Turret mooring system arrangement

• US 10,640,179 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Single Buoy Moorings of America Incorporated (Single Buoy Moorings)
• Original Assignee: Single Buoy Moorings of America Incorporated (Single Buoy Moorings)
• Inventors: Bonnaffoux, Guillaume, Fourdilis, Nicolas
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Lars A
• Application Number:
  US16/092,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20190106183A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• Field of Search: 11423012, 114293, 441 3, 441 4, 441 5
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2035/448 Floating hydrocarbon production vessels, e.g. Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels [FPSO]
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 21/507 with mooring turrets
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/44 Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices construction methods for floating offshore platforms B63B75/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/4413 Floating drilling platforms, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/01 specially adapted for obtaining from underwater installations

Abstract

A turret mooring system for a floating process and storage offloading, FPSO, vessel or a FLNG vessel includes a turret structure and a bearing support structure. The turret structure is to be placed within a moonpool in a hull of the vessel and rotatably held within the moonpool via the bearing support structure. The bearing support structure includes a radial support and an axial support. The radial support includes a plurality of radial wheels, and the axial support includes a plurality of axial bogies. The vessel has a topside process deck and the turret structure includes a collar deck. The collar deck is positioned vertically above an upper side of the axial support and below an elevation of the topside process deck. An FPSO or FLNG vessel is provided which includes the turret mooring system.

Claims

1. A turret mooring system (100;

400) for a floating process and storage offloading, FPSO, vessel or a FLNG vessel (150;

250), said system comprising;

a turret structure (120); and

a bearing support structure (110, 115);

the turret structure to be placed within a moonpool (155) in a hull of the vessel and rotatably held within the moonpool via the bearing support structure, the bearing support structure comprising a radial support (115) and an axial support (110);

the radial support comprising a plurality of radial wheels, the axial support comprising a plurality of axial bogies;

the vessel having a topside process deck (160) and a hull with a bottom (180), wherein the hull has a height of at least 35 meter between the bottom and the topside process deck,

wherein the turret structure comprises a collar deck (125) and the collar deck is positioned vertically above an upper side (L1) of the axial support and below an elevation of the topside process deck (160),

wherein the bearing arrangement is positioned at a vertical distance (D) below the elevation of the topside process deck (160) such that there is at least one interdeck space of at least 6 meters between the topside process deck (160) and a top level (L1) of the bearing arrangement (110, 115), and wherein said interdeck space is large enough to locate process equipment in said interdeck space, and

wherein the radial support is vertically positioned (L2) in the turret structure between the collar deck and a bottom part of the hull, and the axial support is vertically positioned (L1) in the turret structure between the collar deck and the radial support.

2. The turret mooring system according to claim 1, wherein the bearing support structure further comprises a plurality of lower stoppers (210) arranged in a bottom region (215) of the moonpool.

3. The turret mooring system according to claim 2, wherein the lower stoppers are arranged at vertical distance of about 5 meter from the bottom opening (180) of the moonpool (155).

4. The turret mooring system according to claim 1, wherein the collar deck is separated from the topside process deck by at least one interdeck distance (170).

5. The turret mooring system according to claim 1, wherein the collar deck is separated from the topside process deck by an intermediate element (165).

6. The turret mooring system according to claim 5, wherein the intermediate element comprises at least one of a riser termination deck (165) and a manifold structure.

7. The turret mooring system according to claim 6, wherein risers terminate at either the collar deck or the top side process deck.

8. The turret mooring system according to claim 1, wherein the collar deck (125) sits on the axial bogies of the axial support (110).

9. The turret mooring system according to claim 1, further comprising a lip seal (130) and/or a water damming labyrinth (135) between the radial support and the bottom (180) of the hull.

10. The turret mooring system according to claim 9, wherein the radial support (110) is positioned (L2) above a designed maximum draught level (L3), said maximum draught level (L3) accounting for the sea water dynamic motions, to prevent exposure of radial wheels mechanical components to sea water.

11. The turret mooring system according to claim 10, wherein the lip seal and/or water damming labyrinth is vertically positioned between the designed maximum draught level (L3) of the vessel and the level of the radial support (L2).

12. The turret mooring system according to claim 1, wherein said collar deck comprises a floor, sidewalls and a ceiling, and is accessible from another deck of the turret which lies directly above the collar deck.

13. The turret mooring system according to claim 1, wherein the turret structure is a mooring buoy.

14. A FPSO or FLNG vessel comprising a hull and a turret mooring system, the turret mooring system comprising a turret structure and a bearing support structure wherein the turret structure is rotatably suspended from the hull of the vessel, the turret mooring system in accordance with claim 1.

15. The turret mooring system according to claim 2, wherein the collar deck is separated from the topside process deck by at least one interdeck distance (170).

16. The turret mooring system according to claim 3, wherein the collar deck is separated from the topside process deck by at least one interdeck distance (170).

17. The turret mooring system according to claim 2, wherein the collar deck is separated from the topside process deck by an intermediate element (165).

18. The turret mooring system according to claim 3, wherein the collar deck is separated from the topside process deck by an intermediate element (165).

19. The turret mooring system according to claim 4, wherein the collar deck is separated from the topside process deck by an intermediate element (165).