US 12,031,402 B2
Improving access into subsea structures
Rasmus Haneferd, Hundvag (NO); Karl Erik Suphellen, Algard (NO); Arne Rasmussen, Klepp Stasjon (NO); and Knut Sigmund Lende, Voll (NO)
Assigned to SUBSEA 7 NORWAY AS, Stavanger (NO)
Appl. No. 17/050,820
Filed by Subsea 7 Norway AS, Stavanger (NO)
PCT Filed Apr. 26, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/060754
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 26, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/207114, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 31, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 1806823 (GB), filed on Apr. 26, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0047875 A1, Feb. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. E21B 33/037 (2006.01); B63G 8/00 (2006.01); E02D 29/09 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 33/037 (2013.01) [B63G 8/001 (2013.01); E02D 29/06 (2013.01); B63G 2008/002 (2013.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A protective subsea housing for protecting an equipment space enclosed by the housing, the housing comprising:
an access opening in a wall of the housing for providing access to the equipment space by an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV);
a closure that is movable by translation, or by rotation relative to an axis transverse to the wall, to open and close the access opening;
an operating member, positioned outside the equipment space, that is engageable by and movable by the UUV to move the closure, wherein the operating member is movable relative to the housing to operate a drive mechanism that acts on the closure; and
wherein the operating member is mounted on the housing and is spaced from the access opening and the closure.