SYSTEM FOR MOORING A PRODUCTION VESSEL

• US 20150031252A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Li, Yile, Matsuura, Joao Paulo Juliao, Gerretsen, Jan Hendrik
• Application Number:
  US14/384,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20150031252A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 441/5
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2021/003 Mooring or anchoring equipment, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 21/00 Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring of buoys B63B22/04; dynamic anchoring B63H25/00 ; equipment for shipping on coasts, in harbours or on other fixed marine structures, e.g. for landing purposes, E02B
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 21/50 Anchoring arrangements or methods for special vessels, e.g. for floating drilling platforms or dredgers
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/021 and for transferring fluids, e.g. liquids container type buoys having means to selectively release contents, not adapted for mooring a vessel B63B22/26
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/023 submerged when not in use container type buoys submerged when not in use, not adapted for mooring a vessel B63B22/28; connected to turret B63B21/508
• 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

Abstract

A system for mooring a floating production vessel comprising: two or more buoys anchored to the seafloor that are also connected directly to the floating production vessel; and one or more risers connected to at least one of the buoys that is also connected to one or more subsea wellheads or manifolds wherein the buoys are not connected to the floating vessel by a swivel and turret system.

Claims

1. A system for mooring a floating production vessel comprising:

a. two or more buoys anchored to the seafloor that are also connected directly to the floating production vessel; and

b. one or more risers connected to at least one of the buoys that is also connected to one or more subsea wellheads or manifolds

wherein the buoys are not connected to the floating vessel by a swivel and turret system.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein risers are connected to each of the two or more buoys.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the buoys can be disconnected from the floating vessel by releasing the buoys to be submerged at a deeper depth than that when connected.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the buoys is anchored to the seafloor by more than two mooring lines.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the two or more buoys are anchored to the seafloor by a plurality of mooring lines positioned at an angle to the vertical.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein two or more buoys are connected to each other with one or more connection lines.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the floating production vessel is a ship.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the two or more buoys are not connected directly to each other.

9. A method of mooring a floating production vessel comprising:

a. providing two or more buoys that are anchored to the seafloor; and

b. connecting the two or more buoys to the floating vessel

wherein the buoys are not connected to the floating vessel by a swivel and turret system.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the buoys are connected to each other with one or more connection lines.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the two or more buoys are not connected directly to each other.

12. A method of protecting production risers and the floating production vessel from the effects of a storm comprising:

a. providing two or more buoys that are anchored to the seafloor and connected to a floating production vessel;

b. providing one or more production risers that are connected to a source of oil and gas production on the seafloor and to at least one of the buoys;

c. disconnecting all buoys that are connected to the one or more production risers from the floating production vessel; and

d. submerging all buoys to a depth of at least 10 meters below sea level.

13. A method as claim in claim 12 further comprising moving the floating production vessel away from the storm.