ABSTRACT
During severe storms, offshore rig evacuation systems are often inadequate. Typically, during deployment of a lifeboat, it is often damaged to the point of not being seaworthy before it reaches the ocean surface. This is especially the case for cablelaunched boats where a pendulum-like motion of the craft on its cables is often set up. It is less of a problem for free-fall lifeboats. Even when a craft reaches the ocean surface intact, high winds and waves can drive it against rig structures near the surface. We are developing a capsule which would sink below the surface. Even during storms, water motions due to waves are insignificant at a wave length or so below the surface. So, by sinking during storms, such a capsule would avoid the violent air and water motions found near the surface. This paper briefly describes the development work to date.
