Method and apparatus for installing marine silos.

摘要

A method and apparatus for installing marine silos to a desired depth into the seabed such that the interior of the silos is void of seabed material to a desired depth. A submergable silo positioning template operatively supports a silo and excavation modules during surface transportation to the intended site and is capable while floating and submerged of raising and lowering the silo relative to the template and maintaining vertical alignment of the silo. The submergable excavating module incorporates apparatus for loosening and removing sea bed material within the silo thus permitting the silo and excavating module to desend to a desired depth in the seabed. The template and the excavating module are separated from the silo after silo installation and are reused for other silo installations. During silo installation the influence of hydrostatically stimulated force may be employed to assist forcible insertion of the silo into the soil of the seabed.