The present invention relates to a combined module handling and crane system on a vessel, comprising a crane pedestal placed on a deck of the vessel, wherein said crane pedestal is equipped with a top mounted and swingable crane, and a side mounted and vertically skidable module handling support cursor.

Background of the invention

Handling of modules offshore can have several challenges, different operations and the present invention will increase the choice and flexibility of how to handle different structures from the ship, through stacking together different modules and installing them in a more efficient way than the industry today do. The present invention will be a great step in simplification of the number of needed systems onboard a vessel to be able to compete on a series of different jobs on one vessel instead of the need for several specialized vessels, without compromising the functionality of the job to be done. Also installing running tools and do maintenance on the subsea structures can be handled in a good way by the intervention.

WO 2016/175652 A1 discloses a vessel adapted to perform subsea wellbore related operations including module handling and laying flexible pipeline, e.g. wellbore intervention, said vessel comprising a hull with a moonpool and a stationary drilling mast adjacent said moonpool. The front side of the drilling mast is provided with vertical trolley rails along which - during module handling - a module handling trolley is movable. Further one or more tensioners are provided to engage a flexible pipeline, also being supported by the by the drilling mast. The tensioner frame of a tensioner is mounted pivotably about a vertical pivot axis to the drilling mast, such that the tensioner frame is pivotable between the pipeline laying configuration wherein the lower tensioner is provided in the module handling area and an open configuration wherein a vertical trolley path is unobstructed to allow module handling. Objects of the present invention

The crane is widely used in the marked and also ideas of using module handling in crane positions are presented by other suppliers, but the combination of crane and module handling system in the same unit is new. This combination will give a unique flexibility in building, testing and installing equipment, where all or parts of the work can be done with the crane or with the module handling system. An object is therefore to provide a new and improved combination of a crane and a module handling system.

It is also an object to provide a combined module handling and crane system on a vessel, wherein it is possible to prevent horizontal movement of a load in several axes, such as above the vessel's deck and on the hull side of the vessel.

Summary of the invention

According to a first aspect of the invention a combined module handling and crane system on a vessel is provided, comprising a crane pedestal placed on a deck of the vessel, wherein said crane pedestal is equipped with a top mounted and swingable crane, and a side mounted and vertically skidable module handling support cursor, wherein said crane pedestal comprises a stationary lower part with a plurality of upright guide tracks, and said crane pedestal comprises a swingable upper part with a plurality of upright guide tracks, wherein the vertically skidable module handling support cursor is operative to travel between the guide tracks on the crane pedestal's stationary lower part and the guide tracks on the crane pedestal's swingable upper part. The vertically skidable module handling support cursor can travel from a first pair of guide tracks on the crane pedestal's stationary lower part to a pair of guide tracks on the crane pedestal's swingable upper part, and after rotation of the swingable upper part of the crane pedestal and alignment of the guide tracks on the swingable upper part with a second pair of guide tracks on the stationary lower part, the module handling support cursor can travel down on said second pair of guide tracks on the stationary lower part.

The support cursor is preferably elevated and lowered on said guide tracks. The support cursor can be a vertically skidable support platform for carrying subsea equipment for assembly of modules on deck and module installation or intervention subsea.

The second pair of guide tracks on the crane pedestal's stationary lower part can during operation be aligned and connected with a pair of guide tracks mounted vertically on a hull side of the vessel, and the module handling cursor can be deployed on the guide tracks on the hull side of the vessel to the water level or through the splash zone.

The top mounted crane is preferably placed on top of the swingable upper part of the crane pedestal.

The crane pedestal can be equipped with one or more guide wire winches and a rope routing sheave for deployment or retrieval of subsea equipment to the ocean floor.

The crane pedestal may further be equipped with a cursor winch for vertical movement of the skidable module handling support cursor.

The crane pedestal may comprise a stationary lower part and a swingable upper part mounted on a slewing ring.

Further, the crane pedestal may comprise a stationary lower part and a swingable upper part, in where the crane is mounted on a slewing ring on the swingable upper part.

According to a second aspect of the invention a combined module handling and crane system on a vessel is provided, comprising a crane pedestal placed on a deck of the vessel, wherein said crane pedestal is equipped with a top mounted and swingable crane, and a side mounted and vertically skidable module handling support cursor, and wherein the crane pedestal, with the top mounted crane and the side mounted and vertically skidable module handling support cursor, is swingable about a central rotation point.

The support cursor is preferably skidable on upright guide tracks on the crane pedestal.

The support cursor is preferably elevated and lowered on said guide tracks.

The support cursor can be a vertically skidable support platform for carrying subsea equipment for assembly of modules on deck and module installation or intervention subsea. The crane pedestal can be equipped with one or more guide wire winches and a rope routing sheave for deployment or retrieval of subsea equipment to the ocean floor. The crane pedestal can also be equipped with a cursor winch for vertical movement of the skidable module handling support cursor.

The combined module handling and crane system on a vessel according to the second aspect of the invention may implement all or part of the technical features of the first embodiment. Description of the diagrams

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams wherein:

Figure 1 shows a combined module handling and crane system on a vessel, with a module handling system in a lower building position.

Figure 2 shows the combined module handling and crane system, with the module handling system in an upper building position.

Figure 3 shows the combined module handling and crane system, with the module handling system in an upper installation position.

Figure 4 shows the combined module handling and crane system, with the module handling system in a lower installation position.

Figure 5 shows a module handling support cursor, being part of the combined module handling and crane system

Figure 6 shows an upper part of a crane pedestal and a crane, being part of the combined module handling and crane system.

Description of preferred embodiments of the invention

The present invention relates to a combined module handling and crane system on a vessel 10. The vessel 10 is only partially shown in the drawings. Rails 16 for normal movement of modules and equipment can be placed on a deck 12 of the vessel 10, along with equipment for assembly of modules on the deck 12. On the same deck 12 is a pedestal 22 with a crane 20 placed. The crane 20 can be of any type of lifting crane, and the crane is only schematically shown in the drawings.

The pedestal 22 is equipped with a top mounted and swingable crane 20, and a side mounted and vertically skidable module handling support cursor 30. Said pedestal further comprises a stationary lower part 22b and a swingable or rotatable upper part 22a. The upper part 22a can be mounted to the lower part 22b on a slewing ring, to allow rotation of the upper part 22a in relation to the stationary lower part 22b.

However, the swingable upper part 22a can be locked in relation to the stationary lower part 22b such that the crane pedestal 22, with the top mounted crane 20 and the side mounted and vertically skidable module handling support cursor 30, is swingable about a central rotation point.

The lower stationary part 22b of the pedestal 22 comprises a plurality of tracks 40 placed upright, preferably at least two pair of tracks 40. As shown in for instance figure 1 there is a first pair of tracks 40 facing the deck 12 of the vessel 10, which the support cursor 30 is connected to, and a second pair of tracks 40 facing the hull side 14 of the vessel 10. The lower stationary part 22b may comprise further pair of tracks 40 on the sides not visible on the drawings. The tracks 40 are placed with a fixed distance to each other. The upper swingable part 22a of the pedestal 22 also comprises several tracks 42 placed upright, at least one pair of tracks, but may comprise several pair of tracks 42. Said tracks 42 on the upper part 22a are placed with the same fixed distance as the pair of tracks 40 on the lower part 22b, and thus the tracks 42 on the upper part 22a can be aligned with the both the first and second pair of tracks 40 on the lower part 22b when the upper part 22a is rotated into correct position. Another pair of tracks 44 can be placed upright on the hull side 14 of the vessel, in where the tracks 44 on the hull side 14 are placed with the same fixed distance as the pair of tracks 40 on the lower part 22b, thus being aligned with one pair of tracks 40 on the lower part 22b.

The crane pedestal 22 may further be equipped with a guide wire winch 24 and a rope routing sheave 26 for deployment of subsea equipment to the ocean floor. The guide wire winch 24 and the rope routing sheave 26 are preferable mounted on the upper swingable part 22a. The crane pedestal 22 may further be equipped with a separate cursor winch for vertical movement of the skidable module handling support cursor 30. The cursor winch is likewise preferable mounted on the upper swingable part 22a.

The upper part 22a of the pedestal 22 can be mounted on a slewing ring to the stationary lower part 22b in order to be able to rotate. It is also possible that the crane 20 is mounted to the upper part 22b of the pedestal 22 by a slewing ring. An advantage is that the crane 20 can swing without moving/swinging the cursor 30. MHS - module handling system comprises the module handling support cursor 30 which is a vertically skidable support platform to support subsea equipment for module building and assembly of modules on deck and module installation or intervention subsea, i.e. to support subsea structure during assembly/testing/ stacking, handling around crane pedestal and through splash zone. The main function for the cursor is to avoid the stack pendulum movement due to the vessel motion and to ensure a safe handling of the stack from deck and through splash zone.

The support cursor 30 can during operation travel between the tracks 40 on the stationary lower part 22b of the pedestal 22 and the tracks 42 on the upper part 22a on the pedestal 22. The support cursor can also travel between the tracks 42 on the upper part 22a of the pedestal 22, via the tracks 40 on the stationary lower part 22b of the pedestal 22, and the tracks 44 on the hull side 14 of the vessel 10. The movement pattern may of course be reversed.

The tracks 40,42,44 can be of any kind of guide tracks, and the support cursor 30 can be equipped with wheels, rollers, or other rolling or gliding units.

Figures 1 -4 show a typical movement pattern of the support cursor 30. In figure 1 the module handling system, i.e. the cursor 30, is parked in a lower building position. In figure 2 the cursor 30 has moved on the tracks 40 on the lower part 22b to the tracks 42 on the upper part 22a of the pedestal 22 and is in an upper building position. In figure 3 the upper part 22a of pedestal 22 has rotated 90° and the cursor 30 is in an upper installation position. Figure 4 shows the module handling system in a lower installation position, in where the support cursor 30 has traveled from the tracks 42 on the upper part 22, past the tracks 40 on the lower part 22b of the pedestal 22, and down the tracks 44 on the hull side 14 of the vessel 10 for performing module installation or intervention subsea. The crane 20 may assist in any part of the operation, but the crane 20 may also assist in other operations on the vessel 10.

The present invention has integrated several known function into the same device. During normal crane operations the cursor system may be parked in building position. During normal crane operations the crane has full operation ability as a normal crane, and can perform lifting from deck, pallet or other vessel. The crane can be used as normal crane swing to position lifted equipment, normal crane launch through splash zone, and normal installation to sea bottom, and retrieval opposite than above.

Module building position is shown in figure 1 and 2. During module installation a building and or testing location is often required to assemble sub-modules to running tools. One or more dedicated position to build/stack together modules can use the cursor 30 along the crane pedestal 22. Skidding of modules to this position is possible, for instance on the rails 16 on the deck 12 of the vessel 10. Potential for testing of modules prior to installations may be applied. Building can be done with crane winch or dedicated cursor winch. Module installation is shown in figure 3 and 4 and can comprise: Normal module handling lift operations, installing the stacked object from pick up point from pallet on deck 12. Lifting the module from the pallet supported by the cursor 30. Swinging the module to it's overside position (still using the cursor 30 to secure the load). Deploy the module through the splash zone supported with the cursor 30. Cursor supported installations over side of the vessel. Guide wires may be integrated and used if required. Module installation can be done with the crane winch or with separate main winch.

The module handling system, i.e. the cursor 30, can also be used for well intervention and plug and abandonment work.