Single Buoy Moorings Inc.

Imodco, Inc.

Offshore Energy Development Corporation

Rene Perratone

Jack Pollack

Leendert Poldervaart

Patrick Ducousso

Peter Lunde

Jean Braud

Jean-Loup Isnard

Frans Pieter Drijver

Jean-Pierre Queau

Yves Tosetti

Michael Macrae

Stuart Longmire

Jean-Phillippe R Laurie

A hydrocarbon transfer system includes a first structure carrying an articulated arm. The system has at a free end a first connector part, and a vessel comprising a second connector part, wherein each connector part comprises a housing with at least two fluid ducts within the housing. The ducts can be placed into sealing engagement along respective sealing faces, and a locking member for locking the housings of the connector parts together, wherein the fluid ducts in either the first or second connector are connected to a respective fluid swivel or flexible duct section to allow at least partial rotation of the ducts along their longitudinal axis, and are connected to a drive member for jointly rotating the ducts along a centreline of the connector parts.

Connector for articulated hydrocarbon fluid transfer arm

A method of mooring a vessel to a subsea anchoring element ( ) connected to the seabed, and comprising a chain section ( ) which is not longer than half the water depth, and which is at or near its free end provided with a coupling member ( ), is characterised by the steps of: lowering a multi-strand anchor line ( ) from a vessel ( ), the multi-strand anchor line ( ) being at its free end attached to a connector ( ), and attaching the connector ( ) to the coupling member ( ). The present disclosure also provides an anchor line repair or exchange method comprising the steps of: disconnecting the first multi-strand anchor line ( ) from the chain section, lowering a second multi-strand anchor line ( ) from a vessel ( ), the second multi-strand line ( ) being at its free end attached to connector ( ), and attaching the connector ( ) of the second multi-strand line ( ) to the coupling member ( ).

Subsea anchor line connection method and connector for use therein

An offshore system is described, of the type that includes a turret (20) anchored to the sea floor and connected by at least an upper bearing assembly (34) to the vessel hull (14) so the hull can weathervane about the turret, wherein the upper bearing assembly is of moderate cost and high reliability, is easily maintained, and accommodates vessel hull deformation. The upper bearing assembly includes a circle of bearing devices(202) wherein each device includes a cylinder (224) and piston (226). A source (260) of pressured fluid is applied to the devices to push apart the cylinder and piston to support an upper bearing part (204) of the turret on a lower bearing part (210) of the hull.

Offshore turret with circle of bearing devices

A vessel comprising at least one anchor line (15). Disconnect elements are attached to the anchor line for releasing the vessel from the sea bed. A first part of the disconnect element (16) is directly attached to the vessel and a second part is attached to the anchor line (17). Upon detaching the anchor lines from the vessel, no cables will protrude from underneath the vessel after disconnecting. Thereby the risk of interference of the anchor lines with the vessel itself, with other vessels or with objects on the seabed in shallow waters is avoided. Furthermore, the disconnect elements can be directly controlled from the vessel. Inspection and maintenance can be easily performed. Preferably, the vessel comprises two or more anchor lines, each anchor line having a disconnect element which can be independently operated. Thereby a staged release of the anchor lines is possible which may be adapted to weather conditions or approaching objects such as icebergs.

Vessel having quick disconnect means, and disconnect means for use in

An offshore system is described, of the type that includes a turret (20) anchored to the sea floor and connected by at least an upper bearing assembly (34) to the vessel hull (14) so the hull can weathervane about the turret, wherein the upper bearing assembly is of moderate cost and high reliability. In one construction, the upper bearing assembly includes upper and lower slider bearing rings (40, 42) that lie facewise adjacent at an interface (44), with the upper bearing ring fixed to the turret and the lower bearing ring supported on the hull through quantities of elastomeric material (102). The elastomeric material permits slight tilt of the turret upper portion without opening a gap at one side of the interface. The lower bearing ring is divided into segments (112A, 112B), and large turret tilt allows pressured lubricant to escape from only one or a few segments that begins to lift up during turret tilt. In another construction, a circle of bearing devices (202) is provided, wherein each device includes a cylinder (224) and piston (226) and a source of pressured fluid that is applied to the device.

Offshore turret upper bearing

A vessel comprising a detachable buoy (3) which is connected to the vessel near keel level. the buoy or the vessel comprise on their contact surfaces an annular sealing element (6) comprising at least one inflatable tube (7,8,9). By placing the inflatable tube on the contact surfaces, the buoy and the vessel can be firmly connected, even when the contact surfaces are not completely flat. A water tight seal is formed by the inflatable tube such that the room in the top part of the buoy can be drained. Hereby a firm connection is achieved and a dry room becomes available for placing structures such as for instance a manifold system.

Vessel comprising an inflatable sealing element

The invention relates to a vessel which is attached to the sea floor by at least one anchor line. A riser support buoy (9) is releasably connected to the vessel. The anchor line or anchor lines are attached to the vessel outside the area of the riser support buoy (9) such that the buoy can be detached from the vessel independently from the attachment of the anchor lines. By releasing the riser support buoy while maintaining the anchor lines in place, the buoy can be released by maintenance purposes, inspection of the buoy body or the riser without the vessel going adrift. Also the forces between the vessel and the buoy are reduced as the anchor lines are not attached to the riser supporting buoy. The riser supporting buoy may be provided with stabilisation lines (45,45') which on one end comprise a ballast weight (46,46').

Vessel with a disconnectable riser supporting buoy

A sealing system for a rotatable fluid conduit coupling or swivel, in particular a swivel for the off-shore oil and gas exploitation or the like, the coupling comprising an inner or first part, an outer or second part concentrically surrounding the first part, an annular chamber formed by the opposite outer and/or inner walls of the inner and outer parts respectively, the chamber being connected to a fluid conduit in the first part and a fluid conduit in the second part, and a clearance between the parts on either side of the chamber which clearances each are sealed by at least one sealing ring located in an annular recess in one and/or the other of the opposite walls forming the clearance, the sealing ring being of resilient low friction material and of the type which allows flexing of the seal lips under over pressure in the clearance from the side of the chamber beyond the pressure behind the sealing ring, the improvement being that in the recess the sealing ring cooperates with or has been provided with means which limit the degree of flexible deformation in case reverse pressure occurs over the sealing ring.

Sealing system--anti collapse device

Sealing sytem--anti collapse device

A disconnectable mooring system for connecting a mooring body member and a receiving member. The receiving member is rotatably arranged in a floating structure and is a part of a turret system. The mooring buoy member is provided with structural connections at its circumference cooperating with corresponding connections on the receiving members. Both the receiving member and the mooring buoy member are provided with fluid passages on the side remote from the sealing interface fixedly connected to fluid conduits and at the interface ending into openings. Around the openings seals are provided. Centering devices are present to locate the mooring buoy member and the receiving member relative to each other. For connecting-disconnecting, it is sufficient to operate the structural connections and to raise or pay out the lifting device.

Disconnectable mooring system

A bearing assembly comprises one side exposed to a fluid and the other side to a dry area or compartment(s) which can be emptied. To replace part(s) of the bearing assembly a compartment is located in the compartment(s) through which a section of the bearing is guided. After a part of the bearing section has been moved backwards the compartment can be closed via a valve, then the bearing section can be removed completely from the cavity thus preventing considerable quantities of fluid from entering the compartment(s). This bearing structure can be used in a vessel turret assembly.

Bearing assembly and vessel turret assembly

Protection device for a turret bearing arranged between a floating structure and a mooring member. A turret bearing is arranged at or below water level to provide an effective introduction of forces as near the lower side of the floating structure as possible. To guarantee lubrication of the turret bearing a labyrinthine chamber is provided around the turret bearing. The downwardly extending part of this chamber is realized by the floating structure and more particularly a reinforced box whilst the upwardly extending part is provided by a wall extending from the body of the mooring member.

Protection device for a turret bearing

A quick-acting coupling for the fluid-tight connection of two parts, each with sealing elements with sealing faces, is provided with at least one sealing face having a flexible seal, as well as a coupling for connecting the parts in such a way that they do not move relative to each other. In order to simplify the coupling and to reduce its costs, the sealing element of one part has a bevelled end and the sealing element of the other part has a correspondingly bevelled socket. The flexible seal is free-standing and radially unconfined over the entire height of its contact with the other sealing face.

Quick-acting coupling and quick-acting coupling assembly

Swivel comprising two bodies being rotatable with regard to each other wherein the inner body is provided with several inlet ports opening to a ring-shaped channel defined between both bodies.

Swivel

The invention relates to a rotatable pipe coupling for a plurality of pipes comprising a plurality of annular bodies (1,2,3) which are concentric and in interfitted relation with respect to one another instead of being stacked upon each other.

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Menton, France

Rene Perratone