pool; a remote control device for remotely operating at least the drive device and the winching device; an optional stationary external storage tank; and wherein the second end of the vacuum hose preferably leads at least indirectly into the stationary external storage tank.

Bubble lift system and bubble lift method
09719528 · 2017-08-01 · ·

In a bubble lift system, a pressurized chamber at an upper end portion of a riser pipe applies a pressure to an upper portion inside the riser pipe to suppress an increase in the volume ratio of bubbles to a fluid mixture rising inside the riser pipe in a shallow water region. The upper end of the riser pipe is not opened to the atmosphere but is inserted into the pressurized chamber under a high pressure to thereby prevent expansion of the bubbles and gas. In addition, a deaerator for discharging bubbles separated by a centrifugal force is also provided in a middle portion of the riser pipe in a shallow water region to distribute the bubbles more evenly inside the whole riser pipe. The bubble lift system and a bubble lift method thus provided are efficient and employable even in a deep water region.

System for the dradging of underwater sea-beds
20220228342 · 2022-07-21 ·

A system for dredging underwater sea-beds includes a floating platform; a dredging tool positioned on the platform to face the water and having a system that lowers and lifts the dredging tool, further having at least three connection points associated with the platform to connect the ends of warping cables that are anchored to the shore at the opposite ends, and further having tensioning devices; a sediment collection system that collects sediment captured by the dredging tool; a system detecting the position of the platform; a system detecting the position of the dredging tool; a system detecting seabed configuration; a system detecting the quantity of sediment removed from the seabed; a remote command and control system for the system that lowers and lifts the dredging tool, a tensioning system for the warping cables; a detection system; and a system that supplies the equipment on board of the platform.

DEEP-SEA ORE HYDRAULIC LIFTING SYSTEM WITH DEEP-SEA SINGLE HIGH-PRESSURE SILO FEEDING DEVICE

A deep-sea ore hydraulic lifting system with a deep-sea single high-pressure silo feeding device, which comprises a water injection pump, a water injection riser, a deep-sea single high-pressure silo feeding device, a lifting riser, a dewatering device and a pipeline. The water injection pump and the dewatering device are fixed on a mining ship. The water injection pump is connected to the deep-sea single high-pressure silo feeding device through the water injection riser. The deep-sea single high-pressure silo feeding device is connected to the dewatering device through the lifting riser. The water injection pump is connected to the dewatering device through the pipeline. Seawater is pumped into the water injection riser by the water injection pump, then ore is fed into a high-pressure hydraulic pipeline by the deep-sea single high-pressure silo feeding device to be mixed with the seawater, and an obtained ore and seawater mixture is lifted.

Device for a sediment transfer in waters, and also a method for a transfer of sediment in waters
11041280 · 2021-06-22 ·

In order to meet the objective of providing a device (10) and a method for a sediment transfer in waters (80, 81, 90) that works efficiently, a device (10) comprising at least one suction line (12) and at least one receiving means (16) for receiving sediment (70), and furthermore, having at least one pressure line (14) for transferring the received sediment (70) is proposed. Following the at least one receiving means (16), at least one pump device (18) and at least one measuring device (20) for determining a sediment concentration of the received sediment (70) are arranged. The device (10) further comprises a control unit (22) having a first interface (25) for inputting target values (24) and a second interface (26) for the at least one measuring device (20), and determines a sediment concentration in the at least one suction line (12) and/or in the at least one pressure line (14). Depending on the sediment concentration, a power of the pumping device (18) is adjustable.

DEVICE FOR A SEDIMENT TRANSFER IN WATERS, AND ALSO A METHOD FOR A TRANSFER OF SEDIMENT IN WATERS
20210071378 · 2021-03-11 ·

In order to meet the objective of providing a device (10) and a method for a sediment transfer in waters (80, 81, 90) that works efficiently, a device (10) comprising at least one suction line (12) and at least one receiving means (16) for receiving sediment (70), and furthermore, having at least one pressure line (14) for transferring the received sediment (70) is proposed. Following the at least one receiving means (16), at least one pump device (18) and at least one measuring device (20) for determining a sediment concentration of the received sediment (70) are arranged. The device (10) further comprises a control unit (22) having a first interface (25) for inputting target values (24) and a second interface (26) for the at least one measuring device (20), and determines a sediment concentration in the at least one suction line (12) and/or in the at least one pressure line (14). Depending on the sediment concentration, a power of the pumping device (18) is adjustable.

DREDGING APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD WITH ADJUSTABLE TURBIDITY CURTAIN AND BUBBLE TUBE FRAME
20210062457 · 2021-03-04 ·

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a dredging apparatus, including a buoyant platform having an upper surface, a lower surface configured to float on a body of water, and an opening having a horizontal cross-sectional area and extending from the upper surface through the lower surface. A set of supports, mechanically coupled to the platform, is configured to maintain a position of the buoyant platform above a dredge site at a bottom of the body of water. A turbidity curtain, coupled to the platform using a plurality of telescoping members, surrounds at least the horizontal cross-sectional area of the opening. A bubble tube frame, coupled to the turbidity curtain and extending outwardly therefrom to surround the turbidity curtain, includes a plurality of outlets configured to emit bubbles into the body of water around a perimeter of the dredge site.