July 2004

(San Antonio, Texas)– Zachry has developed a first-of-its-kind patented technology that will allow the company to enter a new area of offshore construction. Zachry Modular Concrete Spar (ZMCS) is poised to revolutionize construction of offshore drilling facilities and other deep-water applications.

Most offshore exploration for oil and gas is conducted atop platforms primarily made of steel originating outside the U.S. Oil and gas exploration companies have not found it feasible to produce the steel structures stateside.

ZMCS solves the problem by providing a process that can be implemented near the platform site. ZMCS is an arrangement of vertical cylindrical concrete tubes or spars that are linked horizontally to make a gigantic buoy. The buoy serves as the foundation of a topside platform on which various offshore applications can be installed. The inherently strong cylindrical forms are further strengthened by the use of concrete as the construction material. When submersed, the concrete cylinders efficiently resist hydrostatic forces that would make other forms buckle.

The union of the ZMCS’ cylindrical units forms a structure that provides the buoyancy needed to support the weight of a topside structure, as well as the ballast needed to maintain stability when the hull is submerged significantly deeper than the water’s surface.

In addition to oil and gas exploration, ZMCS can be adapted for other offshore applications, including storage of liquids and solids and as a platform for vehicular traffic and landing of aircraft.

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