Offshore floating production, storage, and off-loading vessel for use in ice-covered and clear water applications
First Claim
1. An offshore floating production, storage and off-loading vessel structure for use in ice-prone waters and in clear waters for producing, storing and transporting oil and/or liquefied gas, comprising:
- a monolithic hull having a top wall defining a deck, a bottom wall, and a polygonal exterior side wall configuration surrounding a central moon pool, said side walls having an uneven number of flat surfaces and sharp corners to cut ice sheets, resist and break ice, and move ice pressure ridges away from the structure;
ballast compartments and storage compartments contained in said hull;
an adjustable ballasting system for ballasting and deballasting selected said ballast compartments and storage compartments to induce heave, roll, pitch and surge motions of said vessel to dynamically position and maneuver said vessel and carry out ice cutting, breaking and moving operations; and
said moon pool having a double tapered conical interior configuration with respect to a vertical axis for entrainment of water to selectively provide added hydrodynamic virtual mass to increase the natural period of the roll and heave modes, reduce dynamic amplification and resonance due to waves and vessel motion, and facilitate maneuvering the vessel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An offshore floating production, storage, and off-loading vessel has a hull of generally cylindrical or polygonal configuration surrounding a central double tapered conical moon pool and contains water ballast and oil and/or liquefied gas storage compartments. The exterior side walls of the polygonal hull have flat surfaces and sharp corners to cut ice sheets, resist and break ice, and move ice pressure ridges away from the structure. An adjustable water ballast system induces heave, roll, pitch and surge motions of the vessel to dynamically position and maneuver the vessel to accomplish ice cutting, breaking and moving operations. The moon pool shape and other devices on the vessel provide added virtual mass for increasing the natural period of the roll and heave modes, reducing dynamic amplification and resonance due to waves and vessel motion, and facilitate maneuvering the vessel. A disconnectable turret buoy at the bottom of the moon pool connects risers and mooring lines.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An offshore floating production, storage and off-loading vessel structure for use in ice-prone waters and in clear waters for producing, storing and transporting oil and/or liquefied gas, comprising:
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a monolithic hull having a top wall defining a deck, a bottom wall, and a polygonal exterior side wall configuration surrounding a central moon pool, said side walls having an uneven number of flat surfaces and sharp corners to cut ice sheets, resist and break ice, and move ice pressure ridges away from the structure; ballast compartments and storage compartments contained in said hull; an adjustable ballasting system for ballasting and deballasting selected said ballast compartments and storage compartments to induce heave, roll, pitch and surge motions of said vessel to dynamically position and maneuver said vessel and carry out ice cutting, breaking and moving operations; and said moon pool having a double tapered conical interior configuration with respect to a vertical axis for entrainment of water to selectively provide added hydrodynamic virtual mass to increase the natural period of the roll and heave modes, reduce dynamic amplification and resonance due to waves and vessel motion, and facilitate maneuvering the vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification