Offshore platform with buoyant rig supplemental support

摘要

An offshore platform structure (10) is disclosed for temporarily using a jack-up rig (34), for well operations in deepwater applications having a bottom founded jacket base (12) which supports a surface tower (28) which extends above the ocean surface (30) and a subsea rig support interface (110) which is adapted to support the jack-up rig (34) for well operations. At least one selectively buoyant rig support buoyancy tank (112) is connected to the rig support interface whereby a portion of the temporary load on the jacket base in supporting the jack-up rig for drilling operations may be alleviated.