US3504740A - Subsea satellite foundation unit and method for installing a satellite body within said foundation unit - Google Patents

Description

April 7, 1970 w. F. MANNING SUBSEA SATELLITE FOUNDATION UNIT AND METHOD FOR INSTALLING A SATELLITE BODY WITHIN SAID FOUNDATION UNIT Filed Aug. 28, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WILLIAM F. MANNING ATTORNEY April 7, 1970 w. F. MANNING 3,504,740

SUBSEA SATELLITE FOUNDATION UNIT AND METHOD FOR INSTALLING A SATELLITE BODY WITHIN SAID FOUNDATION UNIT Filed Aug. 28, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY w. F. MANNING 3,504,740 SUBSEA SATELLITE FOUNDATION UNIT AND METHOD FOR INSTALLING April 7, 1970 A SATELLITE BODY WITHIN SAID FOUNDATION UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 28, 1967 \NVENTOR WILLIAM E MANNING Q If ATTORNEY United States Patent U.S. 'Cl. 166.5 74 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This specification discloses a three-component subsea foundation unit comprising a base structure, a conductor pipe template structure, and a removable handling structure. The base structure has a plurality of peripheral jackets through which piles are driven for fixing the foundation unit on a marine bottom. The conductor pipe template structure, through which the subaqueous Wells are to be drilled and in which a subsea satellite body will later be cradled, is adjustably supported on the base structure so that it can be leveled prior to drilling wells therethrough. The removable handling structure holds the base and conductor pipe template structures rigidly together during installation and is removed thereafter. The satellite body, lowered from a surface handling vessel to just above the foundation unit on the marine bottom, after the completion of the wells therethrough, is drawn down into the subsea foundation unit by a tether line, having one end wound on a remotely controlled winch drum located either within or without the shell of the satellite body, at the other end anchored by a releasable spear latched within the conductor pipe template structure. The underwater operations are performed in conjunction with a tool-carrying submersible work vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to a subsea foundation unit providing a rigid, level base for a subsea satellite body on a marine bottom and to methods for installing the subsea foundation unit on the marine bottom and for installing a subsea satellite body in the subsea foundation unit from a surface handling vessel without transmitting surface wave movements to the subsea satellite body as the subsea satellite body comes into contact with the previously installed foundation unit.

Description of the prior art The prior art has not at this stage presented solutions to the problems of locating a subsea foundation unit, for a satellite station, on an uneven or nonhorizontal marine bottom or of lowering the satellite body, or any other massive object, from a floating surface handling vessel to a rigid previously installed foundation unit supported on the marine bottom. Any erratic motion, such as movements of any floating body caused by surface Waves, transmitted through the satellite body from the surface handling vessel, while the satellyite body is first contacting the foundation unit, rigidly fixed on the marine bottom, could easily cause irreparable harm to both. The H. L. Shatto, Jr., US. Patent No. 3,111,926, one of the few issued patents actually disclosing a subsea production satellite station, discloses a permanently buoyant station which is held in position under water above the marine bottom by tensioned anchor lines. While this type of arrangement would avoid the problem of an uneven marine bottom, the constant reballasting necessary, and the danger that the buoyant satellite body could break loose, would negate the 3,504,740 Patented Apr. 7, 1970 advantages of this solution. The I. A. Haeber US. Patent No. 3,261,398, issued on July 19, 1966, illustrates an enentire subsea system installed on a marine bottom. However, in this patent the procedure and equipment necessary for installing the subsea components of the system are not disclosed.

The C. E. Wakefield, Jr., US. Patent No. 3,143,172, issued on Aug. 4, 1964, discloses a single wellhead base, located on a marine bottom, having a universal joint incorporated therein for vertically orienting a connected single conductor pipe jacket. While such an arrangement does recognize the problems associated with drilling a subaqueous well through a jacket of a base structure located on an uneven or nonhorizontal marine bottom, this solution would not be satisfactory in the application where a plurality of jackets would have to be realigned and where the near-perfect registry of a later installed satellite body with the wellheads of the subaqueous wells is essential.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention includes a novel subsea foundation unit which comprises three components: a base structure, a conductor pipe template structure, and a removable handling structure. The base structure is provided with a plurality of peripheral jackets interconnected by an open framework having rigid, spaced elements upon which vertically oriented hydraulic jacks are mounted to level the conductor pipe template structure to be resting thereon. Enlarged bearing surfaces on the lower ends of the jackets help support the base structure temporarily on the marine bottom prior to the driving or :prestabbed piles through the jackets to form a more permanent, rigid support in the formations underlying the marine bottom. Each jacket is equipped with a ballistic connector near the upper end thereof for remotely locking the respective piles within the respective jackets after the piles have been driven the prescribed distance into the marine bottom.

The conductor pipe template structure comprises a plurality of jackets arranged in a configuration, the circumference of which is slightly larger than the diameter of a subsea satellite body to be installed therewithin. A satellite body-locating vertically oriented, cylindrical element, termed a template barrel, is coaxially fixed within the circle of conductor pipe jackets by a system of integrated bracing to provide a rigid structure. The barrel is terminated at the lower end thereof by a connector portion, termed a spear catcher, which will operate in conjunction with the satellite as will be later discussed. A similar latching spear and catcher arrangement is shown in the W. I. Hayes US. Patent No. 3,066,325, issued Dec. 4, 1962, and the W. E. Baier, Jr., US. Patent No. 3,199,070, issued Aug. 3, 1965. A guide element on a depending stabbing nipple of a satellite body, to be lowered into the foundation unit, acts with complementary guide means on or in the circular wall of the template barrel to angularly position the subsea satellite body with respect to the conductor pipe jackets. The guide element on the stabbing nipple, if the stabbing nipple fits tightly in the template barrel, would be yieldably mounted in the stabbing nipple and would coact with a guide groove cut into the inner wall of the template barrel. On the other hand, the stabbing nipple could be of a slightly smaller diameter than the template barrel and in this case the guide element would be stationarily mounted on the stabbing nipple. Rather than a groove in the wall of the template barrel, an outstanding ridge would then function as the complementary guide means. A plurality of horizontal hydraulic units are mounted in a plane around the template barrel to back up camming pins reciprocatable through the barrel wall. Driving the camming pins into complementary grooves in the wall of the stabbing nipple axially positively locates the stabbing nipple and secures the satellite body in the foundation unit. A housing is fixed to the conductor pipe template structure over each hydraulic jack to vertically support and laterally locate the conductor pipe template structure on the base structure, preventing the template structure from slipping off of the jacks particularly during the leveling process. At least three leveling indicators are connected to the conductor pipe template structure and are spaced outwardly of the base structure at substantially equiangular points. The orientation or inclination of the conductor pipe template structure, with respect to the base structure, is altered while monitoring the three leveling indicators to level the conductor pipe template when, in the usual case, the base structure does not settle in a fully horizontal position on the marine bottom.

The removable handling structure comprises a plurality of caps interconnected by a rigid framework, one cap adapted to fit over each of the prestabbed piles, extending upward through the jackets of the base structure and axially located therein by lower protruding lugs. The caps are removably fixed over the piles by retractable locking pins extending through the side wall of each cap and the respective pile. At least a pair of spuds extend downward from the removable handling structure into jackets of the conductor pipe template structure to stabilize the conductor pipe template structure on the base structure while the entire foundation unit is being lowered to the marine bottom. A rotatable cylindrical element, journaled in a central hub, located in the framework of the removable handling structure, is adapted to receive an end of a drill string, for lowering the entire foundation unit to the marine bottom, and for responding to rotation of the drill string when the base structure is stationary on the marine bottom. The rotation of the cylindrical element in the central hub in the handling structure causes the simultaneous retraction of the locking pins interconnecting the caps of the removable handling structure with the piles.

The subsea foundation unit is transported to the marine site on the deck of a barge with the base structure supported on the lugs of the prestabbed piles which depend below the base structure jackets, the piles also extending upward through and above the jackets of the base structure. The conductor pipe template structure rests on the collapsed vertical jacks of the base structure as described above. The removable handling structure is mounted over the nested conductor pipe template and base structure with the locking pins and spuds thereof integrating the three components into one rigid unit that can be conveniently handled at a single pickup point.

The integrated foundation unit is lifted from the barge by a hoist and positioned under a drilling derrick where an attachment is made to a running drill string for the lowering of the unit to the marine bottom. When the base structure settles on the marine bottom, the drill string is rotated with respect to the unit to retract the locking pins so that the removable handling structure can be separated from the base and conductor pipe template structures and raised back to the surface. The prestabbed piles of the base structure are driven to a prescribed penetration either by weight cans on a drill string and/or jetting as shown in the copending application Ser. No. 556.220, filed June 8, 1966, by Ernst Leonhardt, Jr., now Patent No. 3,376,922, issued Apr. 9, 1968 or by underwater pile driving apparatus. In any case, the positioning of the pile driving apparatus on top of each of the piles will be aided by an observing submersible Work vehicle. As each pile is driven to penetration, a ballistic unit mounted on the upper end of the respective base structure jacket is actuated to drive a pin through a preformed hole in the jacket wall and through the wall of the respective pile to connect the pile to the respective jacket prior to grouting. Such a ballistic connector is described in my US. patent a plication Ser. No. 489,527, entitled Ballistic Jacket-Pile Connection, filed Sept. 3, 1965, now Patent No. 3,3 2,119, issued Nov. 14, 1967. The piles can be grounted into the formations underlying the marine bottom and even into the foundation jackets if this proves desirable, although the temporary nature of the functioning of this connecting means (until the surface casing of a subaqueous well is cemented into a conductor pipe jacket) would, in most cases, not justify the additional expense.

In all probability, the conductor pipe template structure Will not be level after the installation of the base structure is described. This will be evident from the monitoring, by a manned submersible vehicle, of the leveling units previously described as extending out around the subsea foundation unit. The conductor pipe template structure is brought into a near-perfect horizontal attitude by hydraulically actuating selected ones of the vertical jacks supporting the conductor pipe template structure on the base structure in conjunction with the monitoring of the leveling units. The actuation of the jacks may be accomplished by connecting a hydraulic line from a source of fluid pressure on the surface handling vessel to a releasable connector portion extending out from each indicated jack, by the submersible vehicle, or by attaching the releasable connector portion of the indicated jacks, in turn, to the free end of an extensible hydraulic line originating in the submersible vehicle, the submersible vehicle being equipped with a hydraulic power source. Such procedures are more fully explained and illustrated in my copending application entitled Pipe Laying Method, Ser. No. 649,933, filed June 29, 1967, now Patent No. 3,343,295, issued Mar. 25, 1969.

At this point in the installation procedure, a conductor pipe is lowered, on a drill string, through one of the conductor pipe template jackets, and is set to a prescribed penetration in the formations underlying the marine bottom by one of several methods. A borehole can be predrilled into the marine bottom through the respective jacket, or the conductor pipe can be jetted or drilled in itself. The lower end of the conductor pipe is guided into the respective template jacket by a submersible work vehicle and/or by guide lines. A chaser" of the same pipe section as the conductor pipe is releasably connected to the conductor pipe by a J-latch or safety joint to permit the top of the conductor pipe to be terminated below the upper end of the respective template jacket. This is desirable because it leaves a bowl, in the upper end of each jacket, exposed to receive subsequent surface casing strings, allowing the later-to-be installed subsea wellhead to be mounted to close tolerance with the satellite indexing and latching components to be described later. After the successful installation of a first conductor pipe in one of the template jackets, conductor pipes are installed in each of the other conductor pipe jackets sequentially. Since the base structure is rigidly fixed by the piles set therethrough and the conductor pipe template structure rests solidly on the base structure, the annuli between the conductor pipes and the respective jackets can be grouted without preconnecting the elements as with ballistic connectors as described above. A port formed in each of the jackets, slightly below the upper end of the set conductor pipe, precludes grout filling the inside of the conductor pipe template jacket above the conductor pipe therewithin. Exit of the grout at this port can be monitored by television and/or by the attendant submersible work vehicle. Such a port arrangement is shown in the application entitled Combination Deep Water Storage Tank and Drilling and Production Platform by Mostafa Toossi, Ser. No. 625,387, filed on Mar. 23, 1967 (see FIGURE 6b). Wells are drilled and completed through each of the grouted-in conductor pipes and production wellheads are mounted in the upper ends of the template jackets, the wellheads being indexed to provide the proper orientation with respect to a satellite body to be installed therebetween. Each of the production wellheads has upstanding tubing nipples connected with the production and control passages therewithin for mating with complementary stab over connector units, for bridging the distance from the subsea wellheads and the satellite body to be installed in the foundation unit.

To install the subsea satellite body in the foundation unit previously installed on the marine bottom, the subsea satellite body is placed in the water under a derrick supported on a surface handling vessel, and an annular buoyancy tank in a stabbing nipple beneath the main satellite shell is flooded to make the satellite negatively buoyant by a prescribed amount. The subsea satellite body is then lowered, from the surface handling vessel, into close proximity with the foundation by hoisting lines. Power and air lines connected between the surface handling vessel and the satellite body are reeled out simultantously with the hoisting lines. From a holding position just above the respective foundation unit, a motor driven winch drum, located either on the outside of the satellite body or within the shell thereof, is remotely operated to unreel a tether line terminating in a weighted anchoring connector element, termed a latching spear, fixed on the free end thereof suspended beneath the satellite shell in the water. With the spear catcher fixed in the lower end of the template barrel, it is most convenient to have the winch drum be located within the shell of the subsea satellite body with the tether line entrained through the vertically depending cylindrical stabbing nipple rigidly fixed beneath the satellite shell. The latching spear, hanging suspended below the stabbing nipple, is directed into a guide funnel, forming the uppermost portion of thecylindrical template barrel of the conductor pipe template structure, with the aid of the submersible work vehicle, if necessary. The latching spear locks automatcially into the spear catcher to anchor the free end of the reeled-out tether line. Once the tether line is anchored in the foundation unit, the satellite ballast tank is remotely voided through the utilization of the air line connected to the surface handling vessel, causing the subsea satellite body to obtain a positively buoyant condition, so as to induce a calculated tension in the anchored tether line. This causes the hoisting lines previously used for lowering the satellite body from the surface handling vessel to go slack. The hoisting lines can now be fully disconnected from the satellite body. Reeling in the tether line, under remote control from the surface handling vessel, to further lower the satellite body, prevents surface movements of the surface handling vessel to be transmitted to the satellite while the satellite body is being moved down into direct contact with the structure of the foundation unit.

The satellite body must be brought into proper alignment as it is lowered into position in the leveled foundation unit so that the satellite body can be fluidly connected to the subaqueous Wells through the registering wellheads mounted on the conductor pipe jackets of the conductor pipe template structure. From the surface vessel, the winch within the satellite is actuated to take up the tether line at a slow rate. This guides the stabbing nipple of the satellite into the cylindrical template barrel of the foundation unit. As the stabbing nipple telescopes into the template barrel, the guide element, a radial guidance and alignment pin, extending from the wall of the cylindrical stab nipple, engages the complementary guide means, a double helical groove track, within the inner wall of the barrel, which in turn directs the pin into a vertical lower terminal section of the track to index automatically the satellite body with respect to the wellheads mounted on the subsea foundation unit. The winch drum in the satellite body, upon which the tether line is reeled, has a maximum power value short of that required to cause failure of a shear pin in the anchoring spear.

The subsea satellite body may be designed with previously attached stab-over connector units, or for the attachment of individual transition units between each subsea wellhead and the subseat satellite body. When using the transition units, they can be installed subsequent to the installation of the satellite body First considering the case where the satellite body has the stabover connector units permanently attached prior to submergence, all of the subaqueous wells, to be drilled through the foundation unit, must be drilled and completed prior to installation of the satellite body. Application of the maximum power available for the winch drum will at least cause the stab-over connector units of the satellite body to rest atop the respective upstanding tubing nipples extending upward from the production wellheads around the perimeter of the conductor pipe template structure. The stab-over connected units may slip down over the upstanding tubing nipples if alignment should happen to be quite accurate and the friction forces developed by sealing rings, between each tubing nipple and its stab-over connnector unit, are not too large. Even if no telescoping action occurs, however, the conical ends of the upstanding tubing nipples nad complementary stab-over connector units will be mutually exposed and the actuation of the hydraulic units mounted around the template barrel simultaneously, through a manifolding arrangement, causing the camming pins to be driven through the wall of the template barrel and into complementary camming grooves formed in the surfaces of the stabbing nipple. The camming grooves are shaped so as to force the satellite down, overcoming the forces caused by the maximum possible misalignment of telescoping tubing components, and finally seating the satellite body firmly within the foundation unit to complete the installation. Back-up jack screws of the barrel hydraulic units are individually driven in with a tool carried by the submersible work vehicle to insure the permanence of the installation.

The alternative to a plurality of the stabover connector units, permanently attached to the satellite body prior to installation in the foundation unit, as described above, which requires almost perfect alignment and simultaneous connections, is separate transition units, which can be independently lowered over the wellhead of each completed subaqueous well after the satellite is rigidly installed in the foundation unit. With this embodiment, the subaqueous wells can be drilled after the satellite body is in place in the foundation unit, although the normal procedure would be to install the subsea satellite body just after the first well has been completed, so that the fluid minerals could be produced from the completed well as soon as possible, but not before the completion of a subaqeous well to minimize the time between the captial investment and the return of the monies involved.

Each transition unit is provided with a common hydraulic or mechanically actuated collet connector to seal a vertical portion of each of the transition units to the upper end of the respective wellhead subsequent to mating stab-over sleeves within the transition unit with the upstanding tubing nipples on the wellhead. In connecting the transition unit to a wellhead, a horizontal tubing portion of the transition unit is aligned so as to be coaxial with a complementary tubing portion extending horizontally from the satellite. A sliding sleeve reciprocatably mounted on the horizontal tubing portion of the transition unit is actuated to bridge the aligned tubing portions and form a fluidtight connection. A generally similar transition unit, for a single subsea wellhead, wherein the production wellhead or christmas tree forms a portion of the unit is shown in the M. R. Jones U.S. Patent No. 3,220,477, issued Nov. 30, 1965. A slidable sleeve arrangement for subsea well connections is illustrated and described in the R. L. Geer et al. U.S. Patent Nos. 3,186,487 and 3,233,666, issued June 1, 1965 and Feb. 8, 1966, respectively.

To later retrieve the satellite body, the well pressure is first shut off in all of the telescoping tubing components. The jack screws of each of the barrel hydraulic units are then backed off and the camming pins are hydraulically withdrawn from engagement with the camming grooves of the stab nipple. The winch within the satellite shell is set in the idle position so that the tendency of the buoyant satellite body to rise will not be counteracted and lines from a surface handling vessel, including at least hoisting lines, are attached to the satellite. Strain is put on the hoisting lines from the surface vessel to break the satellite loose at the well tubing connections, allowing the satellite to rise under its own positive buoyancy to the limit allowed by the tether line connected between the satellite mounted winch and the anchored spear. With the hoisting lines drawn up some but still slack, the ballast tank of the satellite is now flooded to provide a prescribed negtive buoyancy. The satellite then becomes supported from the surface handling vessel by the hoisting lines with the tether line being slack. The hoisting lines are pulled up until the tether line is taut and an additional strain on the hoisting lines from the surface handling vessel causes failure of the shear pin in the spear, completely freeing the satellite body from its foundation unit so that the satellite can be hoisted to the surface for maintenance, repair, or replacement. The broken-off portion of the latching spear in the spear catcher drops out of the lower end of the template barrel.

Using the alternate transition units, a similar satellite retrieval procedure is followed. The well pressure is again shut off in all of the telescoping tubing components. The sliding sleeves are retracted, the collet connectors are opened, and the transition units are then retrieved, one at a time, by the surface handling vessel. The jack screws are backed off at this time to withdraw the camming pins from engagement with the camming grooves of the stabbing nipple. The winch within the satellite body shell is set to idle so that the buoyant satellite body will rise to the limit allowed by the tether line. Without any stab-over connections in this alternative embodiment, the satellite should freely rise. If not, the hoisting lines can still be used to break the satellite away from the foundation unit. The remainder of the procedure is the same as that described above in conjunction with the embodiment utilizing stabover connections directly between the satellite body and the wellheads mounted on the foundation unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a pictorial illustration of a subsea pro duction system with a satellite body being installed on a foundation unit preinstalled on the marine bottom and showing a submersible work vehicle, of the type necessary to implement the installation, in attendance.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the assembled base and conductor pipe template structures of the foundation unit of the present invention, taken through line 22 of FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the foundation unit settled on the marine bottom, with the removable handling structure thereof in the process of being raised back to the surface. A portion of the conductor pipe template structure is shown partially broken away to illustrate the side groove and spear catcher in a cylindrical barrel thereof.

FIGURE 3A is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a foundation pile and the removable handling structure.

FIGURE 4 is a pictorial view illustrating an installed foundation unit having wells completed through all of the conductor pipe template jackets thereof, wellheads being mounted at the upper ends of the conductor pipe jackets. A subsea satellite body is shown in the process of being drawn into the foundation unit by an interconnecting tether line.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view, partially in section, illustrating an alternate transition unit for connecting the wellheads mounted on the upper ends of the conductor pipe template jackets to the fully installed satellite body.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Now looking at FIGURE 1, a semisubmersible floating platform supports a derrick 12 thereon above the surface 14 of a body of water. Through the agency of the derrick 12, a satellite body 16 is being lowered down onto a preinstalled foundation unit 18 rigidly fixed on the marine bottom 20. Previously installed, widely spaced, satellite stations 22 as well as the satellite base 18 are connected to a floating storage and off-loading structure 24 through flowlines 26 extending across the marine bottom 20 to a central circular manifold 28 forming a portion of the anchor base for a tether pipe 30 atop which the storage and off-loading structure 24 is secured. A submersible work vehicle 32, illustrated in the lower portion of the drawing, is adapted to operate in the subsea field, aiding in the various subsea o erations. The submersible work vehicle 32 has articulated arms 34 and 36 carrying a socket wrench 38 and a vise grip 40, respectively, thereon for performing the various operations required.

Now turning attention to FIGURES 2 and 3, the foundation unit 18 comprises a base structure 42, a conductor pipe template structure 44, and a removable handling structure 46 (shown only in FIGURE 3). The subsea foundation unit has a generally triangular configuration in plan, as seen in FIGURE 2, the base structure 42 thereof being comprised of three vertical pile jackets 48 interconnected by pairs of horizontal framework elements 50. Rigidity is provided by the necessary crossbracing between the parallel pairs of the framework elements 50 between each of the pipe jackets 48. Each pile jacket 48 has a cylindrical ballistic connector unit 49 afiixed over a radial hole (not shown) extending through the wall thereof. A large circular plate 52 is mounted on the lower end of each of the pile jackets 48 to provide a bearing surface on the lower ends of the jackets 48 to support the base structure 42 temporarily on the marine bottom 20 prior to the driving of prestabbed piles 54 therethrough into the formations underlying the marine bottom 20. Each of these piles 54 has a plurality of radially spaced lugs 56 affixed to the lower end thereof to prevent the lower ends of the piles 54 from coming up through the jackets 48 whereby the foundation unit 18 can be supported from above by the removable handling structure 46 removably connected to the upper end of the piles 54. Three by draulic jacks 58 (two seen in FIGURE 3) are rigidly fixed in vertical positions on horizontal crossbraces 60 (FIGURE 2) extending across the triangular base structure 42 just inward each of the apexes thereof and fixedly arranged in a plane between adjacent upper framework members 50 to adjustably support the conductor pipe template structure 44 on the base structure 42. The hydraulic lines for applying ower to each of the jacks 58 are run through the respective crossbraces 60 and terminate outward of the framework members 50 in fluid coupling portions 59 into which a submersible work vehicle 32 can connect a flexible fluid pressure line connected to a source of fluid power either on the surface handling vessel or in the submersible work vehicle 32 itself.

The conductor pipe template structure 44 comprises a circular grouping of conductor pipe jackets 62 coaxially arranged about a cylindrical template barrel 64 and interconnected therewith by means of crossbracing. The cylindrical barrel has a double helical groove portion 70, formed in the inner wall thereof, terminating at the lower end in a vertical slot 72. At the lower end of the barrel 64 is a spear catcher 74 while at the upper end of the barrel there is a larger diameter section 76 terminating in an outwardly conical portion 78. Affixed to the cylindrical barrel 64 and equally spaced therearound are three hydraulic units 82 having radial camming pins 83 extending through the circular wall of the barrel 64. The hydraulic units 82 are interconnected by a manifold 84 having a rigid hydraulic line 86 extending radially outward therefrom to a point beyond the framework mem bers 50 of the base structure 42 where it terminates in a hydraulic connector portion 88 through which fluid pressure can be applied simultaneously to the three rydraulic units 82. Back-up jack screws 90 for the hydraulic barrel units 82 also extend radially outward and terminate in polygonal actuator heads 92 designed to be rotated by the socket wrench 38 carried on the articulated arm 34 of the submersible work vehicle 32 (FIGURE 1). The jack screws 90 are rotatably journalled in supporting members 94 part way along their lengths. Also forming portion of the conductor pipe template structure 44 are three leveling indicators 80 equiangularly spaced around the conductor pipe template structure 44 and located outwardly of the framework members 50 of the base structure 42. The leveling indicators 80 are of the visual type, having an air bubble suspended in liquid, and commonly known as a carpenters level. They are adapted to be observed by personnel in the submersible work vehicle shown in FIGURE 1. Three vertical housings 66 are also equiangularly spaced around the conductor pipe template structure 44 by rigid, vertical webs 68 extending between the housings 66 and respective conductor pipe jackets 62. The housings 66 are hollow, closed at the upper ends and open at the lower ends thereof, extending down over the respective jacks 58 (see phantom showing on the left-hand housing 66 in FIGURE 3) whereby the extensible members of the jacks 58 are telescoped upward within the respective housings 66 to adjust the orientation or inclination of the conductor pipe template structure 44 with respect to the base structure 42.

Referring to FIGURES 3 and 3A, the removable handling structure 46 comprises three caps 96 (only two shown) so spaced so that they can be simultaneously set over the upper ends of the three prestabbed piles 54. A slidable pin 98 extends through an aperture 96a to vertical wall of each of the caps 96 and is adapted to engage a corresponding aperture in the upper end of the respective pile 54. The pins 98 are connected to a cylindrical element 102 rotatably mounted in a central hub 104, rigidly interconnected with the caps 96 by an open framework 108, by links 100 extending through elongated slots 105 in the circular wall of the central hub. Each of links 100 is pivotally connected between central hub 104 and pins 98 by means of a pair of joints 100a and The rotatable cylindrical element 102 is internally threaded to receive the lower end of a drill string 106 additionally supported in an upper journal 110 fixed in the framework 108 and spaced concentrically above the hub 104. A plurality of spaced vertical spuds 112 depend from the framework 108 and are designed to telescope into conductor pipe jackets 62, when the conductor pipe template structure 44 rests on the base structure 42, with the jacks 58 collapsed, until a flange 114 on each spud 112 abouts the upper' ends of the respective conductor pipe jacket 62. When the caps 96 and locked in place over the upper ends of the piles 54 by the pins 98, with the spuds 112 telescoping the prescribed distance into the respective conductor pipe jackets 62, the base structure 42 and the conductor pipe template structure 44 are fixedly held in position with respect to each other, and the foundation unit 18 can be lowered through the body of water by the drill string 106. When the foundation unit 18 reaches the marine bottom the base structure 42 being supported thereon, the drill pipe 106 is rotated, rotating the cylindrical element 102 to cause the links 100 to move back in the slots 105 of the hub 104 and withdraw the pins 98 from the piles 54. At this point the removable handling structure 46 can be raised to the position shown in solid line of FIGURE 3 and from there back to the surface.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the lowering of the satellite body 16 through the body of water toward its installed position within the foundation unit 18. As illustrated, the piles 54 have been driven down into the pile jackets 48 until the upper ends thereof are approximately on the level with the upper ends of the pile jackets 48. The ballistic connectors 49 have been detonated to lock the piles 54 in position in the jackets 48 and the piles 54 have been fixed in place as previously discussed to form a rigid base structure on the marine bottom 20. The conductor pipe template structure 44 has been leveled by the actuation of the jacks 58 through the application of fluid pressure through the fluid coupling portions 59 made and broken by the submersible work vehicle 32 while monitoring the leveling units (shown only in FIGURES 2 and 3). As shown, subaqueous Wells have already been drilled through all of the conductor pipe jackets 62, casings set therein, and subsea wellheads 118 have been mounted in the upper ends of conductor pipe jackets 62. Each of the wellheads 118 as shown is of the type utilized for dual completions, having pairs of upstanding tubing nipples 120 in fluid connection with each producing zone, and adapted to telescope into complementary stab-over connector units 122 located around the satellites 16. By means of the stab-over connector units 122, the production and control passages, extending through the subaqueous wells, will be connected to manifolds within the satellite body 16 for the combining of the produced fluids through the satellite body 16 and/or for the injection of lift gas from the satellite body 16 to all or selected ones of the subaqueous wells. A motor driven winch drum 124 is shown as being mounted in the lower end of the satellite body 16, just above a cylindrical stabbing nipple 126, in a partially broken-away portion of the satellite 16. The depending stab nipple 126 serves the double purpose of locating the subsea satellite body 16 in the template barrel 64 of the conductor pipe template structure 44 and as a buoyancy tank formed by an annular space 129. A tether line 128, wound on the winch drum 124, is entrained through a coaxial passage 129a through the stabbing nipple 126 and into the template barrel 64, being anchored in the lower end of the template barrel 64 by a latching spear 130 secured in the spear catcher 74 against upward movement.

As the now buoyant subsea satellite body 16 is drawn down by the winding up of the tether line 126 on the winch 124, the stabbing nipple 126 is centered in the barrel 64 by the coaction of the outwardly conical lip 78 on the barrel and a conical lower terminal portion 132 of the stabbing nipple 126. When the subsea satellite body 16 has moved down into the barrel 64 as far as the power of the winch 124 will permit it to, the hydraulic units '82 are simultaneously actuated through the hydraulic connector 88 to drive camming pins 83 into spaced vertical camming grooves 134 formed in the outer face of the stabbing nipple 1126. The camming grooves 134 are so formed that the coaction of the camming pins 83 and the camming grooves 134 will draw the subsea satellite body v16 down into the proper axial registry. Once the satellite body 16 has attained the proper axial registery, the mechanically actuatable back-up jack screws 90 will be rotated by the submersible work vehicle to axially move the jack screws 90 inward and positively lock the satellite body 16 in place.

The subsea satellite body 16 must also be radially registered quite precisely so that the stab-over connector units 122 will telescope over the upstanding tubing nipples 120. This is done by the guidance and alignment pin 136 mounted in the wall of the stabbing nipple 126- so as to be spring-biased in the outward direction. As the subsea satellite body 16 moves down into the barrel 64, the guidance and alignment pin 136 is cammed inward until it no longer protrudes from the face of the stabbing nipple 126. As the pin 136 comes in contact with the helical guide groove 70 (FGURE 3) it snaps out into the groove 70, following the groove down to the vertical lower portion 72 thereof, fixing the subsea satellite body 16 in the proper radial position.

In FIGURE 5 is shown an embodiment in which the subsea satellite body can be installed at any time after the installation of the foundation unit and further provides an assembly in which registry of the subsea satellite body does not have to be as exact as that of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 4. In this case, the satellite body 16 has only horizontal tubing nipples 138 extending out therefrom, rather than the complete stab-over connector units 122 previously described. A transition unit 140 is lowered down from the surface handling vessel on a pipe string 142 terminating in a male J-connector portion 144, releasably locked in a complementary J-connector portion 148 on the upper end of a tubular upper vertical section 146 of the transition unit 140. A terminal flange 149 on the lower end of the tubular upper section 146 bolts to a collet connector 150 forming the lower vertical section of the transition unit 140. A guide frame, generally designated 152, on the upper end of each of the subsea wellheads 118 terminates in a pair of upstanding arms 153, each having a downwardly converging V-slot, open at the upper end, (not shown) cut therein for accepting laterally outstanding pins 154 afiixed to the lower end of the collet connector 150 for aligning the transition unit 140 with respect to the wellhead 118 and the satellite body 16. The collet connector 150 also has a pair of hydraulic lines 156 and 158 for closing the collet connector around the upper end of the wellhead 118 and for later releasing the collet connector 150 from the upper end of the wellhead 118, respectively. At the lower ends of the hydraulic lines 156 and 158 are stab-in connectors 160 and 162, respectively, permitting the hydraulic lines to be removed when the collet connector 150 is not being actuated. The hydraulic lines 156 and 158 originate either on a surface handling vessel or at a power source in the submersible work vehicle 32, the stab-in connections being makable by the vise grip 40 carried on the arm 36 of the semisubmersible work vehicle 32. A section of curvd conduit 164, of the transition unit 140, terminates in a vertical portion with the vertical section of the transition unit 140, having a stab-over element 166 fixed to the lower end thereof telescoping over the upstanding tubing nipple 120. The other end of the tubing section 164 terminates in a horizontal section of the transition unit 140, terminating just short of, and in axial alignment with the tubing nipple 138 extending from the satellite body 16. A slidable sleeve 168 mounted on the end of the tubing section 164 is connected with a source of hydraulic power on the surface handling vessel or in the submersible work vehicle 32 by hydraulic lines 170 and 172 ending in stabin connectors 174 and 176, respectively, which plug in a sleeve actuator section 177. The hydraulic line 170, when pressured up, will slide the sleeve 168 to the right as shown in FIGURE to form a connection between the tubing section 164 of the transition unit 104 and the tubing nipple 138 of the satellite body 16. -By applying hydraulic pressure through the hydraulic line 172, the sleeve 168 may be retracted prior to withdrawing to transition unit 140. These hydraulic lines are also stabbed into the connectors 174 and 176 by the vise grip 40 car ried by the arm 36 of the submersible work vehicle 32.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with details of specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that such details are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The terms and expressions employed are used in a descriptive and not a limiting sense and there is no intention of excluding such equivalents in the invention described as fall within the scope of the claims. Now having described the invention herein disclosed, reference should be had to the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A subsea foundation unit comprising a base structure; a conductor pipe template structure; a plurality of foundation jackets, integral with said base structure, adapted for the driving of piles therethrough to rigidly fix said base structure on a marine bottom; a plurality of conductor pipe jackets fixedly located in said conductor pipe template structure adapted for the drilling and completing of a subaqueous well therethrough; and adjustable means for supporting said conductor pipe template structure on said base structure whereby said conductor pipe template structure can be leveled on said base structure after said base structure has been rigidly fixed on a marine bottom that is not level.

2. A subsea foundation unit comprising a base structure and a conductor pipe template structure, as recited in claim 1, and a removable handling structure, said releasable handling structure comprising; releasable means for fixing said releasable handling structure to said base structure and means coating with at least one of said conductor pipe jackets to secure said conductor pipe template structure against upward movement of said conductor pipe template structure with respect to said base structure as long as said removable handling structure is afiixed to said base structure.

3. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 2, wherein said movable handling structure further comprises a central releasable connector means for lowering the assembled subea foundation unit through a body of water in conjunction with a pipe string, an end of which would be connected to said central releasable connector means.

4. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 1, wherein said adjustable means for supporting said conductor pipe template structure on said base structure comprises a plurality of vertically extensible spaced units and means for individually actuating each of said plurality of vertically extensible spaced units.

5. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 4, wherein said adjustable means further comprises a plurality of housing fixed on said conductor pipe template structure, each of said housings having means for vertically locating said conductor pipe template structure with respect to said base structure on which it is supported.

6. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 4, wherein there are level indicating means fixed to said conductor pipe template structure and positioned outward of said base structure for use in conjunction with said adjusting means whereby said level indicating means can be observed from an attending submersible work vehicle when said subsea foundation unit is located on a marine bottom and said conductor pipe template structure is being leveled on said base structure.

7. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of conductor pipe jackets are arranged in a circular configuration, and there is a means for aligning a subsea satellite body, lowered from the surface, in said conductor pipe template structure comprising; a cylindrical element fixedly located in said conductor pipe template structure with its axis parallel to the axes of said conductor pipe jackets and coaxial with said circular configuration of conductor pipe jackets, said said cylindrical element being open at the upper end thereof to receive a depending stabbing nipple of a subsea satellite body, being lowered through a body of water to said subsea foundation unit rigidly fixed on a marine bottom, after said conductor pipe template structure is leveled.

8. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 7, wherein there is a guide means within said cylindrical element for cooperating with a guide means of a stab bing nipple of a subsea satellite body for angularly locating a subsea satellite body with respect to said plurality of conductor pipe jackets of said conductor pipe template structure.

9. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 8, wherein there is a connector portion fixed centrally within said cylindrical element beneath said guide means adapted for coacting with a weighted releasable element fixed on the free end of a tether line for releasably anchoring the tether line in said foundation unit, the other end of the tether line being wound on a motor-driven winch drum within a buoyant subsea satellite body whereby the winch drum can be rotated to wind the tether line thereon and draw the subsea satellite body into said conductor pipe template structure.

10. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 8,

wherein said guide means comprises at least one helical groove portion in the inner wall of said cylindrical element, said helical groove portion terminating at the lower end thereof in a groove portion parallel to said axis of said cylindrical element whereby a complementary guide portion on a stabbing nipple depending fro-m a subsea satellite body will engage said helical groove portion to rotate a subsea satellite body as the subsea satellite body is lowered through a body of water and the stabbing nipple telescopes into said cylindrical element until the guide means of the stabbing nipple enters said lower terminating groove portion to hold the achieved angular orientation of the subsea satellite body with respect to said conductor pipe jackets of said conductor pipe template structure.

11. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 8, wherein there is means associated with said cylindrical element for positively axially locating a stabbing nipple of a subsea satellite body within said cylindrical element as subsea satellite body is lowered through a body of water into said conductor pipe template structure.

12. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 11, wherein said means for axially locating a stabbing nipple within said cylindrical element compirses camming means on said cylindrical element for coacting with complementary camming means on a stabbing nipple depending from a subsea satellite body.

13. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 12, wherein said camming means on said cylindrical element comprises at least one radially reciprocatable camming element selectively actuatable to coact with a complementary camming groove on a stabbing nipple of a subsea satellite body.

14. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 12, further comprising means for actuating said camming means on said cylindrical element, said actuating means being provided with extension means for selectively actuating said camming means from outward of said base structure.

15. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 14, wherein said camming means on said cylindrical element comprises at least one radially reciprocatable camming element, and said actuating means comprises a hydraulic unit for reciprocating said camming element, said extension being a rigid tube with a hydraulic connector portion on the outer end thereof, located outward of said base structure, for fluidly connecting said hydraulic unit with a source of fluid pressure.

16. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 15, wherein there are a plurality of reciprocatable ramming elements angularly spaced around said cylindrical element, manifold means connecting said hydraulic units of each of said camming elements, and said rigid tube being in fluid communication with said manifold means for simultaneously actuating all of said camming elements to reciprocate said plurality of camming elements radially inward at the same time.

17. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 15, wherein there is a backup jack screw extending from said hydraulic unit outward of said base structure to mechanically secure said camming element in the radially inward positiOn.

18. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 1, located beneath the surface of a body of water on a nonlevel marine bottom with said conductor pipe template structure being supported in a level position on said base structure by said adjusting means, a pile set through each of said foundation jackets into the formations underlying said marine bottom, means for rigidly fixing said piles within respective foundation jackets, at least one subaqueous well drilled through a one of said plurality of conductor pipe jackets, a conductor pipe extending from said one of said plurality of conductor pipe jackets into said subaqueous well, a subsea wellhead mounted on the upper end of said one of said conductor pipe jackets,

and an upstanding tubing nipple on said subsea wellhead connected to a passage of said subaqueous well through said subsea wellhead.

19. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 18, wherein said conductor pipe jackets are arranged in a circular configuration, comprising; a means for aligning a subsea satellite body, lowered from the surface of the body of water, in said conductor pipe template structure, comprising; a cylindrical element fixedly located in said conductor pipe template structure with its axis vertically oriented and coaxial with said circumferential configuration of conductor pipe jackets, said cylindrical element being open at the upper end thereof to receive a depending stabbing nipple of a subsea satellite body being lowered through said body of water.

20. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 19, wherein there is a guide means within said cylindrical element for cooperating with a complementary guide means of a stabbing nipple of a subsea satellite body for angularly locating a subsea satellite body with respect to said subsea wellhead mounted on the upper end of said one of said conductor pipe jackets.

21. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 20, wherein there is means associated with said cylindrical element for positively axially locating a stabbing nipple in said cylindrical element.

22. A subsea satellite foundation unit, as recited in claim 20, wherein there is a connector portion fixed centrally within said cylindrical element, beneath said guide means and above said marine bottom, adapted for coacting with a weighted releasable element fixed on the free end of a tether line for releasably anchoring a tether line, the other end of the tether line being wound on a motordriven winch drum within a buoyant satellite body whereby the winch drum can be rotated to wind the tether line thereon and draw the stabbing nipple of the subsea satellite body into said cylindrical element of said conductor pipe template structure to cradle the subsea satellite body in said subsea foundation unit.

23. A subsea satellite station comprising a subsea foundation unit located on a marine bottom, as recited in claim 18, wherein said conductor pipe jackets are arranged in a circular configuration, and there is a'means for aligning a subsea satellite body, lowered from the surface, in said conductor pipe template structure comprising; a cylindrical element fixedly located on said conductor pipe template structure with its axis parallel to the axes of said conductor pipe jackets and coaxial with said circular configuration of conductor pipe jackets, said cylindrical element being open at the upper end thereof to receive a depending stabbing nipple of a subsea satellite body, being lowered through a body of water to said subsea foundation unit rigidly fixed on a marine bottom, after said conductor pipe template structure is leveled; said subsea satellite station further comprising a subsea satellite body cradled in said subsea foundation unit, a depending cylin drical stabbing nipple of said subsea satellite body being coaxially located with said cylindrical element, a first guide means of said stabbing nipple being in engagement with a guide means of said cylindrical element to angularly locate said subsea satellite body with respect to said subsea wellhead.

24. A subsea satellite station, as recited in claim 23, wherein there is a camming means of said stabbing nipple in engagement with a camming means of said cylindrical element for axially locating said subsea satellite body with respect to said subsea wellhead and for securing said subsea satellite body in said subsea foundation unit.

25. A subsea satellite station, as recited in claim 24- wherein there is a flexible line extending from within the shell of said subsea satellite body into said cylindrical element, said flexible line being anchored within said cylindrical element by a releasable connection.

26. A subsea satellite station, as recited in claim 25, wherein said releasable connection comprises a releasable first connector element connected to the end of first flexible line outside of said shell of said subsea satellite body, shear means in said first releasable connector element for securing said first releasable connector element in an assembled condition anchored in a second connector element permanently fixed within said cylindrical element, whereby enough tension in said flexible line will shear said shear means and release the anchored end of said flexible line.

27. A subsea satellite station, as recited in claim 26, wherein there is a power driven winch drum mounted within said shell of said subsea satellite body, the end of said flexible line, within said shell being attached to said winch drum whereby, with the subsea satellite body buoyantly floating in the body of water over said subsea foundation unit and tethered to said subsea foundation unit by said flexible line being anchored in said cylindrical element, the winding of said flexible line on said winch drum will lower said subsea satellite body into said subsea foundation unit.

28-. A subsea satellite station, a recited in claim 25, wherein said flexible line is entrained through a coaxial passage through said stabbing nipple.

29. A subsea satellite station, as recited in claim 28, wherein said stabbing nipple has an annular space around said central passage which serves as a buoyancy tank for said subsea satellite body.

30. A subsea satellite station, as recited in claim 23, further comprising a releasable connector unit for forming a fluid passage from said subsea wellhead to the shell of said subsea satellite body, said releasable connector unit being in a telescopic relationship with said upstanding tubing nipple to form a fluid-tight connection therewith.

31. A subsea Satellite station, as recited in claim 30-, wherein there are a plurality of connector units, each of said connector units being releasably connected to spaced conduits extending through said shell of said subsea satellite body as well as being releasably connected to said upstanding tubing nipple whereby each of said connector units is a transition unit connectable between said subsea satellite body and the respective wellhead subsequent to said subsea satellite body being aligned in and secured to said subsea foundation unit.

32. A subsea satellite station, as recited in claim 30, wherein said connector unit is permanently fixed to said subsea satellite body.

33. A subsea satellite station, as recited in claim 32, wherein there are a plurality of subaqueous wells completed through said plurality of conductor pipe jackets, the respective subsea wellheads of said plurality of subaqueous wells being mounted on the upper ends of said conductor pipe jackets, and a plurality of connector units spaced around said shell of said subsea satellite body to simultaneously register with said upstanding tubing nipples of said subsea wellheads.

34. A subsea foundation unit comprising a base structure and conductor pipe template structure, as recited in claim 1, and a removable handling structure, a plurality of prestabbed piles extending through at least some of said plurality of foundation jackets, mean for axially fixing said prestabbed pile against upward movement in said foundation jackets, said removable handling structure comprising; means releasably fixed to the upper ends of each of said prestabbed piles for lifting said subsea foundation unit therewith, and means coacting with at least one of said conductor pipe jackets of said conductor pipe template structure to secure said conductor pipe template structure to secure said conductor pipe template structure against upward movement with respect to said base structure as long as said removable handling structure is affixed to said base structure.

35. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 34, wherein said means for coacting with at least one of said conductor pipe jackets of said conductor pipe template structure to secure said conductor pipe template structure against upward movement with respect to said base structure comprises a tubular member vertically fixed Within said removable handling structure and positioned so that, with said removable handling structure fixed to the upper ends of said prestabbed piles, said tubular member depends into a one of said conductor pipe jackets, a cir cumferential flange on said tubular member, said circumferential flange being located on said tubular member so as to abut the upper end of said one of said conductor pipe jackets through which said tubular member depends.

36. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 34, wherein said removable handling structure further comprises a central releasable connecting means adapted for lowering the assembled subsea foundation unit through a body of water in conjunction with a pipe string, an end of which would be connected thereto.

37. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 34, wherein said releasable means fixed to said upper ends of each of said prestabbed piles includes a cap over said upper ends of each of said piles and reciprocable pins extending through coaxial aperture in said caps and the respective prestabbed piles.

38. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 37, wherein said removable handling structure further comprise means for simultaneously retracting said reciprocatable pins to separate said removable handling structure from the remainder of said subsea foundation unit.

39. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 38, wherein said means for simultaneously retracting said reciprocatable pins comprises; a central element means for rotatably journalling said central element in said releasable handling structure, and a separate link pivotally connccted between said central element and each of said plurality of reciprocable pins for simultaneously retracting said pins from said prestabbed piles upon rotation of said central element.

40. A subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 39, wherein said central element has means for releasably connecting a pipe string centrally therein whereby said subsea foundation unit can be lowered through a body of water to a marine bottom through the agency of said pipe string and said reciprocatable pins of said removable handling structure can be retracted by rotating. said pipe string after said subsea foundation unit contacts a marine bottom.

41. A base structure for a subsea foundation unit comprising a plurality of peripheral foundation jackets interconnected by an open framework, and having a plurality of spaced-apart weight supoprting elements, an extensible jack mounted on each of said plurality of Weight supporting elements adapted for adjustabiy supporting and leveling a conductor pipe template structure thereon.

42. A base structure for a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 41, wherein there is a ballistic connector centrally mounted over a radial aperture in the outer wall of each of said foundation jackets whereby, when said base structure is located on a marine bottom under a body of water, piles driven through said foundation jackets into the foundations underlying the marine bottom can be rigidly fixed in said foundation jackets.

43. A conductor pipe template structure for a subsea foundation unit comprising a plurality of spaced apart parallel conductor pipe jackets interconnected by an open framework, said conductor pipe jackets being located in a circular configuration, and a plurality of spaced Weight supporting members adapted for the adjustable supporting of said conductor pipe template structure on a base structure to be fixed on a marine bottom.

44. A conductor pipe template structure for a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 43, wherein each of said Weight supporting members comprise a hollow housing open at the lower end thereof for accepting the upper end of an extensibie jacket mounted on a base structure to be fixed on a marine bottom whereby said conductor 17 pipe template structure is supported and laterally located on said base structure.

45. A conductor pipe template structure for a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 43, wherein there is a cylindrical element fixed in said open framework and coaxially located with respect to said plurality of conductor pipe jackets, said cylindrical element being adapted to receive a vertical stabbing nipple depending from a subsea satellite body to locate a subsea satellite body in said conductor pipe template structure.

46. A conductor pipe template structure for a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 45, wherein there is guide means within said cylindrical element for coacting with guide means of a vertical stabbing nipple depending from a subsea satellite body to radially orient said subsea satellite base in said conductor pipe template structure, and camming means associated with said cylindrical element to coact with camming means on said stabbing nipple for axially positively positioning a stabbing nipple in said cylindrical element and securing the subsea satellite body in said conductor pipe template structure.

47. A conductor pipe template structure for a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 46, wherein there is a connector element fixed to the lower end of said cylindrical element for releasably anchoring a flexible line terminating a weighted complementary releasable connector element.

48. A removable handling structure for a subsea foundation unit comprising a plurality of spaced-apart caps adapted to upwardly releasably receive vertical tubular elements of a base structure of said subsea foundation unit, and a vertical tubular member having a circumferential flange afi'ixed thereto part way along its length to abut the upper end of a conductor pipe jacket of a conductor pipe template structure into which said tubular member depends when the conductor pipe template structure is supported on the base structure of the subsea foundation unit and said removable handling structure is fixed to said subsea. foundation unit to retain the base structure and the conductor pipe template structure in an assembled relationship.

49. A removable handling structure for a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 48, wherein said spacedapart caps and said vertical tubular member are interconnected by an open framework.

50. A removable handling structure for a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 48, further comprising a pick-up element for releasably receiving the lower end of a pipe string for supporting the subsea foundation unit comprising the base structure, the conductor pipe template structure, and said removable handling structure.

51. A removable handling structure for a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 50, wherein there is means for rotatably journalling said pick-up element for releasably receiving the lower end of a pipe string, and means connected between said rotatably journalled pick-up means and said caps for simultaneously releasing said caps from the vertical tubular elements upwardly received therewithin upon the rotation of said pick-up means.

52. A removable handling structure for a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 51, wherein said means connected between said rotatably journalled pick-up means and said caps include a pin reciprocatably mounted through a radial aperture in each of said caps and means for simultaneously retracting said pins upon rotation of said pick-up means.

53. A subsea satellite body for installation in a subsea foundation unit mounted on a marine bottom beneath the surface of a body of water comprising a watertight shell; a vertical tubular member fixedly depending from said shell for telescoping with a vertically oriented guide element fixed in a subsea foundation unit for locating said subsea satellite body in a subsea foundation unit on a marine bottom as said subsea satellite body is lowered through a body of water from a surface handling vessel;

and guide means on said tubular member for coacting with complementary guide means on said guide element of a subsea foundation unit to angularly orient said subsea satellite body in a subsea foundation unit as said depending tubular member moves into a telescopic relationship with said guide element.

54. A subsea satellite body, as recited in claim 53, wherein the guide element is a cylindrical element having a vertical axis, camming means associated with said tubular member for coacting with camming means of the cylindrical element for axially positively positioning said subsea satellite body in the cylindrical element and securing said subsea satellite body cradled in the subsea foundation unit.

55. A method for installing a subsea foundation unit on a marine bottom comprising the following steps:

(a) assembling said subsea foundation unit prior to lowering into a body of water, said subsea foundation unit comprising a base structure and a conductor pipe template structure,

(b) lowering said subsea foundation unit from the surface until said base structure is supported, at least in part, on said marine bottom,

(c) setting piles into formation underlying said marine bottom through foundation jackets of said base structure and securing each of said piles in said formations underlying said marine bottom and in said foundation jackets to rigidly fix said base structure with respect to said marine bottom,

(d) leveling said conductor pipe template structure on said base structure by actuating means for adjustably supporting said conductor pipe template structure on said base structure, and

(e) drilling at least one subaqueous well through a conductor pipe jacket of said conductor pipe template structure and completing said subaqueous well through the respective one of said conductor pipe jackets, the completing of said subaqueous well comprising the supporting of the well casings of said subaqueous well within said respective one of said conductor pipe jackets.

56. A method for installing a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 55, wherein said means for adjustably supporting said conductor pipe template structure on said base structure is a plurality of extensible jacks, and wherein step ((1) comprises:

(f) extending selective ones of said plurality of extensible jacks while said base structure is rigidly fixed on said marine bottom.

57. A method fror installing a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 56, wherein there is a submersible work vehicle in attendance, comprising the following step:

(g) visually observing, from the attending submersible work vehicle, an indication of the orientation of said conductor pipe template structure to indicate the one of said plurality of extensible jacks to be adjusted.

58. A method of installing a subsea satellite body in a subsea foundation unit rigidly fixed on a marine bottom, comprising the following steps:

(a) causing said subsea satellite body to be negatively buoyant,

( b) lowering said subsea satellite body through a body of water from a surface handling vessel by a cable,

(c) connecting a slack tether line between said subsea satellite body and said subsea foundation unit,

(d) causing said subsea satellite body to become positively buoyant to produce tension in said tether line and slack in said cable,

(e) drawing said subsea satellite body into said subsea foundation unit by reducing the length of said tether line between said subsea satellite body and said subsea foundation unit, and

(f) positvely securing said subsea satellite body in said subsea foundation unit as said subsea satellite body is cradled therein.

1 9 59. A method of installing a subsea satellite body in a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 58, wherein the length of said tether line is reduced by said tether line being wound upon a power-driven winch drum within the shell of said subsea satellite body.

60. A method for installing a subsea satellite body in a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 58, wherein said subsea satellite body has at least one connector unit affixed thereto for providing a fluid path into the shell of said subsea satellite body, comprising said following step:

(h) forming a watertight connection between said connector unit and a subsea wellhead of a subaqueous well completed through a conductor pipe jacket of said subsea foundation unit, to form at least one fluid path from within said subaqueous well to within said shell of said subsea satellite body, simultaneously with the lowering of said subsea satellite body into said subsea foundation unit.

61. A method of installing a subsea satellite body in a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 58, wherein said subsea satellite body has at least one connector por tion extending from the shell thereof for providing a fluid path in said shell of said subsea satellite body, comprising said following steps:

(i) after positively securing said subsea satellite body in said subsea foundation unit, lowering a transition unit from a surface handling vessel, and

(j) connecting said transition unit between said connector portion extending from said shell of said subsea satellite body and a subsea wellhead of a subaqueous well completed through a conductor pipe jacket of said subsea foundation unit to form at least one fluid path from within said subaqueous well to within said shell of said subsea satellite body.

62. A method of installing a subsea satellite body in a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 58, comprising the following additional step:

(k) angularly orienting said subsea satellite body with respect to a subsea wellhead of a subaqueous well completed through said subsea foundation unit while lowering said subsea satellite body into said subsea foundation unit by the coaction of complementary guide means on said subsea satellite body and said subsea foundation unit.

63. A method of installing a subsea satellite body in a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 62, wherein said complementary guide means are a pair of telescoping elements, comprising the following additonal step:

(1) subsequent to angularly orienting said subsea satellite body with respect to said subsea foundation unit, axially orienting said subsea satellite body with respect to said subsea foundation unit by actuating complementary camming means of said pair of telescoping elements.

64. A method of installing a subsea satellite body in a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 63, comprising the following additional step:

(m) securing said telescoping elements in the axially located position by positively fixing said complementary camming means in the engaged position to fixedly cradle said subsea satellite body in said subsea foundation unit.

65. A method of installing a subsea satellite body in a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 63, comprising said following additional step:

(11) simultaneously with axially orienting said subsea satellite body with respect to said subsea foundation unit forming a watertight connection between said connector unit of said subsea satelilte body and said subsea wellhead by telescoping complementary elements of said connector unit and said subsea wellhead together to form a fluid path from at least one passage within said subaqueous well to within said shell of said subsea satellite body.

66, A m hod of ais g a. subs a sat l ite bo y, a-

dled in a subsea foundation unit, located on a marine bottom, back to the surface of a body of water, comprising the following steps:

(a) releasing means for rigidly securing said subsea satellite body in said subsea foundation unit,

(b) causing a winch drum with the shell of said subsea satellite body to free-wheel, said winch drum having a tether line wound thereon, the other end of the tether line being anchored in said subsea foundation unit,

(c) causing said subsea satellite body to be buoyant, tending to buoyantly raise said subsea satellite body to the upper end of said tether line and cause said tether line to be in tension,

(d) connecting a slack cable, from a surface handling vessel, to the upper end of said subsea satellite body,

(e) causing said subsea satellite body to become negatively buoyant, tensioning said cable and slackening said tether line,

(f) tensioning said cable from said surface handling vessel until the means anchoring said tether line in said subsea structure foundation unit is released, and

(g) raising said subsea satellite body to the surface handling vessel with said cable.

67. A method of raising a subsea satellite body, cradled in a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 66, comprising the following additional steps:

(h) connecting said cable to said subsea satellite body prior to said subsea satellite body separating from said subsea foundation unit, and

(i) applying enough tension in said cable, in addition to the buoyant force of said now buoyant subsea satellite body, to force said subsea satellite body to separate from said subsea foundation unit.

68. A method of raising a subsea satellite body cradled in a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 66, where in there is a fluid path from within said shell of said subsea satellite body to a passage within a subaqueous well completed through said subsea foundation unit comprising the following additional step:

(it) simultaneously with separating said subsea satellite body from said subsea foundation unit, disconnecting a connector unit extending outwardly of said shell of said subsea satellite body, from the subsea wellhead of said subaqueous well to interrupt a fluid path from a passage within the respective subsea wellhead to within said shell of said subsea satellite body.

69. A method or raising a subsea satellite body, cradled in a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 66, wherein there is a transition unit forming a fluid path from within said shell of said subsea structure base to a passage within a subaqueous well completed through said subsea foundation unit, comprising the following additional steps:

(1) prior to releasing said means for securing said subsea satellite body in said subsea foundation unit, disconnecting said transition unit from said subsea satellite body and the respective subsea wellhead of said subaqueous well, and

(m) raising said transition unit to said surface handling vessel.

70. A method for assembling a subsea foundation unit prior to lowering said subsea foundation unit into a body of water,

said subsea foundation unit comprising a base structure; a conductor pipe template structure; a plurality of foundation jackets, integral with said base structure, adapted for the driving of piles 'therethrough to rigidly fix said base structure on a marine bottom; a plurality of substantially parallel conductor pipe jackets fixedly located in said conductor pipe template structure, adapted for the drilling and completing of a subaqueous Well there/through; adjust-i able means for supporting said conductor pipe template structure on said base structure whereby said conductor pipe template can be leveled on said base structure after said base structure has been rigidly fixed on a marine bottom that is not level, said adjustable means comprising a plurality of vertically extensible spaced units and means for individual actuating each said plurality of vertically extensible spaced units,

said method comprising the following steps:

(a) assembling said conductor pipe template structure on said base structure with each of said extensible units in the non-extending position,

(b) installing a removable handling structure over said assembled base structure and conductor pipe template structure so that a tubular member of said removable handling structure depends into a one of said conductor pipe jackets of said conductor pipe template structure until a circumferential flange on said tubular member abuts the upper end of said one of said conductor pipe template jackets, and

(c) releasably connecting said removable handling structure to said base structure so as to prevent upward movement of said removable handling structure with respect to said base structure.

71. A method for assembling a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 70, wherein the connection between said removable handling structure and said base structure is a plurality of piles located in said foundation jackets, comprising the following additional steps:

(d) prestabbing said piles in a plurality of said foundation jackets of said base structure, each one of said plurality of piles having an abutting means on the lower end thereof contacting the lower end of the respective foundation jacket after the prestabbing operation to axially locate said pile in said foundation jacket, and

(e) receiving the upper ends of said plurality of prestabbed piles in downwardly opening caps of said removable handling structure.

72. A method for assembling a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 71, comprising the following additional step:

(f) simultaneously connecting said caps over said prestabbed piles by rotating a central element journa led in said removable handling structure.

73. A method for installing a subsea foundation unit in a body of Water on a marine bottom, comprising the steps of assembling a subsea foundation unit, as recited in claim 72, and comprising the following additional step:

(g) lowering said assembled subsea foundation unit through the body of water by a pipe string releasably received in said rotatable central element.

74. A method for installing a subsea foundation unit in a body of Water, as recited in claim 73, comprising the following additional steps:

(h) rotating said pipe string, or said base structure of said subsea foundation unit, settled on said marine bottom, to simultaneously disconnect said removable handling structure from said prestabbed piles, and

(i) raising said removable handling structure, disconnected from said subsea foundation unit, back to the surface of said body of water with said pipe string.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,430,014 11/1947 Hansen 61-465 3,064,735 11/1962 Bauer et al. 166.6 3,093,972 6/1963 Ward 6146.5 3,145,538 8/1964 Young 6146 3,224,204 12/1965 Siebenhausen 166-.5 X 3,313,347 4/1967 Crain 166.5 3,380,520 4/1968 Pease 166.5

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner R. E. FAVREAU, Assistant Examiner Column 4, line UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" 569) CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 ,504, 740 Dated April 7 1970 Inventor(s) William F. Manning It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

' Column 1, line 62, "satellyite" should be --satellite-- .1

Column 2, line 2, csncel "en-";

line 32, "or" should be --of--.

Column 3, line 62, "556.220" should be --556,220--.

1, "grounted" should be -grouted--; line 29, '3,343,295" should be --3,434,295--. Colutm 5, line 32, "automatcislly" should be -automatically--;

line 73, -'subsea1t" should be --subsea--; line 75, a period should be after "body".

Column 6, line 11, "connected" should be --connector--;

line 17, "nad" should be --and--; line 48, "captial" should be --capital--.

Column 7, line 12, "negtive" should be --negative--.

Column 8, line 27, "pipe" should be --pile--;

line 41, "end"-should be --ends--; line 73, "rydraulic" should be -hydraulic--.

Column 9, line 32, -54a-- should be inserted after "aperture";

line 49, "abouts" should be --abuts--; line 50, "and" should be --are- Column 10, line 51, "registery" should be --registry--;

line 65, "(FGURE 3)" should be (FIGURE 3)-- Column 11, line 30, "curve" should be --curved--;

line 50, "to" (second occurrence) should be --the-- mg UNIIIED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,504,740 Dated April 7, 1970 Inventor(s) William Manning It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Coluum 12, claim 2, line 8, "coating" should be --coacting-- 1 claim 3, line 15, "movable" should be --removable--;

line 17, "subea" should be --subsea-- claim 5, line 29, 'housin should be --housings--; line 31, before locating" insert --supporting and-laterally" Column 13 claim 12, line 24, "compirses" should be --comprises-. Column 14, claim 23, line 58 "with" should be --Within-. Column 15, claim 34, line 58, after "and" insert --a--;

lines 69-70, cancel "to secure said conductor pipe template structure".

Column 16, claim 37, line 22, "reciprocable" should be --reciprocatable--.

claim 39, line 36, "reciprocable" should be --reciprocatable--.

claim 41, line 50, "supoprting" should be ---supporting- Column 18, claim 55, line 24, "formation" should be --formations--.

claim 57, line 50, "fror" should be --for-- Column 19, claim 60, line 6, "for" should be --of--.

'zgh gi UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 740 Dated April 7 a 1970 Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 20, claim 68, line 35, a comma should be inserted after "body".

claim 69, line 49, "or" should be --of-- Column 21, claim 70, line 3, after" template" insert --structure--; lines 8-9, "individual" should be ----individually--.

summ Am SEALED AUG 251% Ame Edwmili. Fletcher, 11-. mm W- Amazing Offioer

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