July 14, 1959
R. J. DODGE
2,894,269
OFF-SHORE GAS FLARE LINE, AND ANCHOR AND FLOAT THEREFOR
Filed May 4, 1956
2 Sheets-Sheet l
Roéef/ L1 ?oc/ye
INVENTOR.
ATTOR/Vf)’
July 14, 1959
R. J. DODGE
2,894,269
OFF-SHORE GAS FLARE LINE, AND ANCHOR AND FLOAT THEREFOR
Filed May 4, 1955
.
2 Sheets-Sheet 2
Faber z‘ 4/. Doe/ye
.
INVENTOR.
United States Patent QF 1C5
2,894,269
Patented July 14, 1959
1
in its horizontal position as it appears while being towed
on the surface of the water.
‘
2,894,269
OFF-SHORE GAS FLARE LINE, AND ANCHOR
Referring to Fig.1 of the drawing, the numeral 1
designates generally an off-shore gas ?are line, which
advantageously may be arranged to conduct waste gas as
produced from wells some distance away from the well
or wells producing it, preparatory to burning the gas. . In
Robert .1. Dodge, B‘ellaire, Tex‘., assignor to Buoys, Incor
its erected position, a portion of the gas ?are line 1,
porated, Houston, Tex.,_a corporation of Texas
as hereinafter described, extends vertically from a point
Application May 4, 1956, Serial No. ‘582,791
10 below the surface of the water, which is indicated by
..
AND FLOAT THEREFOR
1 Claim. (Cl. 9-8.3)
the numeral 2, to a point above it.
‘
The vertically extending portion of the gas ?are line 1
consists of a mast-like structure comprising a plurality
of sections 3 of pipe or tubing, which are connected end
The invention relates to an elf-shore gas ?are line, 15 to end. The several sections 3 are of progressively in
and an anchor and a ?oat therefor, and it concerns more
creasing diameter, the intermediate sections being of
larger diameter than the end sections whereby the struc
ture is reenforced against bending in the middle. The
surface of the water to a point above it, means for an
mast-like structure comprising the pipe sections 3 may
choring the pipe and forlsupporting it in substantially 20 be additionally reenforced, as by an ‘open frame-work
vertical position‘ comprising an anchor ?exibly con
surrounding it, if desired. ‘
nected to the lower end of the pipe and a ?oat surround
A burner tip 4 is connected to the uppermost section 3.
ing the pipe and connected thereto intermediate its ends,
A ladder 5, which is attached to the upper sections 3,
particularly, in combination with an off-shore gas ?are
line comprising a pipe extending from a point below the
below the water line.
extends upwardly from the surface of the water 2 to
the burner tip 4 whereby access may be had to the burner
In 'o?-shore drilling operations it is necessary to burn
waste gas from wells, and it is desirable to position the
resulting‘?are at some distance away from the drilling
platform._ This involves providing a pipe for conduct
tip‘4.
ing the gas from the well to a point above the surface
the numeral 6, surrounds and is connected to an‘ inter
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1
‘
The lowermost section 3 is anchored as hereinafter
described, and a ?oat, which is designated generally by
of the water, which may be 100 feet deep, for example. 30 mediate section ‘3, below the water line,iwhereby the
It is an object of the invention to provide, in combina
portion of the gas ?are line 1 comprising the sections 3
tion with an off-shore gas ?are line comprising a pipe
isi‘maintained in substantially vertical position at all
extending from a point below the surface of the water
to a point above it, means for anchoring the pipe and
Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, the ?oat 6
for supporting it in substantially vertical position.
comprises a vertically disposed cylinder 7, which is closed
Another object of the invention is to provide, in com
at its ends and is divided by a plurality of transverse
bination with an o?-shore gas ?are line comprising a
pipe extending from a point below the surface of the
water to a point above it, means capable of yieldably
supporting the pipe in substantially vertical position
whereby the pipe may be de?ected away from its up
right or vertical position, and may assume an inclined
position, upon being struck by a passing boat or other
object, and is capable of righting itself quickly after
partitions 8 into a plurality of air and water tight com
partments 9. The cylinder 7 is arranged concentrically
with respect to one of the sections 3, to which it is con
40 nected, and the section 3 is ?anged at its ends whereby
it may be connected to an adjacent section. The cylin
der 7 is reinforced against bending in the middle by a
plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal ribs 10,
which are connected to the inner wall of the cylinder 7.
being so de?ected.
45
The ?oat 6 may be of any desired construction, and
Another object of the invention is to provide an off
may be made of inherently buoyant material if desired.
shore gas ?are line, and an anchor and a ?oat therefor,
Referring to Fig. 4 of the drawing, a plurality of cir
which are resistant to the action of wind and waves.
cumferentially spaced ears 11 are connected to the lower
Another object of the invention is to provide an off
most section 3 for engagement, respectively, by a plu
shore gas ?are line, and an anchor and a ?oat therefor,
rality of chains 12. The chains 12 are each connected
which are capable of being towed on the surface of
to an anchor as hereinafter described, which is desig—
the water.
nated generally by the numeral 13.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an
The moorings above described permit the portion of
off-shore gas ?are line, and an anchor and a ?oat there
the gas ?are line 1 comprising the sections 3 to be
for, which are characterized by their simple, rugged con 55 de?ected away from its upright or vertical position while
struction, and which may be fabricated at comparatively
preventing it from being rotated about its axis.
low cost.
The anchor 13 comprises a box-shaped casing 14 hav
The invention will be readily understood by referring
ing an upper buoyant section 15, an intermediate ballast
to the following description and the accompanying draw
section 16 and a lower skirt section 17.. The buoyant
ing, in which:
60 section 15 of the casing 14 consists of an air and water
Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an off-shore gas ?are
tight compartment having a plurality of openings, each
line, and an anchor and a ?oat therefor, embodying
provided with a cap 18, in the top and sides thereof
the invention, showing the apparatus in its vertical posi
whereby the compartment may be ?ooded with water to
tion as it appears when erected;
submerge it. The ballast section 16 is ?lled with con
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 2-2 65 crete. The skirt section 17 extends downwardly below
of Fig. 1;
the ballast section 16 for use in supporting the anchor
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational view taken on the line
13 on the bottom of the body of water.
3--3 of Fig. 2;
The lowermost section 3 is in ?uid communication
Fig. 4 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of
with a ?exible conduit 19. The ?exible conduit 19 is
the anchor and moorings shown in Fig. 1; and
70 connected to one end of a pipe 20, which is built into
Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the gas ?are line, and
the anchor 13. The pipe 20 is bent intermediate its
the anchor and the ?oat therefor, showing the apparatus
ends, and the ends thereof extend outwardly from the
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2,894,269
3
4
top and‘ one side, respectively, of the anchor 13. One
end‘ of the‘ pipe 20 is connected to a pipe 21, which rests
I claim:
In combination with an o?~shore gas ?are line ar
ranged to conduct waste gas as produced from wells
some distance from the well or wells producing it, pre
paratory to burning the gas, a portion of the gas ?are
upon the bottom of the body of water and which is
supplied with gas from the well or wells producing it.
Referring to Fig; 5* of the drawing, the sections 31 are
shown in horizontal position, supported? in part by; the
?oat'6‘ and partly’ by the buoyant section 15 of the anchor
13, which’ during the towing’ operation- may be pivotally
line consisting of a rigid mast-like structure comprising
a pipe which, in its erected, position, extends vertically
from a point below the surface of a body of water to a
point above the surface of the water, an anchor adapted
An important feature of the invention is the ability of 10 to rest upon the bottom of the body- of water, the anchor
including a buoyant‘ section consisting of an air and
the mast-like- structure comprising the‘ pipe sections 3
water tight compartment capable of being ?ooded with
to maintain‘ itself in substantially vertical‘ position, and
water to submerge it, mooring means ?exibly connecting
to; right itself quicklytupon- being de?ected away from its
one end of the mast-like structure to the anchor in closely
vertical position. The ability‘ of the structure to right
itself depends in part upon the buoyancy of‘ the ?oat 6, 15 spaced relation thereto, the, mooring means being rela—
tively short as compared to the length of the mast-like
which exerts an, upward pull on the upper portion of the
structure whereby the mast-like structure is movable
structure while the anchor 13‘ exerts a downward: pull
pivotally, in the vertical plane, about its connected end,
on the lower end thereof. The buoyancy of the ?oat
a ?oat connected‘ tov an intermediateportion of the mast
6 is‘ partially offset by the Weight of the pipe sections 3,
as well as by its own weight, and; best results are ob 20 like- structure, the position‘ of’ the ?oat with‘ respect to‘the
mast-like structure being such‘ thatgwhen» the gas ?are
tained in a structure which is characterized by its rela
line is in use, the ?oat is fully'submergediand‘the'arrange
tively light weight and its absence of mass.
ment being such that the?oat, acting upon- the mast-like
‘ The ability‘ of the mast-like structure comprising‘ the
structure in conjunction with‘ the mooring- means, is
pipe sections 3 to right itself is also a function of the
distance of the center of buoyancy from the center of 25 capable of- supporting the mast~like1 structure in substan
tially vertical position.
I
gravity; the center of gravity’ being located at- a point
and’ removably‘ connected to one of the sections 3a
near'tlie lower end- of the structure, which is connected to
the mooring means as above described. The distance of
the center of buoyancy from the center of gravity is
increased in proportion to the tension which is applied 30
to the moorings, as compared‘ to the weight of the mast
References Cited in the ?le of- this: patent
UNITED STATES PATENTS
424,544
Donnelly ____________ __ Apr. 1, 1890
like structure. When such distance is relatively great,
as it' is- when the water is 100 feet deep, for example,
1,087,112
2,369,533
Fiedler ______________ .___ Feb. 17-, 1914
Cohen» ______________ .._ Feb. 13', 19.45
a considerable force is required in" order to de?ect the
structure away from its vertical position.
2,399,656
Armstrong; __________ __ May: 7, 1946
2,819,476
- Dodge ______________ __ Ian. 14, 1,958
The invention may be modi?ed in various ways with
out departing from the spirit and scope thereof.
i