The present invention relates to a device that is to be arranged between a construction and a support or between the construction and lifting equipment for absorbing impact loads associated with lifting the construction on or from the support, in particular in an offshore environment. The present invention also relates to a method of assembling a device according to the invention.

In the field of lifting constructions on or from a support in an offshore environment load absorbing units are known for absorbing impact loads associated with lifting a construction on or from a support. Before lifting a topside of an offshore platform onto an offshore jacket, the upper ends of the legs of the jacket, which legs will support the topside, are each provided with a leg mating unit (LMU). The leg mating unit is engaged by a mating construction of the topside when the topside is lifted onto the jacket. The leg mating unit is designed to absorb impact loads to which the leg mating unit and the mating construction of the topside are subjected when lifting the topside onto the jacket, e.g. impact forces.

For absorbing such loads, a leg mating unit is generally provided with a plurality of stacked layers of load absorbing material that are arranged between two housing parts, wherein one of the housing parts is attached to a jacket leg at the top end thereof and the other end is provided with a mating member that is engaged by a mating construction of the topside when the topside is placed onto the jacket. Once the mating construction engages the mating member of the leg mating unit, and the weight of the topside is transferred to the leg mating unit, the weight of the topside causes the housing parts of the leg mating unit to move toward each other and the plurality of stacked layers of load absorbing material to compress. While transferring the weight of the topside to the leg mating unit, impact loads, for instance as a result of oscillating motion of a lifting vessel that lifts the offshore platform onto an offshore jacket, are absorbed by the load absorbing material.

The plurality of stacked layers of load absorbing material provide the leg mating unit with a certain stiffness, that is determined by the displacement-force relationship, i.e. the relationship between the displacement of the housing parts relative to each other and the force associated with the load that causes that displacement.

The stiffness of a leg mating unit must be such that during the mating of the mating member of the leg mating unit and the mating construction of the topside and during the process of transferring the weight of the topside from the lifting equipment to the jacket, loads associated therewith, such as impact forces, are absorbed. Furthermore, the stiffness of a leg mating unit must be such that once the weight of the topside is fully transferred to the jacket, the displacement of the housing parts of the leg mating unit is such that parts of the jacket leg and the topside that will be connected to each other in order to connect the topside to the jacket are in a certain desired position relative to each other to allow connection.

For a typical jacket based offshore platforms, a jacket has four or more jacket legs. Due to difference in the weight distribution of the topside and resulting difference in distribution of the weight that is to be supported by each jacket leg, each leg mating unit requires a different stiffness to meet the requirements for absorbing the loads associated with lifting the topside onto the specific jacket leg, as described herein above.

Accurate design of the stiffness of each leg mating unit often is very critical in avoiding high impact loads and guarantee required displacement of the housing parts of the leg mating unit during topside installation. For each jacket leg a specific leg mating unit is custom designed and manufactured based on the loads to be absorbed at the respective jacket leg. in particular for each specific leg mating unit a custom stack of layers of load absorbing material is designed and manufactured. First the required stiffness of the leg mating unit is calculated. Subsequently the required stiffness of the leg mating unit is translated to a required stiffness of the stack of layers of load absorbing material. On the basis of the calculated required stiffness of the stack of layers of load absorbing material, the required stiffness of each layer of load absorbing material is calculated. Subsequently each layer is designed based on the calculated required stiffness and manufactured. After manufacturing of the layers, the layers are assembled to provide the stack of layers of load absorbing material.

The above described custom designing and manufacturing of the respective leg mating units is complex. Furthermore, due to difference in the design of the stack for each specific jacket leg and poor tolerances of the process of elastomeric material manufacturing it is very difficult to match the resulting stiffness of the leg mating unit with the calculated required one. Still further, in case after manufacturing the custom stack of layers of load absorbing material the weight distribution of the topside changes due to for instance a last minute change of the design of the topside, the required stiffness of one or more of the leg mating units changes and a new stack of stack of layers of load absorbing material has to be designed and manufactured.

Here, prior art disclosures are acknowledged in WO-96/18772, GB-2276697, US-4655641 , WO-2014/160242 and US-5101905. hi each of these publications, a plurality of modules with load absorbing material is arranged in a mounting arrangement to full capacity of the mounting arrangement in terms of a number of the plurality of modules. For instance according to WO- 96/18772, mutually essentially identical modules are provided in a layer in different orientations in the layer, to achieve resistance to shear loading in all directions parallel to the orientation of the layer.

However, when a stiffness of the modules during fabrication turns out to be lower or higher than anticipated when designing the prior art devices, problems occur at use of the devices which then do not support the construction is a designed manner, because the stiffness of the prior art device through the combined stiffness of the modules doesn' t comply with the anticipated design criteria, In this sense, it doesn't matter that modules are provided instead of a single element to define each layer, since the natural production variations and deviations from the anticipated design affect the resulting properties of the device in precisely the same manner as when a single element defines each layer.

The present inventions has among others for its object to provide an improved load absorbing device that may be used in leg mating units to address the above mentioned drawbacks of the custom designing and manufacturing of leg mating units, but that also may advantageously be used in other load absorbing units that are used in offshore environments for absorbing impact loads associated with lifting the construction on or from the support.

Thereto present invention provides a device that is to be arranged between a construction and a support or between the construction and lifting equipment for absorbing impact or other loads associated with lifting the construction on or from the support, wherein the device comprises a stack of at least one layer , comprising a plurality of coplanar modules with load absorbing material, wherein the modules are essentially identical and are mounted in or on a mounting arrangement. Relative to the above acknowledged prior art publications, the present disclosure is distinguished in that a selectable number from the plurality of modules is arranged in the layer to adapt a property, such as stiffness, of the layer, and the selected number from the plurality of modules is adaptably distributed over the mounting arrangement.

In the device according to the invention a layer of load absorbing material is provided by a number from the plurality of coplanar modules comprising load absorbing material. Providing a layer of load absorbing material by a plurality of coplanar modules allows for adapting or changing the load absorbing properties, such as the stiffness, of the layer of load absorbing material by adapting / changing the number of coplanar modules, to less than full capacity in terms of the numbers of modules that can be accommodated by a mounting arrangement. Enabling a desired distribution of the modules over the mounting arrangement allows for changing the positional relationship of the coplanar modules relative to each other, when adapting numbers of modules, and avoiding relatively stiffer or weaker parts or zones of the layers. According to the present disclosure, an uneven distribution of the modules over the mounting arrangement is also possible, though. This allows for assembling a custom layer of load absorbing material from a plurality of standard modules, which is far less complex than custom manufacturing of the layer load absorbing material as a whole. Furthermore, even after assembling a layer of load absorbing material from a plurality of standard modules, the load absorbing properties, such as the stiffness, of the layer of load absorbing material may be adapted / changed relatively easily by adding or removing one or more modules of load absorbing material and/or by rearranging the modules, thereby allowing for fast and relatively cheap stiffness adjustments, while maintain a length or height of the device in terms of a number of layers in the stack, which is a strict design constraint as the device is designed to be installed in for instance a leg of the jacket, as discusses above, in and for which a determined length or height of the stacked layer device is available.

In particular when the device according to the invention comprises a plurality of stacked layers of load absorbing material wherein each of a plurality of layers is provided by a plurality of coplanar modules, it is possible to assemble a stack of layers of load absorbing material with a wide range of load absorbing properties, such as the stiffness, out of standard modules that are each the same.

Using a device according to the invention in a leg mating unit, allows for adjusting load absorbing properties of the leg mating unit, in particular the stiffness, over a wide range at any stage of the design and manufacturing process by reconfiguring the modules in each layer of the load absorbing device. Furthermore, since in the device according to the invention a layer of load absorbing material is provided by a plurality of modules of load absorbing material, relatively small adjustments of the load absorbing properties can be made, for instance by removing or adding a single module. This allows for more accurate matching of the load absorbing properties of the leg mating unit, such as stiffness, to the calculated required load absorbing properties and for lower required manufacturing tolerances for the individual modules.

In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention the load absorbing material is elastomeric material. Elastomeric materials that are suitable for the present invention include, but are not limited to, rubber, elastomeric polyurethane, thermoplastic polyurethane, and silicone.

In an advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, the device comprises a mounting arrangement for mounting the modules in coplanar relationship for providing the layer of load absorbing material. Preferably, the mounting arrangement is configured for mounting the modules in a plurality of different positions relative to each other for providing the layer of load absorbing material. This allows for even distribution of the modules over the available mounting area. It is in particular advantageous that the mounting arrangement is configured for mounting adjacent co-planar modules in both abutting relationship and interspaced relationship. In a particularly advantageous embodiment thereof the modules are configured such that in abutting relationship the load absorbing materials of adjacent co-planar modules are in contact at least when the modules are in load absorbing state. Allowing for the modules to be mounted in both abutting relationship and interspaced relationship in combination with modules that are configured such that in abutting relationship the load absorbing materials of adjacent co- planar modules are in contact at least when the modules are in load absorbing state, allows for changing load absorbing properties by arranging adjacent modules in either abutting or interspace relationship. In abutting relationship sideway expansion of the load absorbing material of a module along the side where the load absorbing material is in contact with the load absorbing material of the abutting module is restricted, whereas in interspaced relationship sideway expansion of the load absorbing material of adjacent module along adjacent sides is unrestricted. By virtue of the side way expansion of the load absorbing material being either restricted or unrestricted, the load absorbing properties of adjacent modules are different. For overall stiffness adjustment, it is also possible to use modules of different dimensions. For instance modules of different height may be used to adjust overall stiffness of the device. Using modules with a different height for one or more of the layers of load absorbing material may result in a different overall height of the layers and/or a different number of co-planar stacked layers of load absorbing material.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention the mounting arrangement is configured for mounting the modules in a plurality of different number of modules, wherein for each number of modules the modules the mounting arrangement allows for even distribution of the modules or for even distribution of groups of the modules over the available mounting area.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention the mounting arrangement comprises a mounting plate that is provided with mounts for mounting the modules on the mounting plate in coplanar relationship for providing the layer of load absorbing material. In an advantageous embodiment thereof the mounting plate has a doughnut shape or circle shape and the modules each have the shape of a sector of the doughnut shape or circle shape.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the mounting arrangement comprising a mounting plate, the mounting arrangement is configured to mount modules on opposite sides of the mounting plate. In a further advantageous embodiment of the mounting arrangement comprising a mounting plate, the mounts are provided by holes in a pattern that defines mounting positions of the modules. In stead of holes, other mounts may be provided on the mounting plate, such as mounting cavities and/or mounting protrusions. As a further alternative, clamps may be provided on the on the mounting plate for clamping the modules onto the mounting plate.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention each module comprises two plates between which the load absorbing material is arranged. In a preferred embodiments thereof, in combination with the mounting arrangement comprising a mounting plate that is provided with a hole pattern, the plates of the modules are provided with holes that are configured to be aligned with the holes in the mounting plate such that a bolt can be arranged through the aligned holes in order to fix the module onto the mounting plate. The present invention further provides a kit of parts for assembling a device according to the invention as described herein above, wherein the kit of parts comprises a plurality of modules comprising load absorbing material, and a mounting arrangement for mounting the modules in coplanar relationship for providing a layer of load absorbing material. Preferably, the mounting arrangement is configured for providing a plurality of stacked layers of load absorbing material, wherein the mounting arrangement allows for at least one of the layers of load absorbing material to be provided by mounting the modules in coplanar relationship. The modules of the kit of parts are preferably of the same load absorbing material . The modules of the kit of parts are preferably identical. The modules of the kit of parts being of the same load absorbing material or even being identical, reduces complexity of the kit of parts and reduces manufacturing costs and costs of storage of unused modules. However, it is also possible that the kit of parts includes modules of different sizes and/or load absorbing properties, that can be arranged in coplanar relationship in order to provide a layer of load absorbing material. The kit of parts includes modules of different sizes and/or load absorbing properties increases the number of different configurations of modules and thus increases the number of different devices that can be assembled with the kit of parts.

The present invention further provides a leg mating unit to be arranged between a jacket leg of an offshore jacket and an offshore construction, such as a topside of an offshore platform, for absorbing loads associated with lifting the offshore construction on the offshore jacket, comprising a telescopic housing having arranged therein a load absorbing device according to the invention as described herein above. In a preferred embodiment thereof the telescopic housing comprises two telescopically ranged housing parts. One of the housing parts is configured to be arranged in or on one of the jacket legs and the offshore construction. The other housing part is configured to be engaged by the other of the jacket leg and the offshore construction when lifting the offshore construction on the offshore jacket such that when the offshore construction is lifted on the jacket leg the housing parts are moved toward each other. The device is arranged between the housing parts such that the layer or the plurality of stacked layers of load absorbing material is compressed when the housing parts are moved toward each other. The device is preferably arranged between the housing parts such that the housing parts provide support to the stacked layers of load absorbing material for preventing the stack from buckling. The present invention further provides a passive heave compensator to be arranged between an offshore construction and offshore lifting equipment for absorbing impact loads associated with heave motion of at least one of the offshore construction and the offshore lifting equipment while lifting the construction on or from a support, comprising a telescopic housing having arranged therein a load absorbing device according to the invention as described herein above. In a preferred embodiment thereof the telescopic housing comprises two telescopically ranged housing parts, wherein one of the housing parts is configured to be connected to one of the offshore construction and the offshore lifting equipment and the other housing part is configured to be connected to the other of the offshore construction and the offshore lifting equipment, such that when lifting the offshore construction by means of the offshore lifting equipment, the housing parts are moved away from each other, and the device is arranged between the housing parts such that the layer or the plurality of stacked layers of load absorbing material is compressed when the housing parts are moved away from each other.

The present invention further provides a method of assembling a device that is to be arranged between a construction and a support or between the construction and lifting equipment for absorbing loads associated with lifting the construction on or from the support, preferably a device according the invention described herein above, in which method a layer or a plurality of stacked layers of load absorbing material is provided, wherein at least one of the layers of load absorbing material is assembled by arranging in coplanar arrangement a plurality of modules comprising load absorbing material.

In a preferred embodiment the method comprises:

- determining the load to be absorbed by the layer of load absorbing material that is to be assembled by arranging in coplanar arrangement a plurality of modules comprising load absorbing material; - choosing from a set of modules comprising load absorbing material a plurality of modules for providing the layer of load absorbing material based on the determined load to be absorbed by the layer of load absorbing material;

- assembling the layer of load absorbing material by arranging the chosen modules in coplanar arrangement.

In a preferred embodiment thereof, arranging the chosen modules in coplanar arrangement comprises mounting the chosen modules onto a mounting support, wherein the chosen modules or groups of chosen modules are evenly distributed over the mounting support. Brief description of the figures

The figures in the accompanying drawing are used to illustrate present non-limitative preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The above stated and other advantages, features and objectives of the invention will become more apparent, and the invention better understood, from the following detailed description when read in combination with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a topside of an offshore platform that is being placed onto an offshore jacket for supporting the topside on the seabed;

Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a leg mating unit according to the invention that is arranged in a jacket leg of the jacket shown in figure 1 in which view internal components of the leg mating unit, including an embodiment of a load absorbing device according to the invention, are schematically shown with dashed lines ;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view in perspective of the leg mating unit of figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the load absorbing device according to the invention shown in figures 2 and 3 including a plurality of stacked layers of load absorbing material;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an assembly providing one of the layers of load absorbing material of the load absorbing device of figure 4, which assembly includes a plurality of coplanar modules;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the assembly of figure 5 with two of the modules taken out of the assembly, one of which is shown in exploded view;

Figure 8 is a top view of the assembly of figure 5 showing the arrangement of modules in a first configuration;

Figures 9 to 13 are a top view of alternatives of the assembly of figure 5 each showing modules arranged in a different configuration;

Figure 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of a passive heave compensator according to the invention in which view internal components of the passive heave compensator are shown , including an embodiment of a load absorbing device according to the invention having a plurality of stacked layers of load absorbing material;

Figure 15 is a side view of the plurality of stacked layers of load absorbing material of figure 14 before being under load;

Figure 16 is a side view of the plurality of stacked layers of load absorbing material of figure 14 while being under load.

Detailed description of the figures

In figure 1 a topside 1 of an offshore platform is shown while being lifted onto an offshore jacket 3 for supporting the topside 1 on the seabed 5. The topside 1 is lifted onto the jacket 3 by means of lifting equipment embodied by lifting arms 7 that are mounted on a vessel 9. For lifting the topside 1 onto the jacket 3, the topside 1 is lowered in the direction of arrow A until the topside 1 is fully supported by the jacket 3.

In figure 1 three jacket legs 11 a, 1 lb, 1 lc of the jacket 3 are shown. Above the upper end of each of the legs 1 la-c a respective mating cone 13a, 13b, 13c, is shown that is part of a mating construction 15 of the topside 1. When starting from the situation of figure 1 the topside 1 is lowered in the direction of arrow A, the cones 13a- 13c will engage a leg mating unit 17 that is mounted inside each of the jacket legs l la-c. Each leg mating unit 17 is configured to absorb loads that are associated with lifting the topside 1 onto the jacket 3. In particular, each leg mating unit is specifically configured to absorb loads that are associated with lifting the topside 1 onto the particular jacket leg 1 la-c. The loads associated with lifting the topside 1 onto the jacket 3 is generally different at each jacket leg 1 la-c as a result of the uneven distribution of the weight of the topside 1 over the jacket legs 1 l a-c. In figures 2 and 3 an embodiment of the leg mating unit 17 is shown arranged in the upper end 19 of jacket leg 11. Furthermore, a part of the mating construction 15 of the topside 1 is shown, in particular the part that includes cone 13. The leg mating unit 17 is arranged in an internal space 19 at the upper end of the jacket leg 1 1. The bottom of the internal space 19 is formed by an inwardly extending flange 20 of the hollow jacket leg 3. while the top of the internal space 19 is open. The leg mating unit 17 is arranged in the internal space 19.

The leg mating unit 17 is shown having a telescopic housing 21 having arranged therein a load absorbing device 23. The telescopic housing 21 comprises two telescopically arranged housing parts 25 and 27. The lower housing part 25 is an assembly comprising a canister 29. load absorbing elements 31 for absorbing loads in horizontal direction, and an adjustable shim 35. The load absorbing elements 31 for absorbing loads in horizontal loads are arranged on the outer surface of the canister 29 and are in contact with the inner surface 33 of the hollow jacket leg 3. The adjustable shim 35 is attached to the flanged lower end of the canister and is in contact with the inwardly extending flange 21 of the hollow jacket leg 1 1.

The canister 29 has an internal space 37 that has an open upper end 37a and a closed lower end 37b. The upper housing part 27 is telescopically received in the internal space 37 of the canister 29 of the lower housing part 25. The upper housing part 27 has an internal space 39 that has an open lower end 39a at the lower end 27a of the upper housing part 27 and that has an upper end 39b that is closed by means of a inwardly extending flange 41. At its upper end 27b, the upper housing part 27 has a receiving cone 42 that is configured to receive the cone 13 of the mating construction 15 of the topside 1.

Between the lower housing part 25 and the upper housing part 27 is arranged the load absorbing device 23. The load absorbing device 23 is arranged in the inner space 39 of the upper housing part 27. The load absorbing device 23 bears at its upper end 23a against the inwardly extending flange 41 of the upper housing part 27 and bears at its lower end 23b against the closed lower end 37b of the internals pace 37 of the canister 29 of the lower housing part 25. The load absorbing device 23 has a plurality of stacked layers 45 of load absorbing material. Moving the telescopically arranged upper housing part 25 and lower housing part 27 toward each other in the direction of arrows B causes the plurality of stacked layers 45 of load absorbing material to be compressed. In figure 4 the load absorbing device 23 is shown. The load absorbing device 43 has a plurality of stacked layers 45 of load absorbing material. Each layer 45 is provided by an assembly 47 as shown in figures 5 and 6.

In figures 5 and 6 is shown that the layer 45 of load absorbing material is provided by a plurality of coplanar modules 49. Each module 49 comprises a block 51 of load absorbing material that is arranged between two plates 53, 55. In particular the block 51 of load absorbing material is fixed to each of the two plates 53, 55 by means of an adhesive. The modules 49 have the shape of a sector of a doughnut-shape. As shown in figures 5 and 6 the modules 49 are mounted on a doughnut shaped mounting plate 57. The mounting plate 57 is provided with holes 59. The plates 53, 55 of the modules 49 are provided with holes 61 , 63 that are configured to be aligned with the holes 59 in the mounting plate 55 such that a bolt 65 can be arranged through the aligned holes 59, 61 in order to fix the lower plate 53 of the modules onto the mounting plate 57. The holes 59 in the mounting plate 57 allow for the bolts 65 to extend through the mounting plate 57. This allows to mount a module 49 against the underside of the mounting plate 57. A module 49 can be arranged with its upper plate 55 against the underside of the mounting plate 57, with the holes 63 in the upper plate 55 positioned such that the holes 63 are aligned with holes 59 in the mounting plate 57. A single bolts 65 can extend through a hole 63 in the upper plate 55 of a module 49 arranged against the underside of the mounting plate 57, through the hole 59 in the mounting plate 57, and through the hole 61 in the lower plate 53 of a module 49 that is arranged against the topside of the mounting plate 57, for mounting the two modules 49 on opposite sides of the mounting plate 57.

Starting from the assembly shown in figure 5 that provides one first layer 45 of load absorbing material, a second layer of load absorbing material can be provided on top of the layer 45 in order to provide a plurality of stacked layers of load absorbing material. In the shown embodiment that second layer can be provided by arranging a second mounting plate, that corresponds to the first mounting plate 57, on top of the modules 49 of the first layer 45 such that the underside of the second mounting plate is arranged on the upper plates 55 of the modules 49 of the first layer 45, and such that holes 59 in the second mounting plate are aligned with holes 63 in the upper plate 55 of the modules 49. Subsequently, additional modules 49 can be arranged on the topside of the second mounting plate for providing the second layer of load absorbing material. For mounting the additional modules 49 on the second mounting plate, the lower plate 53 of the additional modules 49 are positioned against the topside of the second mounting plate with holes 61 in the lower plate 53 of the additional modules 49 aligned with holes 59 in the second mounting plate. Subsequently, bolts 65 can be arranged through each set of aligned holes of the modules 49 of the first layer 45, of the second mounting plate 57, and of the additional modules 49 of the second layer of load absorbing material, for fastening the modules 49 that provide the first layer 45 and the additional modules 49 that provide the second layer, to the second mounting plate 57. The thus provided stack of two layers of load absorbing material can be expanded by providing further layers of load absorbing material on top of the stack, wherein each further layer can be provided on top of a previous provided layer by performing the same steps as described herein above for providing the second layer of load absorbing material on top of the first layer 45 of load absorbing material. Thus a plurality of stacked layers of load absorbing material can be provided such as shown in figure 4.

As described herein above, with the kit of parts 73 shown in figure 6 the layer 45 of load absorbing material as shown in figure 5 can be assembled. In the assembly shown in figure 5 the modules 49 that provide the layer 45 of load absorbing material are arranged such that each module 49 is in contact with an adjacent module 49 on either side thereof. The modules 49 thus cover the total mounting area provided by the mounting plate 57. In the shown embodiment the load absorbing material of each modules 49 is in contact with the load absorbing material of the adjacent modules 49. As a result, when the modules 49 that provide the layer 45 are compressed in a direction perpendicular to the mounting plate 57 and upper and lower plates 53, 55, the load absorbing material of each module 49 is prevented to expand in tangential direction and thus can only expand in radial direction. In figure 7, that shows a top view on the assembly shown in figure 6, the tangential direction of expansion of the load absorbing material of a module 49 is indicated with arrows C. The radial direction of expansion of the load absorbing material of a module 49 is indicated with arrows D.

With the kit of parts 73 shown in figure 6 it is possible to provide a layer 45 of load absorbing material with different arrangements of modules 49. In figures 8 to 12 five possible arrangements of modules 49 are shown. As described herein above, in the arrangement of modules 49 as shown in figure 7, twelve modules 49 are arranged on the mounting plate 57 such that each module 49 is in contact with an adjacent module 49 on either side thereof and such that the modules 49 cover the total mounting area provided by the mounting plate 57. In figures 8 to 12 arrangements of modules 49 are shown wherein the layer 45 of load absorbing material is provided by less than twelve modules 49, wherein the modules 49 are distributed over the total mounting area provided by the mounting plate 57 in different arrangements.

In figure 8 ten of the modules 49 of the kit of parts shown in figure 6 are mounted on the mounting plate 57. The modules 49 are arranged in two spaced apart groups 75, 77 of five modules 49, wherein within each group of modules adjacent modules 49 are in contact with each other. The groups 75, 77 do not completely cover the total available mounting area provided by the mounting plate 57 and are arranged evenly distributed over the total available mounting area. Within each group 75, 77 the load absorbing material of each module 49 is in contact with the load absorbing material of each adjacent module 49. Under compression, the load absorbing material of the respective modules 49 of each group 75, 77 thus act as a unit. Under compression the load absorbing material of each group can expand along the free sides of the group of modules in radial direction D along the arc shaped sides of the group 75, 77 of modules and in tangential direction D along the free sides of the outer modules 49 of the group 75, 77 of modules 49.

The arrangement shown in figure 9 corresponds to the arrangement shown in figure 8, albeit that eight of the modules 49 of the kit of parts shown in figure 6 are mounted on the mounting plate 57 instead of ten. The modules 49 are arranged in two spaced apart groups 79, 81 of four modules 49, wherein within each group of modules adjacent modules 49 are in contact with each other. In figure 10 nine of the modules 49 of the kit of parts shown in figure 6 are mounted on the mounting plate 57. The modules 49 are arranged in three spaced apart groups 83, 85, 87 of three modules 49, wherein within each group of modules adjacent modules 49 are in contact with each other. The groups 83, 85, 87 do not completely cover the total available mounting area provided by the mounting plate 57 and are arranged evenly distributed over the total available mounting area. Within each group 83, 85, 87 the load absorbing material of each module 49 is in contact with the load absorbing material of each adjacent module 49. Under compression, the load absorbing material of the respective modules 49 of each group 83, 85, 87 thus act as a unit. Under compression the load absorbing material of each group can expand along the free sides of the group of modules in radial direction C along the arc shaped sides of the group 83, 85, 87 of modules and in tangential direction D along the free sides of the outer modules 49 of the group 83, 85, 87 of modules 49.

The arrangement shown in figure 11 corresponds to the arrangement shown in figure 10, albeit that six of the modules 49 of the kit of parts shown in figure 6 are mounted on the mounting plate 57 in stead of nine. The modules 49 are arranged in three spaced apart groups 89, 91 , 93 of two modules 49, wherein within each group of modules adjacent modules 49 are in contact with each other.

The arrangement shown in figure 12 corresponds to the arrangement shown in figure 1 1 , albeit that the six modules 49 are not arranged in groups, but in space apart individual relationship. Under compression, the load absorbing material of the respective modules 49 can expand along the free sides of the module 49 in radial direction C along the arc shaped sides of the module 49 and in tangential direction D along the straight sides of the module 49.

Although of each of the arrangements shown in figures 7 to 12, the modules 49 are the same, the load absorbing behaviour of each of the arrangements is different as a result of the different number of mounted modules 49 and/or different arrangement of the mounted modules 49 relative to each other. With the kit of parts as shown in figure 6 thus a plurality of differently behaving layers 45 of load absorbing material can be assembled. The number of modules 49 and the arrangement of modules 49 to be mounted on the mounting plate 57 in order to provide a layer 45 of load absorbing material can be chosen based on a determined load to be absorbed by the layer 45 during use thereof.

When assembling a stack of layers 45 of load absorbing material as shown in figure 4, each layer 45 can be assembled with a kit of parts as shown in figure 6. For each of the layers 45 the number of modules 49 to be mounted on the mounting plate 57 and the arrangement thereof on the mounting plate 57 can be chosen based on a determined load to be absorbed by the layer 45 during use thereof. However, the number of modules 49 and the arrangement preferably but not necessarily is kept the same over all layers in the stack. The determined load to be absorbed by the layer 45 during use thereof, is a derivative of a determined load to be absorbed by the stack of layers 45 of load absorbing material.

Each of the leg mating units 17a-c arranged in the jacket legs 1 1a, l ib, 1 lc of the jacket 3 shown in figure 1 will while lifting the topside 1 onto the jacket 3, be subjected to different loads depending on the weight distribution of the topside 1. Furthermore, the load on each of the leg mating units 17a-e may be subjected to different loads depending on the position of the associated mating cone 13a, 13b, 13c, relative to the lifting arms 7. By providing each leg mating unit 11a, l ib, 11c with a device as described herein above under reference to figures 4 to 12, each leg mating unit 1 la, 1 lb, 1 lc, can be assembled from a kit of parts having the same components as shown in figure 6, wherein each leg mating unit 1 1a, l ib, 1 1c can have its specific load absorbing behavior depending on the chosen number and arrangement of modules 49 for each of the layers 45 of load absorbing material that together provide the plurality of stacked layers of load absorbing material shown in figure 4.

In figures 13 and 14 a passive heave compensator 100 according to the invention is shown. The passive heave compensator 100 is shown having a telescopic housing 101 having arranged therein a load absorbing device 103. The telescopic housing 101 comprises two telescopically arranged housing parts 105 and 107. The upper housing part 105 is attached to a hoisting block 109 of lifting equipment. As shown in figure 13 the hoisting block 109 is provided with two pulleys 1 1 , 113 over which a hoisting cable 1 15 is run. The upper housing part 105 comprises a canister 117. The canister 117 has an internal space 119 that has an open lower end 119a and a closed upper end 119b. In the internal space 119 near the open lower end 1 19a thereof is provided an inwardly protruding flange 121. In the internal space 1 19 the load absorbing device 103 is arranged that is at its lower end supported by the flange 121. The load absorbing device 103 corresponds to the load absorbing device 23 shown in figure 4, albeit that it is shown having two stacked layers 123 of load absorbing material in stead of more than two.

The lower housing part 107 is telescopically received in the internal space 1 19 of the canister 117 of the upper housing part 105. The lower housing part 107 has a puck-shaped base 125 that is arranged on top of the top layer 123 of load absorbing material of the load absorbing device 103. A rod 127 extends from the base 125 through the centre of the load absorbing device 103 and out of the internal space 1 19 of the canister 1 17 of the upper housing part 105. At its lower end the rod 127 of the lower housing part has arranged thereon a hook 129 that may be attached to an offshore structure to be lifted.

The load absorbing device 103 is thus arranged between the upper housing part 105 and the lower housing part 107. As shown in figure 15 moving the telescopically arranged upper housing part 105 and lower housing part 107 away from each other, for instance by moving the lower housing part 107 relative to the upper housing part 105 in the direction of arrow E, causes the plurality of stacked layers 121 of load absorbing material to be compressed. Although the principles of the invention have been set forth above with reference to specific embodiments, it must be understood that this description is given solely by way of example and not as limitation to the scope of protection, which is defined by the appended claims.