Light weight guidepost

Abstract

A releasable guidepost for use on the seabed together with a fixed subsea structure is shown. The guidepost assists during lowering of a component from the surface of the water to the subsea structure to obtain a focused landing of said component at a predetermined location. The guidepost includes an upward (in the position of use) projecting end designed for engagement with the lowered component. The guidepost is of a light weight shell construction, in order to increase buoyancy during lowering thereof through the sea by use of an ROV. The light weight shell construction defines a cavity filled with a non-collapsible buoyancy material in at least part of the guidepost.

1 . A releasable guidepost for use on the seabed together with a fixed subsea structure, which guidepost assists during lowering of a component from the surface of the water to the subsea structure to obtain a focused landing of said component at a predetermined location, said guidepost includes an upward (in the position of use) projecting end designed for engagement with the lowered component, which guidepost has a cavity to provide buoyancy during lowering thereof through the sea by use of an ROV, wherein said cavity is defined by a light weight shell construction, which light weight shell construction is filled with and supported by a non-collapsible buoyancy material in at least part of the guidepost. 
     
     
         2 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-collapsible buoyancy material is a syntactic foam added with glass bubbles. 
     
     
         3 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-collapsible buoyancy material is a Trellborg composition, either in the Hisyn or CRP series. 
     
     
         4 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 2 , wherein the non-collapsible buoyancy material is a 3M composition, either in the K1-K25 series or the S32 and S35 series. 
     
     
         5 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 1 , wherein the guidepost is made of a metallic material, such as steel or aluminum providing said light weight construction. 
     
     
         6 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 1 , wherein the guidepost is made of a Glassfiber Reinforced Polyester (GRP) material, providing said light weight construction. 
     
     
         7 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 1 , wherein the location of the buoyancy material inside the guidepost is distributed unequal in order to deviate the lifting force of buoyancy from the center of gravity and in this way orientate the guidepost in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         8 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 2 , wherein the guidepost is made of a metallic material, such as steel or aluminum providing said light weight construction. 
     
     
         9 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 3 , wherein the guidepost is made of a metallic material, such as steel or aluminum providing said light weight construction. 
     
     
         10 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 4 , wherein the guidepost is made of a metallic material, such as steel or aluminum providing said light weight construction. 
     
     
         11 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 2 , wherein the guidepost is made of a Glassfiber Reinforced Polyester (GRP) material, providing said light weight construction. 
     
     
         12 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 3 , wherein the guidepost is made of a Glassfiber Reinforced Polyester (GRP) material, providing said light weight construction. 
     
     
         13 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 4 , wherein the guidepost is made of a Glassfiber Reinforced Polyester (GRP) material, providing said light weight construction. 
     
     
         14 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 2 , wherein the location of the buoyancy material inside the guidepost is distributed unequal in order to deviate the lifting force of buoyancy from the center of gravity and in this way orientate the guidepost in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         15 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 3 , wherein the location of the buoyancy material inside the guidepost is distributed unequal in order to deviate the lifting force of buoyancy from the center of gravity and in this way orientate the guidepost in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         16 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 4 , wherein the location of the buoyancy material inside the guidepost is distributed unequal in order to deviate the lifting force of buoyancy from the center of gravity and in this way orientate the guidepost in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         17 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 5 , wherein the location of the buoyancy material inside the guidepost is distributed unequal in order to deviate the lifting force of buoyancy from the center of gravity and in this way orientate the guidepost in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         18 . The releasable guidepost according to  claim 6 , wherein the location of the buoyancy material inside the guidepost is distributed unequal in order to deviate the lifting force of buoyancy from the center of gravity and in this way orientate the guidepost in a vertical direction.