Solution mining to refloat and dispose of an offshore floating structure

摘要

An improved fixed ballast for a floating offshore structure. The material used for the ballast may be a dense liquid that is pumped into the fixed ballast tank during ballasting and forced out of the tank during deballasting. The material may also be a soluble material that is ground up into particles and added to water. After a saturated solution is obtained, more particles are added to produce a slurry. The slurry is delivered into the ballast tanks. Removal of the slurry is accomplished by pumping sea water into the ballast tanks until all of the ballast material is dissolved and forced out of the tank.