Statoil Asa

Sveinung Løset

Ove Tobias Gudmestad

Basile Bonnemaire

Flexible riser systems are used to transfer hydrocarbons between a sea bed installation and a vessel floating at the sea surface. The riser is provided with a protection mechanism to protect the riser from impacts. The protection mechanism covers at least the upper part of the riser and may be retractable to an in-active position. When in operation, the riser protection mechanism is either suspended from the vessel or from a submerged turret buoy, forming part of a mooring system for the vessel. At its lower end, the protection mechanism is provided with an annular body surrounding the riser, the annular body having sufficient weight to provide a downwardly acting force in the riser protection mechanism, causing a stretch or a tension in the riser protection mechanism.

Deep water flexible riser protection

A loading system for transfer of hydrocarbons between an installation on the sea bed () and a floating vessel () in areas exposed to drifting ice. The system including a submerged turret buoy (), a flexible riser () extending from the sea bed installation () to the buoy () intended to be securely connected to a corresponding pipe on board the vessel (), and a plurality of mooring lines () connected to the buoy () and extending outwards therefrom. The system further including a riser protection element () for protecting the riser () from impacts when the riser () is in an extended, load transferring mode, and a protective structure () located in or on the sea bed () for protection of the riser () when in a retracted position in a non-operative mode; that the protective structure () containing riser reel () for storing the riser () in a protected position when disconnected and retracted from the vessel (). A method for mooring a vessel to a submerged turret buoy and a method for installing a riser protection element.

Loading system for ice infested waters

The invention relates to flexible risers for transfer of hydrocarbons between a sea bed installation and a vessel () floating at the sea surface. The riser () is provided with means () for protecting the riser () from impacts. The protection means () covers at least the upper part of the riser () and is retractable to an inactive position. When in operation, the riser protection means () is either suspended from the vessel () or from a submerged turret buoy, forming part of a mooring system for the vessel ().

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Trondheim, Norway

Sveinung Løset