The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 10, 2006
Filed:
Aug. 02, 2002
Roy H. Cottrell, Cypress, TX (US);
Rick A. Hall, Houston, TX (US);
Brent A. Salyer, Cypress, TX (US);
Caspar N. Heyl, Houston, TX (US);
Richard H. Gunderson, Spring, TX (US);
Roy H. Cottrell, Cypress, TX (US);
Rick A. Hall, Houston, TX (US);
Brent A. Salyer, Cypress, TX (US);
Caspar N. Heyl, Houston, TX (US);
Richard H. Gunderson, Spring, TX (US);
FMC Technologies, Inc., Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A mooring arrangement between a floating storage body spread moored in deep water and a shuttle tanker, the arrangement including a single point buoyant member that is adapted for mooring a shuttle tanker in offloading position relative to a floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) with a link between the floating storage body and the single point buoyant member. One embodiment () of the invention employs a submerged yoke (), having one end () rotatably coupled to a FPSO () and a second end (), supported by a buoy. A mooring hawser () extends from the buoy to the shuttle tanker and product hoses connect the shuttle tanker with the FPSO and extend along the submerged yoke. In another embodiment, the mooring buoy is stationed by a hold-back mooring system () and the FPSO or the tanker or both is provide with traction device () to move the tanker into loading position with respect to the FPSO. Other embodiments of the invention establish mooring of a shuttle tanker so that it can weathervane 360 degrees during offloading activity. In another embodiment, the mooring buoy () is provided with a dynamic positioning system () for controlling shuttle tanker positioning with respect to conditions of the environment or for moving the tanker to a desired position during loading.