Installation arrangement with jack-up rig and a barge and a method for setting up the installation arrangement

Abstract

An installation arrangement with a barge and a jack-up rig which floats in a first position on the sea and has a hull which is slotted vertically from the surface of the sea and has a slot width which is greater than that of the barge so that the barge can move into a slot, wherein the jack-up rig has supporting legs which can move to and from along a height relative to the hull and can be set down on the seabed. The hull and the barge can be lifted along the support legs. The slot extends along the entire longitudinal extent of the barge over the entire height of the hull, and securing means are arranged on the barge and on the slot and said securing means interact and secure the barge in the raised position in a fixed position on the jack-up rig.

Claims

1. An installation arrangement with a barge (2) and a jack-up rig (1) which floats in a first position on the sea and has a hull (7) which is slotted vertically with respect to the surface (17) of the sea and has a slot width which is greater than a width (B.sub.B) of the barge (2) so that the barge (2) can move into a slot (6), wherein the jack-up rig (1) has supporting legs (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d) which can move to and from along a height (H) relative to the hull (7) and can be set down on the seabed, and the hull (7) can be lifted, together with the barge (2) which has moved in, out of the water into a raised position by means of a lifting mechanism along the support legs (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d) which have been set down on the seabed, characterised in that the slot (6) extends along the entire longitudinal extent of the barge (2) which has moved in, over the entire height (H) of the hull (7), and that securing means (13a, 13b) are arranged on the barge (2) and on the slot (6) and said securing means interact and secure the barge (2) in the raised position in a fixed position on the jack-up rig (1).

2. The installation arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the slot (6) extends along at least 30% of its longitudinal extent over the entire height of the hull (7).

3. The installation arrangement according to claim 2, characterised in that the slot (6) extends along at least 50% of its longitudinal extent over the entire height of the hull (7).

4. The installation arrangement according to claim 3, characterised in that the slot (6) extends along at least 90% of its longitudinal extent over the entire height of the hull (7).

5. The installation arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one of the supporting legs (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d) is arranged on the bow side of the slot (6).

6. The installation arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that a slewing crane (8) is arranged on the jack-up rig (1).

7. The installation arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that lateral inner walls of the slot (6) which lie opposite one another each have at least one bracket on which the barge (2) rests in the raised position.

8. The installation arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the jack-up rig (1) has no main loading deck,

9. The installation arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the slot (6) separates the hull (7) along the slot (6) into two branches (7a, 7b) which are completely spaced apart from one another by a clear distance.

10. A method for setting up an installation arrangement with a barge (2) and a jack-up rig (1), by the jack-up rig (1) with a hull (7) slotted vertically to the surface (17) of the sea and a slot (6) with a slot width which is greater than a width (B.sub.B) of the barge (2), wherein the slot (6) extends along the entire longitudinal extent of the barge (2) which has moved in, over the entire height (H) of the hull (7), being brought to the location by self-floating, supporting legs (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d) being lowered onto the seabed and setting down on the seabed, the barge (2) moving into the slot (6) of the jack-up rig (1) and securing means (13a, 13b) on the barge (2) and the slot (6) interacting, and the jack-up rig 1 being lifted out of the water with the barge 2.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterised in that as the barge (2) moves into the slot (6) it continuously has a clear distance from the seabed over the entire longitudinal extent of its underwater surface.

Description

[0032] The invention is described with reference to embodiments in thirteen figures, in which:

[0033] FIG. 1 shows an installation arrangement according to the invention in a first perspective view,

[0034] FIG. 2 shows the installation arrangement according to the invention in a second perspective view,

[0035] FIG. 3 shows the installation arrangement in a third perspective view,

[0036] FIG. 4 shows the installation arrangement according to FIG. 1 in a plan view without a barge,

[0037] FIG. 5 shows a jack-up rig of the installation arrangement in a perspective view at the stern end,

[0038] FIG. 6 shows a perspective plan view of the jack-up rig without a barge, [0039] FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the jack-up rig with a barge,

[0040] FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of the installation arrangement perpendicular to the slot, [0041] FIGS. 9a to 9e show a method according to the invention for setting up the installation arrangement in FIG. 1.

[0042] The installation arrangement according to the invention which is illustrated in the drawings comprises a jack-up rig 1 and a barge 2. The jack-up rig 1 is designed to be self-floating and can also be self-driven. The jack-up rig 1 has a bow 3 and a stern section 4 which is slotted. The concept of a slot 6 should be understood here as an opening in the stern section 4 in a longitudinal direction L of the jack-up rig 1, which corresponds to the usual travel direction, wherein the slot 6 can have a width B.sub.S of for instance half a width B.sub.H of the jack-up rig 1 along the respective cross-section.

[0043] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment the slot 6 has a width B.sub.S of 32.2 m and a length L.sub.S of 100 m in the embodiment according to FIG. 1. The jack-up rig 1 itself can have a length L.sub.H of 160 m and a width B.sub.H of 60 m, but these are only examples of dimensions.

[0044] The slot 6 extends along the longitudinal direction L, preferably along the entire longitudinal extent of the barge 2 which is completely moved in, over the entire height H.sub.S of a hull 7. In particular, the hull 7 has no main loading deck in the region of the stern section 4 and of the slot 6. The slot 6 forms two lateral branches 7a, 7b in the hull 7, so that the stern section 4 of the jack-up rig 1 is therefore substantially U-shaped in a plan view, and the U-shaped branches 7a, 7b have a clear distance from one another over the entire longitudinal extent thereof and over the entire height thereof.

[0045] The jack-up rig 1 in FIG. 1 comprises four openings through which four supporting legs 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d are guided. Each of the supporting legs 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d is equipped with a lifting mechanism which makes it possible to lower the supporting legs 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d through the opening in the jack-up rig 1 as far as the seabed and, furthermore, to lift the hull 7 of the jack-up rig 1 out of the water along the supporting legs 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d which are arranged parallel to one another and stand vertically on the seabed, so that the hull 7 in a raised position no longer has any contact with the surface of the sea 17.

[0046] The jack-up rig 1 comprises a slewing crane 8 which is locked on the raised supporting legs 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d during transport of the jack-up rig 1 from the port to the location in order to enable secure and immobilised transport. The jack-up rig 1 can have a helicopter landing pad 11, a control bridge 12, etc. The bow 3 of the jack-up rig 1 is formed continuously in each cross-section along the width B.sub.H. A deck on which components can also be transported is provided between both bow-side supporting legs 9a, 9b. In particular, according to FIG. 1 a barge 2 is moved into the slot 6. In a raised position the barge 2 rests in a positionally fixed manner, with lateral projections running in the longitudinal direction L, on brackets 13a, 13b arranged inside the U-shaped branches 7a, 7b. Thus the jack-up rig 1 is raised out of the sea together with the barge 2 during lifting of the installation arrangement.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows the jack-up rig 1 in FIG. 1 in a slightly more sideways view, so that the brackets 13a, 13b can be seen between the barge 2 and the slot 6. At the slot 6 the brackets 13a, 13b are arranged inside the inner walls of the branches 7a, 7b and extend almost over the entire longitudinal extent of the slot 7 along each of the two branches 7a, 7b.

[0048] The jack-up rig 1 is designed so that with the supporting legs 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d raised as in FIG. 2, with and also without the barge 2 moved into the slot 6, the jack-up rig floats autonomously on the surface of the sea and can also be brought to the location with self-propulsion by means of a drive (not shown). The securing means formed as brackets 13a, 13b on the slot side are arranged at such a height relative to the sea level and on the branch 7a, 7b that a barge 2 which is associated with the jack-up rig 1 and designed for the jack-up rig 1 and, in FIG. 2, is already moved into the slot 6, has lateral projections 16a, 16b at such a height H that the lateral projections 16a, 16b of the loaded barge 2 are arranged above the brackets 13a, 13b, i.e. viewed from the seabed they are arranged higher than the brackets 13, 13b of the jack-up rig, so that the barge with its lateral projections 16a, 16b can move over the brackets 13a, 13b into the slot 6 of the jack-up rig 1 or can be drawn into the slot. A bow-side section of an outer peripheral shape of the barge 2 corresponds in this connection to the inner peripheral shape of the slot 7, and the outer shape of the barge 2 is designed so that in a width B.sub.B and a length L.sub.B it is somewhat smaller than the clear width B.sub.S of the slot 7 and also than the clear length L.sub.S of the slot 7, so that it can be received completely in the slot 6 according to FIG. 2.

[0049] FIG. 3 shows the installation arrangement in a bow-side side view, and at the bow 3 the jack-up rig 1 has the control bridge 12 from which the jack-up rig 1 can be controlled. In FIG. 3 the slewing crane 8 is shown moved in.

[0050] FIG. 4 shows the jack-up rig of FIGS. 1 to 3 in a plan view. The slot 6 of the jack-up rig 1 extends in the longitudinal direction L over at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, particularly preferably at least 70% or 80% of the longitudinal extent of the jack-up rig 1. The slot 6 has, over almost its entire longitudinal extent, a constant width B.sub.S which constitutes approximately half the width B.sub.H of the jack-up rig. However, the width can also constitute at least 40% or at least 60% of the width B.sub.H of the jack-up rig 1 in the stern section 4. The brackets 13a, 13b run along the inner sides of the U-branches 17a, 17b of the slot 6. They have a length which corresponds approximately to half, preferably at least 60%, preferably at least 70%, preferably at least 80% of the length L.sub.S of the slot 6.

[0051] FIG. 5 shows the jack-up rig 1 in FIG. 2 without the slewing crane 8 in a stern-end view which shows the brackets 13a, 13b somewhat more clearly.

[0052] FIG. 6 shows the jack-up rig 1 in a plan view from a stern-end perspective, in which the two brackets 13a, 13b and the U-shaped design of the stern section 4 of the jack-up rig 1 can be seen.

[0053] FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the jack-up rig 1 in FIG. 2 with the barge 2 moved in. In principle the concept of the barge 2 wide should be construed in broad terms; it may be a vessel which is self-propelled or not self-propelled, preferably with a substantially level main loading deck, on which even very heavy components can be transported.

[0054] FIG. 8 shows a possible form of the embodiment of the securing means 13a, 13b, 7a, 7b in a basic formation in a sectional view. The two branches 7a, 7b in the stern section 4 of the jack-up rig 1 are arranged laterally. Each one of the brackets 13a, 13b is arranged at the seabed end of a respective one of the branches 7a, 7b which protrude into the clear distance between the branches 7a, 7b on the inside. The brackets 13a, 13b are intended to enable a barge 2 to rest with lateral projections 16a, 16b on the brackets 13a, 13b in the moved-in state, when the jack-up rig 1 is lifted out of the sea on its supporting legs 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d.

[0055] FIG. 8 shows the installation arrangement without the supporting legs 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d in a raised state of the jack-up rig 1 and of the barge 2 above the surface of the sea 17.

[0056] A method for setting up an installation arrangement according to FIGS. 1 to 8 is illustrated in FIGS. 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e. The installation arrangement comprises the jack-up rig 1 and the barge 2.

[0057] First of all the jack-up rig 1 is brought to the location according to FIG. 9a. The jack-up rig 1 can be self-propelled and can move to the location by itself without a further tug or the like.

[0058] The barge 2 illustrated in FIG. 9b is usually laden with components which are intended for a technical plant to be constructed at the location, such as a wind turbine, a transformer platform or an oil platform or components thereof in each case. In FIG. 9b, however, the main loading deck of the barge 2 is empty. The barge 2 is moved vertically out of the stern end direction into the slot 6. In FIG. 9b the bow 3 of the barge 2 is already moved some way into the slot 6 of the jack-up rig 1. The slewing crane 8 is in the locked state.

[0059] In a third method step the barge 2 is already moved completely into the slot 6 of the jack-up rig 1 and (not shown in FIG. 9c) is arranged with its lateral projections 16a, 16b above the brackets 13a, 13b of the jack-up rig 1. If the barge 2 is so heavily laden that it lies too deep in the water and the lateral projections 16a, 16b are not arranged above the brackets 13a, 13b before they move into the slots 6, there is a possibility of ballasting. The jack-up rig 1 has compartments which can be flooded with sea water, so that the jack-up rig 1 is lowered in the sea relative to the surface of the sea 17. The jack-up rig 1 is lowered so far that the brackets 13a, 13b thereof are arranged below the lateral projections 16a, 16b of the barge 2, so that the barge 2 can be drawn into the slot 6. For this purpose ropes or other pulling mechanisms can be provided, which are not illustrated in the drawings.

[0060] In FIG. 9d the supporting legs 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d are lowered onto the seabed, and each of the feet thereof is in contact with the seabed. The jack-up rig 1 is now lifted out of the sea by the lifting mechanism, a jacking system.

[0061] FIG. 9e shows the jack-up rig in the raised position. The four supporting legs 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d are in each case movable individually relative to the hull 7 of the jack-up rig 1. For this purpose a lifting mechanism in the form of a jacking system or the like is provided. First of all the supporting legs 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d are lowered onto the seabed, until each of the supporting legs 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d is in contact with the seabed. In principle, this lowering of the supporting legs 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d onto the seabed can also take place before the barge 2 is introduced into the slot 6.

[0062] After the supporting legs 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d have been lowered onto the seabed, the supporting legs 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d are arranged perpendicular to the seabed and parallel to one another. The lifting system enables makes it possible to lift the hull 7 of the jack-up rig 1 out of the sea together with the barge 2 resting on the brackets 13a, 13b so that, after the lifting, both the barge 2 and also the hull 7 of the jack-up rig 1 no longer have any contact with the surface of the sea 17. The raised state is illustrated in FIG. 9d.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0063] 1 jack-up rig [0064] 2 barge [0065] 3 bow [0066] 4 stern section [0067] 6 slot [0068] 7a branch [0069] 7b branch [0070] 8 slewing crane [0071] 9a supporting leg [0072] 9b supporting leg [0073] 9c supporting leg [0074] 9d supporting leg [0075] 11 helicopter landing pad [0076] 12 control bridge [0077] 13a bracket [0078] 13b bracket [0079] 16a lateral projection [0080] 16b lateral projection [0081] 17 surface of the sea [0082] B width [0083] B.sub.B width of the barge [0084] B.sub.H width of the jack-up rig [0085] B.sub.S width of the slot [0086] H height [0087] H.sub.S height of the slot [0088] L longitudinal direction [0089] L.sub.B length of the barge [0090] L.sub.H length of the jack-up rig [0091] L.sub.S length of the slot