This is one of those projects that staggers the mind. It would be an engineering feat that trivializes everything else. Chalk up another great idea to Arthur C. Clark. He was close, in his book, he wrote about using some kind of "linear diamond". Carbon nano-tubes are close!
Fountains of Paradise. Robert Forward also wrote a beanstalk story, as did Imbuglia (I think? Wrote for Daw).
Pournelle has written mundane articles about space elevators, too, I think.
Do you think this concept is being placed on an ocean platform because of the limited choice of equatorial land locations? The lease would be cheaper too, I guess.