Loading arrangement for floating production storage and offloading vessel

• US 6,811,355 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Single Buoy Moorings of America Incorporated (Single Buoy Moorings)
• Original Assignee: Single Buoy Moorings of America Incorporated (Single Buoy Moorings)
• Inventors: Poldervaart, Leendert
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JONG SUK
• Application Number:
  US10/331,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20030099517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 405/169, 405/170, 405/171, 405/172, 405/224, 405/224--22, 114/230.1, 114/230.13, 114/230.14, 114/230.15, 114/293, 114/294, 441/3-5, 166/350, 166/367
• US Class Current: 405/169
• 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 22/023 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 22/026 and with means to rotate the vessel around the anchored buoy turrets B63B21/507

Abstract

A loading arrangement includes a riser that extends from a subsea structure to a coupling element for coupling the riser to a vessel. The coupling element includes a buoy body which is connected to a retention member via a flexible connection part. The retention member, such as a submerged buoy, is attached to anchor lines which at or near their end parts are provided with buoy. The connection part, which can be a cable or a frame structure has a relatively high tensile strength to anchor the vessel to the sea bed and to prevent drift of the vessel when tension is exerted on the connection part and the anchor line.

Claims

1. A loading arrangement comprising:

a riser extending from a subsea structure to a coupling element that is attached to said riser for coupling said riser to a vessel, said coupling element comprising a buoy body and a retention member that is connected to said buoy body with a first flexible connection and with a second flexible connection separate from said first connection, said retention member being connected to the seabed via at least two anchor lines and being located relatively closely below sea level,

wherein said first connection has a relatively high tensile strength to anchor the vessel to the seabed and to prevent drift of the vessel when tension is exerted on said first connection and said anchor lines, and

wherein said retention member comprises a first swivel having a stationary part connected to said riser and a rotating part connected to said second connection.

2. The loading arrangement of claim 1, wherein said buoy body comprises a second swivel to which said second connection is attached for allowing displacement of said second connection in a plane through said first connection.

3. The loading arrangement of claim 1, wherein said anchor lines are provided with buoyant members at or near their ends that are located near said coupling element.

4. The loading arrangement of claim 3, wherein said buoyant members are attached to said anchor lines adjacent to said retention member.

5. The loading arrangement of claim 1, wherein said first connection comprises a chain.

6. The loading arrangement of claim 5, wherein said chain comprises a chain swivel having rotatable first and second segments, said first segment being attached to an upper chain section and said second segment being attached to a lower chain section for allowing relative rotation of said upper and lower chain sections around their longitudinal axis.

7. The loading arrangement of claim 1, wherein said retention member comprises a chain table.

8. A loading arrangement comprising:

a riser extending from a subsea structure to a coupling element that is attached to said riser for coupling said riser to a vessel, said coupling element comprising a buoy body and a retention member that is connected to said buoy body with a connection part, said retention member being connected to the seabed via anchor lines and located relatively closely below sea level,

wherein said connection part comprises a substantially rigid member that is connected to said buoy body with a first pivot connection and that is connected to said retention member with a second pivot connection, said connection part having a relatively high tensile strength to anchor the vessel to the seabeb and to prevent drift of the vessel when tension is exerted on said connection part and said anchor lines.

9. The loading arrangement of claim 8, wherein said anchor lines are provided with buoyant members at or near their ends that are located near said coupling element.

10. The loading arrangement of claim 8, wherein said rigid member is tubular.