PΆTIMT λ^FLXCATXO^

{Oøl ] Thiss application clai^β priority of provisIc^aJ application. Serial Hussbsr 60/700 _f S?S filed July 2Of 200S _s currently pending, ths entire cor-tents of v^hXch ars incorporated h^reir^ bv reference ,

[002] This indention reJ.atas gerxsrslly co inscaiiation ox p^tKoIsviϊα and gaβ well c&singB^ &ϊ>d ssor^ specifically to the installation of the outeε^ost oasing^. cc5ϊas.vR.Iy referred to a« tbβ conductor casi^g. ^it:Vϊθαt the use o£ Construction Vessels, IλI li^su of a Construction Vessel the conductor

;"< λ< _' X- -i f; .-! ^ « ? > ^• • « * ^■ as ^' • ^' ^ <«i"S ?' 4"» K V sHi* ϊ ϊl S ¹ Vl J)K <S!S » f ^' i ."-O i' V ¹ IV 'YyS! =5. yj <* . ^•■• ; ^• ! ^• ::'; hydraulic pile driving V\sπ«nβr depl oyed fross the deck of an .Anchor Haπdliλg/Tα9/ Supply CaHTS) vessel .

[003}Traditionally _f the oufcerxsosst v^all casing (coTfixr.only rnrrerra-d to ss tna conductor casing) in petroleum and gas i^-sils is installed by & Bofoiie Qffsbor-s grilling Onii. (MODO) or drilling rig that v?iii also complete drilling the wøil to final depth. The conductor o&sing _f

?:t _K s>tS 11 V '3 f>" ?-rs ^"■ > £ ^ϊ? H ': λrrsξxt; .<» ^■ £ ^• nlw "J>C:Ci r> f C ^00 ft" 5 n i.engt;h^ is the first vvβll casing .IΏ-S tailed.. There are a ftur-ber of ϊBathods utilised fcr iπstaiiing the. conductot casing to finai penetrstion dspth including jet:tj^g _? turbo-" driiiingj and hasssrinq.

[004] Xa the jatti5λ<} prccβsjs- the conductor cs-siϊig is lowered on the MOOtFs drij.X string> At. ths tip of the

^f\}'V1 ' - ^; .- ^w ^' -•"': V" r>."λ <i *;*%:' Y λ 'ϊ :"."i ":" ^" i V^ ^ 'P i -V ^ ^v "ξ r'^λ ,.^> ^v . t"H-^ C-^ϊ ^A -H .^I^ r K ^ f"":^^ 1 ^{^} : _cS .j. _v ..5 _n .. ss11.'"sw<ϊ f- ?ϊ<s. tfλiξftf* ¹ ! i"λ riπϊήv^ IvSt _" -" Of O - ^v s^ ^λ - >" f ^" ! " i •• ^■ ?>:: diOVJ*" ths^ άrill stritic? and through the js-ttiπg fixture in a.π iuctXαn that vfSshes a/w&y the aoil uriderϊϊe^th the tip of the conductor casing allowing it to penatrafce the soil.

[QOSI Turfoo-driiling is a variation of jetting in that a so called Kϋad motor iis affi^ad to th.e end of the ςlrlii string at ths tip of tha corsdαctor casiX^g _^ V^hen fluids are pur?;t?^d dθ¥?n the drill string the mud ϊuotor rotates caυsir>g a large drill bit to totat<κ at the tip of the conductor

i--" . U -V, ϊ^^ϊ _^ C ^s , vis O; "^

deck αf a non-^cons; traction. v&s>sel _r ^pacifically an λnchox Hand ling /ϊ\$g/Siφp3.y (I\MTS) vgsssi, the procedures ^ devices and eq«ipJ^©Dt n^ødβd to perform this aotioπ provide an ecoαos'άc advantage isuss to the fact that the &HTS v-esael Ieas^ rates are traάi tiorsaliy smch lass than HD50 and Construction V^ssl l^&se xat^«> By ^ay of scampi >* _> typical day rates tor the foregoing vesselø are as follows::

MSVϊ $150^000 per clay

DSV; $100,0.00 to S250 _s 0OO per day

Dβrrick/Plpa Lay Sa^gs; $2SO _f 0ϋO to $SQO _f OOO per day

AHTSJ $75 _f 000 to $95, QDO ρ«r ^isy

[010 IR perceived advantage to both the .AHTS a?-d Construction Vesβei appxoach is that the conductor casings «re "bsitch ≤set'% meaniπc? many or- all the conductor c&isin^B

proviciing higher vertical load, capacity and le^^^ning tha llkeX.ihood of sub^id^nc^ ..

!01X) i% ffiorβ complete «nder«t.andincf of the present indention may be had by r&ierence to r.he xol.Xoyincf Detailed Description when taken la connection v?i'th the aeeoϊspnr-ying Drawings, vϊh^srsin;

[012] FlGOEE 1 is a plan irlav? ±iXυstr&tir-es an anchox anchoring handling /tug /sux>ply IAMTS) vessel,- a supply barge, and a tug -utilised in the practice of the i^vβrλtloDj

[0131 FIOOuK 2 is a perspective view further iii-ust rating th^ barsβ of i ^:! XGϋ?<.B .1. ?

[014 IFlGUEE 3 is a vis« similar to FXGvES 3 illustrating a first step As* the unloading di; a conductor

lOlS] FXSIJES 4 is an .illustration of s i.ster ^tep i ^« the unloading of the c.o??άuctr.or casing from th«s barge;

[0161 FJGORSJ 5 Is an .HXo.stra.tion of a s ^' cill later s-fcep in the ^ruoadino of tvVi^ conductor cs^ing iros thθ

[017 j FIGϋEE β is a.n illustration of the compiet io-ft of *:.be unloadiϊϊg of th& conductor casing from th& bergs?

[0181 FIGURE 7 is a ^i&w similar to FIGURE 1 ill strating the relative mo"??6??\exxts αf t:h& AHTS vessel _} the supply foarge _; and th«.ϊ tug during the ?κox?«ment of t:hs conductor ossis>g ^s ^5wav ^■ from the barge uadss t:h«s action of θ

csbie effs-t^nsάir-g from the ARTS vessel to the conductor c&s.ir-gp fOX?>] FlQDRE Hs £ side view illustrating the initial estops in the- lowering of a conductor casing xrois the surface to t.&e sea.fi.por;

^V>λ* λ-β^λ'nf ¹ ff* ^: ;:'- ;"-V V". Oh ":;'" ^■ f' 'S*- V- C £> ^ S 'fi^V fcv 1 t* " ■' ^"$"-'- ^*A V ^* ^ -^:"* ^y ' *"

10211 S'IGOEE 10 is em erilaraeisenc of FIGURE 9?

ϊstep l.ϊi «n alternative method, for dϊφl eying ^" coτ.uiαct.ox casijigs to ths øβafloor; fθ?'31 FIGURE 12 is a side ^ie^ ill u^trating later steps in th<a coπciλjctor ca.sing deployment method of FIGORS

[D24]g ^{^} lSOEE 13 iβ an illustration of the first step in a siathαd of engaging a conductor casing ^ith tha seafioor by the «.pplicatiori oi suction th^ratiOy

[0263 FIQURE IS is an illustration of a etill lat^r step ix> the srvsthod ttf ri<S0RE 13;

[027] 5"XGUEE 16 is ss xXlust^&tlon of a still later sstep .in the method of FIGURE 13;

1028J FlG(XBS 17 is an illustration •<>£ a st.il! later step in the method of FIGURE 13.?

Lθ23]Fl€imE IS is aft illustration of a still later step in the Bisthod of FX(SORE 13.?

[03ϋ].FiαθE£ 19 is an Illustration of a still lat«r step irx the method of FLGtJRE 13;

[03I]FIGXIHK 20 is an Illustration of a still later atep irs. the ssetho.d of BTGvRE 13;

the operation; of a drop h&m~ι«r?

[033] FISUHS 22 IB «tϊ> illustration of a ssccπd stsp iri trie, operation of t.be drop hs-msr of FlGCjSE 21;

[034IFlGl)RE 23 is an illustration of a third atep is^ trv-3 operation, of the drop hasTsss&r;

[ 035} FIGUHE 24 is an IiIuS= t rat ien of a fourth atsp in £. ^' h& operation of the drop hammer? f 036] FKSUKE 25 is as iliustx'atiori of a fifth step in the operation of the drop haϊfs^r?

[03? jFlCOB.12 26 is an illustration of a sixth step in tb-s operation of the drop h^scm^s? fO38] FXSUKE 27 is an Illustration of a s^^esvth step in the operation of the drop haϊsme.r;

hydraulic hasusβr spread layout on tfea dack of the AHTS vessel;

[0411 FIGURE 30 Is an iiXc-sjtration of a». initial step in the αeρXoy?a-ent <v£ the hydraulic pile driving basstser frcra the deck of the ARTS tassel to the ssafloorj

[0« 2] FIGOSS 31 is an illustration of a subsequent, step in the dap.loyytient of the hydra u Lie pile drivirsζ? hatnjser fro?u the d«ck of t;he AHTS ves&βL to the seafloor?

[043] FKSOEE 3≤ is an illti^tsa.tion of a still later step IγJ t.hi-i dβplovK-erst of the hydraulic pilfe ςiτiγ±nq haπ^er £rom the άs^k cf the λHTS vessel to the βeafioor;

[044] FXGUBE 33 Ia sn xlXuat ration of & at ill later step in the deployment cf the tiyclraulic pile driving h£?s^iδt fro-ϊ5 the deok of the A.HTS vessel to the sssfloor;

^■ :> ^■ *->-.:; ^•■ . - _: γ: > ^■■ K<:> Hi^O^ £"■ V :rs » _" 'f : t ^' !'"lf t ^* H S ^!> hvd ¹ **"' ^ • ^* " Vi^ " ^! «*■ fS' >"5 X ^% " 15"TS rs •* PλrϊiW f

[ QA 6 j FIGURE 35 is ay= Illustration of: a a-fill iat^r sjtsp in l;h:ϊ dsplo-v ^" su5snt csi; the hyd^aislic pile clrxviπα ϊ-auuYUx-r from the deck of the ^HTS vessel to the seafloor; j[0471 ifI6UP.E 36 Is ar^ illustrat ^' lon of a first: atep .in the ersqaaement of the hvd.ra5.tlic ;oila dr.ii?l.nα haα^ruur witb

the u»pe:κ ssϊϊ.d. of a conducter ϋ&βing previously engaged with tr.h.β ssBfloor.«

[QiSjFXGURE 37 is? an illustration of th<3 us-s of fchs hvdrawlic pi Is driving bamraer to fully engage the conductor casing with the sssεloør; i Q4 ^' 91 FIGURE 3S is an i.lluatrav.ion Qf the completion of the ^-ngag≤jϊαen-t of the conductor easing with the seafloor

f }\fu κ f' ^! . i*S" ϊ "■ f X ^N ' ' s* rV**'! '.T ! ϊ-'-c-s 1"! ssr*w«S: T- ψ v-f\??: |" ϊ-s«i ^ '^r- S f ' fit' >"Vp λ f irst, conductor casing to tfes location of a d.-. ff^rent coτϊά\sot«r oasiπg coj?;px;i»lri.g an array thereof <.

[0511 Referring ϊiθvγ to the Drawing® _* and particularly to ITioure 1; the vessels utilised Ia C-Ue practice of the invgrntiors. are illustrated. α barge SO ia utilised to transport a plurality of conductor casings 52 to an offshore drilling venue. B txsg 34 is employs"*.! to to^ snd

^" *>.,•; ^■ > ^φ f* CX-. :">ϊ*5 ^. ; ^ V- ?• ^ £. *! «V ^o^ >'j f"ϊ *:>/"^ ^ tf>- ^L '5- ^ ₁ - --N f- Vt $;t f^V^^^ >" .•:>>*;*"< ;-S': ^: ^ ^* ϊ-> λ5. outerjs.oat conductor casing 52 ^? located adjacent-, the st&rboard side o.f the bafge SG, Line 56 extends to a v?inch

"■ ^■ ;; ^■■ . ^■ : ^• : Yi t'«ij"| (W s: ^ .:*« , ^λ > ^; r ^: . * ^•• ^h at fsHl 'ϊ ϊV :"?- ^■'' ^ ^' ^ ^s .^: / A ϊf'-'Vf-i ^v > f &MTϊϊ t *?fsecώl STj >ϊ

As- uaed herssin the tssr^ λHTS vessel means a vessel char«cte.riκed by a length of batκs«n ab.o«t 200 feet and afoo^t 27 ϋ feβtj a κ?sa?ε of b.etwaar. abont 40 rest and «bo«t S5 feet _f a gross ^■ weight", of bβtw#s®B about I _f 0D0 tons and

v ^' arsBiSls the αBTS veaϊ?ei S8 is αot pxo^Xded with a crane suitable for io^erls^g objects to the βeafloαr. The AHTS vss«3«l 58 is, hos-jevsr _f provided »?ith an A~f.ta?oe 6O ,

[0S2jTh«i barge SO is sshow?^ in greater detail in Figure 2.. The conductor casings 52 axe supported on a plurality of rails €2 which are in turn secured to the dec^ of the b-&xg« 50.. The conductor casings are arranged on the

-it- rails £2. In. a horiKGntsi^ parallel array. The Xo^er #nd of eeαh conductor casing S2 is located at the forward ^nά of ^■ the barge 50 &nά fcαe μppβr aαd of each conductor casing S2 is icscs-tsid s-t trκι> art sxxd of the: bargs 50.

(OSlJThs barge 50 ia provided with three doubls drum ^• finches 64 s Liπ^s eκt«πd.ing £ross the double clJcrøα winches 64 are used to control ths so^sment of the oosκi«eto£ casings 52 relative to the d^ck of the. b^rge 50 irs. a customary xn^^n^r which Is well known to those skilled in the art* Thus*,? oπs or .more lines extending from one or r5.;.-' ^: !TS?. p.-;- ^" 1' Hiϋ i'^-'^: ; ^' K ^" : λ*< .~5 fs :rs* V? π •" ^{■ '} ""P- ^ &4 riOf^sl : V? ∞-V-r-jTM-;-"! ,ϊ; T -"•. ^■ • ^• • yi .-< all of the conductor c^sings 52 mounted on th-ss deck of the feargβ SD ^o psevζϊnt sωC5^«κs<sβt of t-Vsβ conductor c-&$Jjigs relative to ths deck of the barge 50 _^ WheneVor it is

druTTi winc'vfeβ 64 are extevvdβd asrouy-d tha conductor casino 52 ^s in both dixestlona thuir€by completely coi'stroliixtg the movsαn-sπt of ths conductor oasiπg 52 ⁵ across th-e deck of the barge SOv

[0541 x ^' h.© steps involved in usxloading a conductor c^aing 52 ⁵ froϊvi the. barge 50 are illustrated .In Fig^rβi> 1 _?

1 < via ⁰ ^ & λt.sj ^y £ ^• ^VIf ¹ I ¹ S yvrj f Y* OVi =" H*A ^^ ^'' ^A V:'^^^^ 1 *£>$% 'I :-\ ^A^^^^^ i' ?'* ^* V^-βu

uppβr end of tho oo&dyet-or casing !>2 ^V toy a oo-nvent:±e>n.ai corj.nect.or ««^ich includes a s^ivsl < The function of the swivel Ie to allow the conductor casing 52 ^s to roil «croe:§ the deck of. ths barge SO on the sails 62 without trwis-ting or tanglioa ths? line 56. The connection between the Line 36- and the conductor casing 52 ^s is omitted in Figures 3--6,« iriclusiv©, for clarity,.

the conductor casing 52- bssgins «ith tollino- oto^'&m^^t. of tbβ conductor casing 52 ⁵ toward ths? starboard side of the b&rga SO as indicated by tbs arrows δø< ^s indicated abova, tris roiling aovsϊjϊswnt of ths conductor casings 53 ^s i~ * f:rs-*t T'"*?-- V.-λ ^ 5 >!; rt'-^ * "' ('λnf'ϊ'Cϊ' ^' = !?""? hy ^' i ^•■ y:; ^:vϊ! i *>> ¹ S ϊ" i ^x *""• iii Tt s"? i ^: vcv?! one ox ffiore of the doubi.n? druaϊ winches β4 , The ii«-3~ exfeπding from the double dri^ ^.inches β4 are vrr-spp^d around tho conductor oaaiπg 52 ^! .In opposite dirβctiofts thereby completely controlling tfe4% raov^mβπt oi: th.B conductor casino 52 ^? relative to t$1e ^' deck of the barge SQ. [05€] Referring to Figures 4^ 5 _y ar^d S _f ^s the oondiϊCtot casing α2 ^f re&ches? the ends of the rails 62 it; enos;ges s plurality ct ov^rbθc5rdiϊ\g ^scharsisnis 68 > The overboard ing sβchanissss 6?; initially stop the conductor easier/ S2 ^s r>?θλϊs. rolling laterally as βhossp l?i Figi^r^ « then reoeive the co?^d\-Qtor casinq 52 ^s as sho^n in Fiqure 5. AV.

•:λ"> »V/N:". raλs &4 w'ft ^ fh h ** V £> KXNλ>>\ .- ^■ < ^■ ;) ^■■ :* ^• yχ\ V: ^■ ; y I ■" ^■; *-λα Yivvrj-ss?:-;." ^; ' ^{! ;} ' fsf fV:sx conductor casing 52 ^s along the rails 62 are di&eøgagβ<i from the conductor casing 52* , Thereoftβr, ^hs?n evsrythi-ig is iϊ; readinsss for unloading the eαπchαetor casino 52' the ov&rfeo&rdin^i f^ech^Tiiβϊxis 6B are pivoted f.τoτ& t.h& o^i^πt-stiors shown in Fi^gur^ 5 through th* orientation ahowyϊ in Figure

Figures S and 6 by the arrows 70-

[OSllAβ will be arsprec-iated by those skilled In the

'T ^:' ;":-:i ^■ : ^'I ^• { ^• 5 StI :"-! ϊ' ,-»:", «V XVt -J- Vi is ϊ ^s \'> ^V: J'* ¹ :": - ^λ 5" f^ r λ»«i ϊlrt ^• : fi <i t" » ^s : '. » i" ^ '".λ procedure of th-e preset invention are iliusttcite^ in Figures 7 and 8, The tug 54 and the AHTS -vesβai S8 ar-w operated in the direotiorus indicated by the arrows 74 and

U: άiC*vw-vl si¥J«y j-ju-wai UiiW ,O;:;^C _: e Jv t:;iv< ϋjQiv,^i,eCi .W^f t...5iS; βii-MS

76 in Figure 7~ ^oanwhiiOf th© conduct.or casing 52* moves downwardly on the line 56 ursti.l it ia oriented vertically as shown irs Figure B> at this poirjt the oonaection between the line 56 «s<tsndiπ.g fro-a the winch on the AHTS vessel 58

and the eoadyctor casirx<j 52 ^s ;lss obse^^sd by an ROv- ^' to asswts thst everything is in readiness for the completion of th& installation pxocscluEs < The ROV also opens the pore 106 and tbβ v-sπt ^«lχ?es 107 if they «=sre initially closes,

>XN4 ^! Y ^: : ^' X ' ^; ?.«:*- «.<λ ^ ^"■ :& λ9VS λϊ'S'f r'li-' ] ^ Tt f- ^S "» 5^ ϊϊYs^' ''. ^ -^ V"! sϊ- pλϊVηt^TO V

■"". ^■ •c-'rϊ -ws* ¹ ^ :*: ^" ;': i ^{v "} ά, ^' ^■ " ^■ í'i ^■ ; ¥ ^• _* "T ^ ϊ"< T> ^ ^* V\? OA ^rt^N ,-v;r: ^: « _^ <- ^> *>"*Vt^ f ^VH^^^^T

in Figure XQ to assure that, the conductor casing 52 ' Is orientated vertically within, acceptable toleranCvS liϊn.i.t:.s , iOSSj^ri, alt^rrv-δti^e procedure for delivering conductor- c&siϊKϊs to an otføhore drilling location 13 illustrated in Figures II and 12. a conduotor casing 52 ⁵ ' is plugged at both ends v?i th so-ca.llsd tov;-headβ -whiis: on shore or o« the deck of a. vessel. The lower .esd of tb=s conductor casing 52 ^{: ;} is connected t\o a tug 84 by a line 86. Thfe IϊHTS v&sssl 5B is. ooπnsctsd to the upper s?nd of the conductor casing 52 * ^! by ^hfe li«s 66, Ths liriβ S6 is

; r; ;:: « ^" ? ::i^ ^%* V : ^λ 'λ^λ ^: ": ^φ ξ ^* '1 ' ^v .γ ^' "i ^^^ "ϊ V ^{s *} £ Yt -"i 'ϊ ^* V: xii ? ^{* :} > ^* > :"ϊ --' ¹ ^ f ^: "ϊ" ^"* _< λ ^ • ^■■ >?". i'^X^ f' V z'\ ?" easing 52 ^! by th<e tug 84.

[0601 Ee f erring particularly to Fi.isure 12 _^ v?h«=n tπs conductor caβi^g 52 ^s is positiorxeά at the specified offshore dr. ill ing vssMs- tliss r.owhead at the lcwer end of the

~!5~

recovered onboard thώ tug 8« es indicated by the arro^ 9S _* The conductor caBi.nig.52 ^{f J} flocda v^ith ^ate^r tihen ps5nd\;lats»S:

[O€αiBsferring to Figyrs- 13 _? t:hβ EOV §D is; cisployed frois the AHTS V:-:ss?e! 58 as indicated by th& arrows ^• >$, The ROV SO oto«sπ ^f es th© Xins 56 sntl the connection bet^ssn tha line 56 exten.di.0g fκoysi the IiHTS vessel 5B «rs;^ the conductor casing 52 ^{J ?} to assure that everything is in rβadineas for installation of the conductor casing 5E ^!ϊ into the se&ficor

JSS' ^: rϊ". v«:s ^■ ?"S-,-: ^j γ- t~Hϊ- ^N Cd *"< C- V: <~"t~ C V f'λ<v^ r>fY ~^'? ' ^! ■<> « λ" ." '-■ «s ft asyi penetrates the ss-afiooE under its own weight: and ths- vertical ρrientat:ioϊi theϊr^of 1-s .ch&csksjcl by the EOV .80 irs the j&anvier Iiltastratsd .is" S"χgur^x= 9 ati.d 10 and described πersif>abova is) connection therewith,

[062] Xf a particular casing S2 penetrates the se&fioor sufficiently under its ofem weight ts> achieve otabi. li.sa.tio:: no further action is required prior to h^λϊjmering th^ conductor casi^g 52 to grade.. If not a suctio?? procsdαrβ aay b« erαploysra to caus^ the conductor casirsg 52 to p^ne'trate t;h«.» se&flcor siλf f icieπtly to achieve

[0€3jThe &-uctioπ pxocβdure,- knώv? rs. &s Sucύion to Stafoiiisation (STS) ^. is iiiuδtr.atβd in Jlgu^es 13 through

20 j Inclusive. Each conductor casing ϊ>2 is initially provided with a top plate IDO which Is secered to the upper

An. inlet ^asaage^ay 104 extends through the top plate 100. The ^> :cp plate 100 is sls>o provided with vent valves 10 ^' ?.. The ^' .tins 56 is secured to the top plate IDCI &rιά is ϊ^tillx&d to lo^er the conductor casing 52 into engages-sent with the seafXoor. The iniec port 104 and the vent values i.0 ^' 7 ^iii be opssi if the cond ctor casing 52 was launched, frosa the

Ksrr** ¹ "^ ^1" ' ^λ ^ ⁵ i 1 1 H'ϊft' VKSi-rfifi ϊ λ T?^ C5 ^' ιv? ^v λ ^t λ ^" ?' t"h X. C-Vi ;"^ >"■ 10 - 1 fs λ ^*! Ci « * \?S> .

^■ : «^ «* ^• J", f -ϊ ::- ^■ ? ^{■ '} : ζ) ^ή \£ ^• : ^{' '■} 1 5'JSi f, ϊ £> λ £ϊr\ > ^'• ; ^■: ./ λ »"ϊ ^" f V> *"« ^* ' 0 f ϊ rϊt'lCέ I' Vl f ^? >'-* ^■ ?: 1"

ϊSSS towssd to the insrtallatipn ai te as iiluBtrated in Fi.gy.rsjs 11 arsσ 12 and dssscxλibeα her^inabovsa ii's co-niuncticn therewdth „ t J ₁ - : _o ^ _' i ■s _* : < ^% "J:i " JS V i.."'^ .^. SJ λ.J. ^ _^ . ^> o _{^ ^} :^.. ^J w -i " _; ': N-; -^ ^ :»-- >:-. t ^J;: ^ U-..V»' «ϊ> i w"d S-Vc-Vϋ: "^ > ^rt . ■* ^* >i -~ ^ y W^ ?C2i > ^■■ λ; -ϊ> -^ v^ -:•v ^■ •i:>ϊ -> v^^ ^■ ^* v . ^λ : ^: : :^; . v?- ^■ ^ -v° the conductor casing 52 .int^o the B&afloor SF aa a rswxslt of the weight of the oon<3t?ctor c-ssing S2. If Sfeoss«ary the v£;nt valτβo XO? are opened and ths> ρl«g lO€ is retno^acl frors the inlet port 104 as indicated .I?! Fl^^rβ 16» & suction Una 112 is connected ts the inlet port 10^ as indicated in Figure 1? > The suction line 112 functions to rsaicve water froϊn the lnterior of ϊAi& conductor casinq 52 creating _< srj

internal under-pressure whereupon the pressure of tha s»a on the top plate 100 foxces the conductor casing 52 further

Figure 18 at; .1.14 an.ci fey the arrows 1.16.

[06SjThe conductor caairs.g 52 is penetrated r..nt:o £&& ssafloor as lax as pcsøibXe ^ϊ^ile r? ^; aX;Vta:inifig adequate factors of safety under the application of the s'αctiovi to the .interior chersof thereby achieving stability, ?Vn ROV is then utiiisθd to ren-ove a ρlπ XlS thereby oisβng&g.ing thδi- latching ^echanis^ λO2- The pin II ^s and the additional coTuponøϊϊt parts 120, 122 _? and 124 csxsprisi^g the latching ϊfsφChsinisϊα are rscovsr^d to the sx^rface. The top plat<s 100 is then dis^r^gagaa from the upper ev^d of the. conductor casiyjg 52 arxd rβco-yerecl to the surface as indicated In

(Qgβjl ^' ϊϊ iie^ of the foregoirsg STS procedure a drop haxnsϊisr I??. ?ωay be e ployed to achieve conductor ^' casing stability,. operation of the drop h&ssser to drivs the oondo.ctor oaβaϊϊgs S 2 iϋvto Zh ® sssfloor is illustrated in Figure* 21 through 2?^ inclusive. The drop haslet i^ iow«χgd o^ th^ lift-β 134 into eπgaøe^ϊfeϊtt with a conductor casing 52 to be partially driver* Into the sβaifloor Bn.ti.1 a plate 172 located at the bottom of the hasinar 130 enqa.gaa

a ^VV .Xs v CtN ^" "

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50 and the t^b 54 as illustrated in Figure 1 is no loπgex req^lEβd, The h&ϊTS vessel 56 is thereoft-βr rβ-^s-obllisβd lα th^ hydraulic pils driving ham^v^r transportation and utilisation coγ\figuration I ^' iXust rsted .it-. Figure 2 -K

[07DjFiO ¹ USe^ 2$ through 36 illustrate ch& deployment of a hydraulic pile driving ha^nr«er 13G £ror?;. the dsek of the ftHTS ve&øel Sθ to the seaflooε all of which are corι-yerit.iona.1 and well, known to tføjsø skilled, in the art. The hydraulic ρii& driving handier 130 is initially supported on. a skid 132 arid is> located for transport rroπs

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illustrated in ϋM^ursa 3.1 SRC _< 32 , Arj i.uftbiXi cal ^hich supplies p^^ssuris^ό .air a^d. electrical powe." to the hydraul ic pi le driving hawser 1 30 e^tenda from an issibi l ioal winch 13S on the AHTB VφSSφX SS and is secured to the to«

of the. hydr«π:;lie pile driving hSssmex: at 142, An arn; 14*1 sstønds laterally i ^: ro;s the hycira.ulic pi .Is? driving han^s; _r zmύ is connected to tfce umbilical 140 st 146, The line 13-4 is dra^ϊs inwardly as Indicated fey the arrows 148 in Fi<ιure3 31 and 32 thereby lifting rhθ hydraulic piis driving bourne r 130 xros ths position s-hcn*« in Figure 30 through t.h=s position shovrn in Figure 31 to t.hss positior- shown in Fi^ r-e

hydraulic pile driving haxtiHiβr 130 is coϊi ^" troiied by a winch Ksoufsteά or?, the B.HTS vessel Sβ v^hlch applies a rssistiϊxg force to the ^' bottom, of the hydraulic pile driving haπsn&r 130 iϊs th^ direction of the arrow 1S2 _*

[072 j E«terrin9 to Tigαrβ 33 « clusip- w^ioht 154 i_s deployed from the MiTS ^ssseei SS and iss connβct-eα to cl ^' ss 5ΏS 144 ac location 146 by a line ISS. The f^notvloπ of t>-s& clump weight: 1 S4 and "the line .156 ia to prevent rotation, of ths hydraulic pile driving hansner 130 as it is lowered Intro

[073J Subsequent steps Ir^ the daploys^ent of tns hydraulic pil-e driving h&ϊr&vier 13ϋ into the sea ss^rs ill«st.ra-cβ.d in Figures 34 and 35, The ,?\~£rarue €0 Xs pivoteci aft under the set ion ot a hydraulic cylirxdar ISB -s.s

iJDdicatsd by the arrows 160,- The 11-^ XSβ extarsdisg £rotr; the el _^ unp weight. 154 to the arrs. 144 regains taut thereby substrajitially eliminating &&y poeβible- rotation of the hydraulic pils driving has^m^r 130 as it is io^ere-d i.exto the

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bydrsαiic pile driving harrs^er 130 just above a conductor oasif;^ S2 ^fuich has previously beeft sϊngagsd with rbe ssafloor SF as described herein.δfco^® . ?Tigu.r?? 3 ^' 7 illustrates ioirfe.r.i5ig of the hydratsiic pile driving hamrfisr 130 into s-mg®gs:?i©?it «ith th© previously instailed conductor casing 152 as> indicated by the arro^ 16S and the use cf the liydxaislio ρi!le driving hammer 1^2 to drive rbs conduotor caaing 52 into the seaflocr BF as indicated by the arrows 170.

I _. Q7S] Figure 38 illviStratea th« conductor caair-g 52 driven to grsda by opβracion ox the hydraulic pile driving harαrϊϊe'r ^' 130, The line 134 is partially withdraw; to lift the hydraulic pile d ti ing Imπsssr 130 a predetermined diatanca above the s ^' -s® floor Sf, The ^Bfaiiicai v-zinoh on the ABTS vessel 150 is operated to- parjíA.&l Xy withdraw the xsssbi Ileal 14øj «nd ths clump weight: Xotss^srl^g ϋϊvu 164 is partially v?.i thdravsr _* to lift the cl.ujup weight 154 a P= rede fcft r ined distance abov§ ths 3ea*loor SF,. thereby

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