ARCTIC DRILLING/PRODUCTION UNIT ANCHORED BY TENDONS.

A comprehensive design for a unit to aid production development in far-north, ice-covered waters has been developed and introduced by the consortium comprising Foster Wheeler Petroleum Development Ltd. , Pool Co. , Veritec Marine Technology Consultants and Versatile Pacific Shipbuilders, Inc. The concept describes a unit called ADAPS (Arctic Drilling and Production System) which the consortium claims can be practical either as a mobile drilling unit or a permanent production center on a variety of surficial soil conditions. By either altering base dimensions or utilizing a patented multiple-tendon anchoring system with up to 104 slant-drill-emplaced casings, ADAPS can be most economically designed for site-specific conditions. The particular unit described here is suited for 90-ft waters of the Canadian Beaufort; the concept is believed extendable to 300-ft waters in that area.