Method and apparatus for through rotary sub-sea pile-driving

Abstract

The A pile-driving apparatus includes a pile, a shoe tip coupled to a toe of the pile, and a drill string disposed within the pile. The drill string includes a gripping device coupling the drill string to the pile and a hammer deployed into the pile such that the hammer is capable of transmitting a force to the shoe tip. A method, includes positioning a hammer in a pile such that the hammer is capable of transmitting a force to a shoe tip; positioning, in the pile, a portion of drill pipe having a gripping device to engage the pile; and deploying the pile beneath the surface of a body of water.

1 . (canceled)  
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the pile comprises a casing string, a deep water pile, a shallow water pile, a pipe line end manifold (“PLEM”) pile, a sub-sea template, a manifold pile, a tension leg platform anchor pile and a drill rig mooring pile.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the shoe tip includes a membrane covering.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the shoe tip is coupled to the pile interior.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the shoe tip is coupled to the pile exterior.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the hammer is coupled to the pile at the top thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the hammer is coupled to the pile at the toe thereof.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the hammer is a percussive hammer or a rotation powered hammer.  
   
   
       9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the drill string further includes a gripping device by which the drill string is coupled to the pile.  
   
   
       11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . (canceled)  
   
   
       13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . (canceled)  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a pile;    a shoe tip deployed at a tip of the pile; and    a hammer coupled to the pile such that the hammer is capable of transmitting a force to the shoe tip.    
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a portion of drill pipe having a lockable telescoping section deployed in the pile.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the pile includes a shoe joint capable of receiving the force from the hammer and transmitting said force to the shoe tip.  
   
   
       18 . (canceled)  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a valve system to direct a fluid to at least one of the shoe tip and the pile.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a gripping device coupled to the hammer and coupled to the pile.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a sling by which the hammer is coupled to the pile.  
   
   
       22 . (canceled)  
   
   
       23 . A method, comprising: 
 positioning a hammer relative to a pile such that the hammer is capable of transmitting a force to a shoe tip;    positioning a portion of drill pipe to engage the pile; and    deploying the pile beneath the surface of a body of water.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein deploying the pile comprises deploying pile such that the shoe tip is in contact with a first selected location on a floor of the body of water.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein positioning the hammer includes positioning the hammer such that the hammer is capable of transmitting a force directly to the shoe tip.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein positioning the hammer includes positioning the hammer such that the hammer is capable of transmitting a force indirectly to the shoe tip.  
   
   
       27 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 means for positioning a hammer relative to a pile such that the hammer is capable of transmitting a force to a shoe tip;    means engaging the hammer to the pile; and    means for deploying the pile beneath the surface of a body of water.    
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising means for transmitting a force from the hammer to the shoe tip such that the shoe tip penetrates the floor at the first selected location.  
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising means for providing a lubricating fluid proximate the shoe tip.  
   
   
       30 . (canceled)  
   
   
       31 . (canceled)  
   
   
       32 . (canceled)  
   
   
       33 . (canceled)  
   
   
       34 . A method for deploying a pile-driving apparatus, the method comprising: 
 deploying the pile-driving apparatus; and    single tripping the rigged-up pile-driving apparatus to the seabed.    
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein rigging up the pile-driving apparatus includes: 
 positioning a percussive hammer relative to a pile such that the percussive hammer is capable of transmitting a force to a shoe tip; and    positioning, in the pile, a portion of drill pipe having a gripping device to engage the pile.    
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein deploying the rigged-up pile-driving apparatus through the rotary of the drilling rig includes deploying the rigged-up pile-driving apparatus through a rotary of a mobile offshore drilling unit.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 34 , further deploying the rigged-up pile-driving apparatus through the rotary of a drilling rig.  
   
   
       38 . (canceled)  
   
   
       39 . (canceled)  
   
   
       40 . (canceled)  
   
   
       41 . (canceled)  
   
   
       42 . (canceled)  
   
   
       43 . (canceled)  
   
   
       44 . (canceled)  
   
   
       45 . (canceled)  
   
   
       46 . (canceled)  
   
   
       47 . (canceled)  
   
   
       48 . (canceled)  
   
   
       49 . (canceled)  
   
   
       50 . (canceled)  
   
   
       51 . (canceled)  
   
   
       52 . (canceled)  
   
   
       53 . (canceled)  
   
   
       54 . A method, comprising: 
 driving a pile into a floor under a body of water; and    liquefying the soil into which the pile is being driven.    
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein liquefying the soil includes injecting a fluid from within the pile into the soil.  
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein injecting the fluid includes injecting ambient seawater.  
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein injecting the fluid further includes injecting a lubricant.  
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein injecting the lubricant includes injecting at least one of soapy water, coco fatty ketaine, various ethoxylated compounds such as alkyl phenols, fatty alcohols, amines, amides, diamines, quaternary ammonium chlorides, as well as sulphonated naphthalene formaldehyde condensate, sulfonated styreiemaleic anhydrides, and various polyacrylamides.  
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein injecting the fluid includes injecting a lubricant.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein injecting the lubricant includes injecting at least one of soapy water, coco fatty ketaine, various ethoxylated compounds such as alkyl phenols, fatty alcohols, amines, amides, diamines, quaternary ammonium chlorides, as well as sulphonated naphthalene formaldehyde condensate, sulfonated styreiemaleic anhydrides, and various polyacrylamides.  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein injecting the fluid includes injecting spent prime mover fluid.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein gripping the pile includes gripping the pile at the top thereof.  
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein gripping the pile includes gripping the interior of the pile.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein gripping the pile includes gripping the exterior thereof via a sling.  
   
   
       65 . A pile-driving apparatus, comprising: 
 a pile;    a valve system to direct a fluid to the toe of the pile; and    a plurality of fluid injection ports defined at the toe of the pile.    
   
   
       66 . The apparatus of  claim 65 , wherein the pile includes a shoe joint capable of receiving a driving force and transmitting the force to the shoe tip.  
   
   
       67 . The apparatus of  claim 65 , further comprising a shoe tip deployed at the toe of the pile, and wherein the shoe tip defines the fluid injection ports and the valve system further directs the fluid to the shoe tip.  
   
   
       68 . The apparatus of  claim 67 , wherein the shoe tip is coupled to the toe of the pile on the interior thereof.  
   
   
       69 . A method, comprising: 
 positioning a hammer relative to a pile such that the hammer is capable of transmitting a force to a shoe tip; and    gripping the pile to engage the hammer to the pile.    
   
   
       70 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein positioning the hammer includes positioning the hammer such that the hammer is capable of transmitting a force directly to the shoe tip.  
   
   
       71 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein positioning the hammer includes positioning the hammer such that the hammer is capable of transmitting a force indirectly to the shoe tip.  
   
   
       72 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the hammer comprises a portion of a drill string.