Offshore vessel mooring and riser inboarding system

Abstract

There is disclosed an offshore vessel mooring and riser inboarding system for a vessel such as a Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessel (FPSO) or a Floating Storage and Offloading Vessel (FSO). In one embodiment, the system comprises a first mooring element adapted to be located in an offshore environment; a riser adapted to be coupled to the first mooring element; a connector assembly adapted to be mounted on the vessel, the connector assembly comprising a second mooring element; and a transfer line adapted to be coupled to the riser; wherein the first and second mooring elements are adapted to be connected to facilitate coupling of the riser and the transfer line; and wherein the connector assembly is adapted to permit relative rotation between the vessel and the first mooring element about three mutually perpendicular axes of rotation. This facilitates weathervaning of the vessel relative to the first mooring element, as well as pitch, roll, heave and surge, under applied wind, wave and / or tidal forces.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to an offshore ship mooring and elevator entry system, and relates to a method for mooring a ship in an offshore environment. Specifically (but not exclusively), the present invention relates to a device for, for example, a Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessel (FPSO) or a Floating Storage and Offloading Vessel (Floating Storage and Offloading Vessel, Offshore mooring and elevator entry system for ships of FSO) and relates to a method of mooring ships in an offshore environment. Background technique [0002] In the oil and gas exploration and production industry, well fluids (oil and gas) from offshore wells are transported to shore via subsea pipelines placed on the seabed. However, the installation of subsea pipelines involves the use of specialized pipelay vessels, the associated capital outlay is very large, and the use of such pipelines is therefore only commercially viable in limited circumstances. Accordingly,...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Therefore, such systems are relatively time-consuming and costly to install

Furthermore, it is more difficult to connect ships to this type of system, as the buoy must be below the surface during the approach of a ship in an armed position above the buoy

[0009] Therefore, all systems developed to date suffer from a number of disadvantages, including: the system does not allow the vessel to continuously change direction with the wind indefinitely; the system is difficult to install and hook into the oil field; the system allows the vessel to quickly the ability to reliably and safely disengage the elevator is uncertain; and the system has relatively limited sea state capabilities

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