Subsea excavation systems and methods

摘要

Novel subsea excavation apparatus and methods that exert force between a subsea anchor point and an excavator using a subsea actuator. In some examples the subsea actuator is attached to an anchor point on the seabed and the excavator directly. In other examples, a guide frame is anchored to the seabed to provide anchor points fixed relative to the seabed and the subsea actuators are attached to the guide frame and the excavator. In further examples, the subsea actuators can be attached to the excavator through a carrier frame or other excavator guides rather than directly to the excavator.

主权项

1. A subsea excavation apparatus comprising:
an excavator; a surface platform; a guide frame; a first anchor point in a fixed location on the seabed; a second anchor point in a fixed location on the seabed; a first anchor cable attached at a first end to the guide frame and a second end to the first anchor point; a second anchor cable attached at a first end to the guide frame and a second end to the second anchor point; a first subsea excavator actuator attached to the excavator and the guide frame for converting power to mechanical force between the guide frame and the excavator in a first dimension; a second subsea excavator actuator attached to the excavator and the guide frame for converting power to mechanical force between the guide frame and the excavator in a second dimension; a first guide frame actuator attached to the surface platform and the guide frame for converting power to mechanical force between the surface platform and the guide frame.