Floating production, storage and offloading tanker for producing hydrogen and ammonia

Abstract

A pontoon for use as a floating hydrogen and / or ammonia production, storage and offloading vessel, comprising: a hull inner wall; the at least two bulkheads are arranged in the inner wall of the ship body to form at least three independent storage spaces; a series of crossbeams, where the series of crossbeams are disposed between the at least two bulkheads to provide support and stability to the at least two bulkheads; the deck is supported by the at least two bulkheads and is arranged on the bulkheads; and wherein the at least three separate storage spaces are configured to contain a gas and / or a liquid.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to floating vessels. More particularly, the present invention relates to floating vessels for producing and storing hydrogen and / or liquid ammonia. Background Art

[0002] According to the World Bank, approximately 3.25 trillion cubic feet of natural gas is currently flared globally each year. The World Bank has sought support to end this flaring by 2030, and many countries and companies have signed up to the initiative. While significant progress has been made, much work remains to be done. Trillions of cubic feet of natural gas are also stranded in remote, harsh environments around the globe, where traditional recovery solutions are not currently feasible. While the oil and gas industry has embraced the use of floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) solutions to process oil, it has struggled to find commercially viable solutions to process, store and offload associated gas in cases where the field is far from consumers, the associated gas rate is relatively small, or the gas is heavily contaminated with undesirable components that are difficult to process offshore. In some cases, the operating unit producing on site does not have the capacity to do so, and the associated gas is flared. For example, at the Campeche field off the coast of Mexico, PEMEX is flaring 350 million standard cubic feet of natural gas per day in 2022, emitting 15,000 tons of unnecessary greenhouse gases. There are also a number of small-scale non-associated gas discoveries around the world that are not commercially viable on their own.

[0003] The floating liquefaction of natural gas (FLNG) concept has gained some traction in recent years, but there are still technical limitations that prevent widespread support. In addition, the LNG process requires the removal of unwanted components (such as water, carbon dioxide, sulfur) and hydrocarbons with carbon chain lengths greater than propane (C3) to extremely low levels (i.e., parts per million), which is commercially difficult to achieve offshore. Industry has also attempted to monetize natural gas by converting it into liquids such as diesel or methanol, but these solutions have not yet proven to be commercially viable on a large scale. In addition, ultimately when the gas is consumed, it produces carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas. The recent EU directive proposes a tax of up to €75 per ton of CO2 emitted by natural gas end users / consumers to encourage carbon capture and permanent storage, which is very difficult because natural gas is usually consumed in the presence of air, which is 79% nitrogen. Therefore, after combustion, the effluent gas is mainly nitrogen (N2), which makes it challenging and costly to separate and store the produced CO2.

[0004] In recent years, hydrogen and ammonia have gained support as carbon-free fuels, and many companies are attempting to develop renewable offshore hydrogen or ammonia solutions in which seawater is separated into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis, and the hydrogen is then exported directly via pipeline or combined with nitrogen from the surrounding air to produce ammonia, a concept sometimes referred to as "green ammonia." In this case, the electricity required to produce the hydrogen is delivered to the facility via power cables. Some of the solutions being considered propose using renewable energy sources such as solar, wave and wind power, which are intermittent in nature. While the electrolysis process can accommodate the intermittency of the power supply, the ammonia process has less capacity, so it is often prudent to include a buffer volume of the primary reactants (hydrogen, nitrogen and fresh water) to ensure smooth and continuous operation throughout the production facility design.

[0005] Another process, sometimes referred to as the "blue ammonia" concept, in which ammonia is produced from natural gas by conventional processes and the resulting CO2 is subsequently stored in underground reservoirs, is also gaining popularity. In both the green and blue ammonia processes, fresh water is required (either for green ammonia electrolysis or blue ammonia steam reforming).

[0006] However, each of the above concepts requires a specific and non-interchangeable system of production, storage, unloading, handling and transportation.

[0007] There are many potential technical solutions in the offshore oil and gas sector, ranging from fixed platforms and jack-up platforms in shallow waters to semi-submersibles and FPSOs in deep waters. While fixed platforms and jack-up rigs are the traditional shallow water solutions in developed offshore areas where the produced oil can be transported to onshore facilities, floating storage and offloading units (hereinafter referred to as "FSOs") and FPSOs have become the preferred solution in areas where existing onshore terminals do not exist. In the FPSO and FSO strategies, the oil is stored in the hull and exported directly to trading tankers side by side or in tandem. For a variety of reasons, the amount of seawater ballast required by FPSOs is significantly higher than that of trading tankers. Due to the nature of their design, it is fairly easy to allocate some of the tanks in a traditional crude oil carrier design for alternative services, such as the storage of primary reactants or ballast.

[0008] Most common ocean-going vessels are not designed to support any major equipment on deck, whereas FPSOs are purpose-built to perform narrowly tailored missions. While some vessels (ships) can be easily converted to FPSOs for oil and gas, these vessels (ships) cannot be easily converted to FPSOs focused on ammonia. Ammonia cannot be stored like oil and requires its own dedicated tanks and reservoirs. Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGCs) do exist that can transport up to 80,000 cubic meters of liquefied ammonia using these dedicated tanks and reservoirs. The nature of their design is such that they cannot be easily converted to support equipment or modules mounted on the top deck. As a result, existing ammonia storage capacity vessels can be equipped with minimal equipment on the top deck, either none or with only a single central support bulkhead. Due to the lack of multiple internal bulkheads, the primary structural support for production facilities mounted on deck must span the entire width of the vessel, thereby proportionally reducing the weight (and therefore capacity) that can be allocated to the production equipment, making this solution commercially unviable. In addition, unlike crude oil carriers, gas carriers have limited opportunities to allocate or convert some tanks to store primary reactants or ballast. Significantly longer vessels made construction highly unfeasible both in terms of cost and available dry dock locations.

[0009] Therefore, a hull design is needed that can properly and safely store ammonia, intermediate buffer reactants (hydrogen, nitrogen and dilute gases), support a full ammonia production and greenhouse gas storage facility on its top deck, and export hydrogen and / or ammonia. Summary of the invention

[0010] A floating vessel for use as an ammonia floating production storage and offloading vessel, comprising an inner hull wall; at least two bulkheads, wherein the at least two bulkheads are disposed within the inner hull wall to form at least three separate storage spaces; a series of beams, wherein the series of beams are disposed between the at least two bulkheads to provide support and stability to the at least two said bulkheads; and a deck, wherein the deck is supported by and rests on the at least two bulkheads; and wherein the at least three separate storage spaces are configured to contain pressurized or liquefied gases and liquids. The floating vessel may also include an optional fourth storage space extending from bow to stern and port to starboard, below and / or surrounding the main storage space for ballast. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] When used with the enclosed Figure 1 The disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read together. It should be emphasized that, in accordance with standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, for the sake of clarity, the dimensions of various features can be arbitrarily increased or decreased.

[0012] Figure 1An isometric view of an FPSO vessel according to one or more embodiments provided herein is depicted.

[0013] Figure 2 A partial cross-section of an exemplary midship section of a FPSO vessel is depicted according to one or more embodiments provided herein.

[0014] Figure 3 Described herein is one or more embodiments of the Figure 2 An exemplary top view of the hull 100 is shown mid-ship.

[0015] Figure 4 Described herein is one or more embodiments of the Figure 2-3 An exemplary isometric view of the midship section is shown.

[0016] Figure 5 Depicted Figure 1 , 2 and 4 are exemplary plans of decks shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The present invention relates to a floating vessel. The floating vessel can be used as a floating production storage and unloading container for hydrogen and / or ammonia and a greenhouse gas sequestration container. In at least one embodiment, the floating vessel can be used to produce the required amount of hydrogen from natural gas or water. In at least one other embodiment, the floating vessel can also be used to produce the required amount of ammonia from natural gas, and store the produced ammonia in a liquid state at a temperature below -33°C, while storing it at atmospheric pressure or at a pressure greater than 17Bar, at standard temperature or any other suitable temperature and pressure combination, for storing and compressing the produced carbon dioxide for sequestration. In one or more embodiments, the ship can have an inner hull and at least two bulkheads, which are arranged and located within the inner wall of the hull, and at least three independent storage spaces are defined between them. The ship can also have at least two beams, which are arranged and located between at least two bulkheads, to provide additional support and stability for the deck arranged on the top of the hull. The deck can be supported by at least two bulkheads and arranged on the deck. The storage space may be used to contain one or more liquids, such as liquid ammonia, liquefied petroleum gas ("LPG"), liquefied natural gas ("NGL"), or water, and compressed or liquefied gases, such as hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon dioxide, among others.

[0018] One or more support stools may be located on the deck, directly above, near or around two longitudinal bulkheads or longitudinal double hull sides. Support stools may be used to support and secure any number of production facilities to the deck. The size and design of the added beams are intended to provide the necessary strength to allow any production facility to be located and operated on the top deck of the vessel. Such production facilities may be modular or skid mounted and may be easily removed, relocated or installed anywhere on the top deck.

[0019] In one embodiment, the vessel may be a conversion ore carrier typically used to transport ore (such as coal or iron ore), and may be advantageously converted to a hydrogen / ammonia FPSO. Ore carriers, such as NewcastleMax, Very Large Ore Carriers (VLOC) and ValeMax, are approximately 50 to 65 meters wide and approximately 300 to 360 meters long. The hull width provided herein may be between 45 meters, 50 meters or 55 meters, between 65 meters or 68 meters, and between 255 meters, 270 meters or 285 meters long, between 350 meters or 350 meters, and between 360 meters or 380 meters, and may support installations of any significant size on the deck, and is therefore commercially viable for a hydrogen / ammonia FPSO. In at least one embodiment, the hull may be approximately 65 meters wide and approximately 360 meters long.

[0020] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings provided. It should be understood that the following disclosure describes several exemplary embodiments for implementing different features, structures or functions of the present invention. To simplify the present disclosure, exemplary embodiments of components, arrangements and configurations are described below; however, these exemplary embodiments are provided as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and / or letters in various embodiments and in the accompanying drawings provided herein. This repetition is for simplicity and clarity and does not itself specify the relationship between the various embodiments and / or configurations. In addition, the exemplary embodiments described below may be combined in any manner: that is, any element from one exemplary embodiment may be used in any other exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0021] In addition, certain terms are used in the following description and claims to refer to specific components. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, different entities may refer to the same component by different names, and therefore, the naming conventions of the elements described herein are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention unless otherwise specifically defined herein. In addition, the naming conventions used herein are not intended to distinguish between components with different names but different functions.

[0022] Furthermore, in the following description and claims, the terms "including" and "comprising" are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean "including, but not limited to."

[0023] The term "or" is intended to cover both the exclusive and inclusive case, ie, unless the context clearly states otherwise, "A or B" is intended to be synonymous with "at least one of A and B."

[0024] The indefinite articles "a" and "an" refer to both the singular (i.e., "a") and the plural (i.e., one or more) unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, embodiments using "a gas" include embodiments using one, two, or more gases unless specified to the contrary or the context clearly indicates that only one gas is intended.

[0025] Unless otherwise indicated herein, all numerical values ​​are "about" or "approximately" indicated values, which means that these values ​​take into account experimental errors, machine tolerances, and other variations expected by those of ordinary skill in the art. It should also be understood that the precise numerical values ​​used in the specification and claims constitute specific embodiments. Efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the data in the examples. However, it should be understood that any measurement data inherently contains a certain degree of error due to the limitations of the technology and / or equipment used to make the measurements.

[0026] Each of the appended claims defines a separate invention, which for infringement purposes is recognized as including equivalents to the various elements or limitations defined in the claims. Depending on the context, all references to the "invention" may in some cases refer only to certain specific embodiments. In other cases, it will be recognized that references to the "invention" will refer to the subject matter referenced in one or more (but not necessarily all) of the claims. Each invention will now be described in more detail below, including specific embodiments, versions, and examples, but the inventions are not limited to these embodiments, versions, or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention when the information in this disclosure is combined with publicly available information and techniques.

[0027] Figure 1A schematic isometric view of an FPSO vessel according to one or more embodiments is described. The FPSO has a single continuous deck 101 for supporting one or more processing modules. The deck 101 is arranged on a hull 100, which has a stern section 102, a bow section 103, and a storage section 104 located between the bow 103 and the stern section 102. The storage section 104 can be accommodated and / or confined between the sides 205 and the bottom 206 of the hull 100. The sides 205 and the bottom 206 can be double-walled, thereby providing voids or spaces therein. As will be explained in more detail below, these voids and / or empty spaces can serve as ballast for the vessel. The hull 100 can be a steel structure or any other suitable ship structure material, or any combination thereof.

[0028] Figure 2 A partial cross section of a hull 100 at midship of a storage section 104 is depicted according to one or more embodiments. Any one or more production modules 210 (four levels of production modules are shown 210A, 210B, 210C, 210D) may be located, disposed, mounted, or otherwise supported on or above the upper deck 101. The storage section 104 is located below the upper deck 101 and may include at least two longitudinal bulkheads 202 disposed therein. The longitudinal bulkheads 202 may extend in the longitudinal direction of the vessel (i.e., from the stern section 102 to the bow section 103). In one embodiment, the longitudinal length of the hull 100 may be approximately 360 meters, and the transverse distance between the longitudinal bulkheads 202 may be from 10 meters, 12.5 meters, or 15 meters to 17.5 meters, 20 meters, or 22.5 meters. The longitudinal bulkheads 202 may be located at any desired distance from the sides 205 of the hull 100. For example, the longitudinal bulkhead 202 may be located approximately 13, 15, 17, 20, 25, or 27.5 meters from the side 205 of the hull 100. In one embodiment, the longitudinal bulkhead 202 may be located between 10 and 20, 25, or 28 meters from the side 205 of the hull 100.

[0029] Any bulkhead 202, 207 may be secured to the bottom 206 of the hull 100 using any one or more bulkhead supports or gussets 203. Any of the bulkheads 202, 207 may also be secured to the top plate 101 using any one or more bulkhead brackets 203. The bulkhead brackets 203 may be any suitable shape configured to provide strength, reinforcement, and / or buckling resistance to the two longitudinal bulkheads 202. For example, the bulkhead brackets 203 may be triangular, concave arc, convex arc, rectangular, or a combination thereof. When multiple bulkhead brackets 203 are used, two or more bulkhead brackets 203 may be spaced apart along the bulkheads 202, 207 on either or both sides of the bulkheads 202, 207. In one or more embodiments, two or more bulkhead brackets 203 may be distributed at fixed intervals on both sides of each bulkhead 202, 207. In one or more embodiments, two or more bulkhead brackets 203 may be distributed at fixed intervals on both sides of each bulkhead 202, 207. In one or more embodiments, two or more bulkhead brackets 203 may be located at the top and bottom of each bulkhead 202, 207. In one or more embodiments, two or more bulkhead brackets 203 may be disposed on bulkheads 202, 207 at the same elevation or at different elevations. In at least one embodiment, multiple bulkhead brackets 203 may be disposed at the same elevation and on the same bulkhead 202, 207 using the same spacing intervals.

[0030] Figure 3 Another exemplary partial longitudinal cross-section is depicted, showing a top view of the Figure 2 The storage section 104 of the hull 100 is shown. The hull 100 may include two, three, four, five or more transverse bulkheads 207 in the storage section 104. The transverse bulkheads 207 may be 30 meters, 35 meters, 40 meters, 45 meters and / or 50 meters apart. Figure 2 and Figure 3 , one or more cross beams 201 may be disposed between two longitudinal bulkheads 202 to provide additional support and stability to the deck 101 disposed on top of the hull 100. The cross beams 201 may be of any suitable shape capable of providing strength, reinforcement, buckling resistance, etc. to the two longitudinal bulkheads 202, such as an I-frame, a T-frame, an H-frame, a triangular solid, a rectangular solid, etc., or a combination thereof. The cross beams 201 may be continuous and may run the entire length of the bulkheads 202. The cross beams 201 may also be arranged as ribs and only run a portion of the length of the bulkheads 202. Similarly, the cross beams 201 may run the entire height of the bulkheads 202 or only a portion of the height. In one or more embodiments, each cross beam 201 may be generally flat and horizontal, and when two or more are used, the cross beams 201 may be spaced apart along the length of the longitudinal bulkheads 202.

[0031] Figure 4 Described in accordance with one or more embodiments Figure 2-3 An exemplary isometric view of the midship section is shown. One or more beams 201 can be used as a crossbar or beam between any two bulkheads 202. One or more beams 201 and bulkheads 202 can be integrated with each other to form a plate-like structure and stacked together within the hull 100. In some embodiments, the beams 201 can be welded or otherwise secured to the bulkheads 202. In some embodiments, one or more bulkhead brackets 203 can be used to secure the beams 201 to the bulkheads 202 to provide additional support.

[0032] As described above, any number of support stools 204 may be provided on the deck 101. The support stools 204 may be used to support and secure any number of production facilities 210 to a single continuous deck 101. The support stools 204 may be located directly above, near, or around the transverse bulkheads 207, longitudinal bulkheads 202, and / or sides 205 of the hull 100. In another embodiment, the bulkheads 202, 207, and / or sides 205 of the hull 100 may extend above the deck 101, which themselves 202A and 205A may serve as supports for the production facilities 210. See FIG. Figure 3 , the upper or first ends 202A, 205A of the bulkheads 202, 207 and / or the side 205 of the hull 100 can extend above the deck 101 to provide a support surface for connecting and / or supporting the upper deck production facilities 210. Such production facilities 210 can be modular or skid-mounted and can be easily removed, relocated or installed anywhere on the top plate 101. In at least one embodiment, the storage section 104 can be configured to store liquid ammonia, liquefied petroleum gas, compressed hydrogen, compressed nitrogen, pure water, ballast or natural gas liquids (hereinafter referred to as "NGL"), etc. In one or more embodiments, the hull 100 can be insulated using any suitable insulation type. In one or more embodiments, the cargo storage can be between 25,000 tons, 40,000 tons or 55,000 tons and 90,000 tons or 120,000 tons or 180,000 tons. In one or more embodiments, the ballast may be stored in an amount of up to 20,000 tons, 40,000 tons, or 70,000 tons.

[0033] In certain embodiments, the hull 100 may be configured to provide one, two, three, or more self-contained water tanks confined within the bulkheads 202, 207, sides 205, bottom 206, and / or deck 101. The void space created by the bottom 206 and bulkheads 202, 207 may provide storage for intermediate reactants (hydrogen, nitrogen, and water). The void space created by the transom 201 and bulkheads 202 may provide space for pipe and cable racks 209, which may extend all or part of the length of the hull 100. The storage section 104 may provide one or more ballast storages 208 within the sides 205 and / or bottom 206 of the hull 100.

[0034] One or more independent storage tanks may also be located in the hull 100. The storage tanks may be permanently fixed in the hull 100 or may be removably fixed in the hull 100. For example, the storage tanks may be configured as B-type storage tanks, C-type storage tanks, or C-type double-leaf storage tanks.

[0035] Reference again Figure 1 , the deck 101 can be configured to support a production facility weight between 9,000 metric tons, 10,000 metric tons, or 11,000 metric tons and 45,000 metric tons, 55,000 metric tons, or 65,000 metric tons. In one or more embodiments, the single continuous deck 101 can be configured with a support stool 204 that supports and secures the production facility to the single continuous deck 101. In at least one embodiment, the support stool 204 can support each production facility as a skid, package, tower, or module, at least 10 metric tons, 100 metric tons, 1000 metric tons, or 10,000 metric tons. The support stool 204 can be configured based on the location of the bulkheads 202, 207, the deck frame, the deck layout, and the geometry of the production facility. The support stool 204 can be used to removably secure the production facility to the deck 101 by any appropriate method. For example, an exemplary production facility 210 for producing hydrogen and / or ammonia on top of a vessel may include any one or more of the following equipment and / or units: reactors, compressors, separators, syngas reformers, electrical, electric, air separation units, cranes, laying units, electronic rooms, power stations and / or other utilities, pipelines, controllers, etc. Additional details of an ammonia production facility are disclosed and described in U.S. Publication No. 2021 / 0002141, U.S. Patent No. 10,597,301, etc., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0036] The FPSO may also include living quarters 107 in the stern section 102 of the FPSO. In one or more embodiments, the living quarters 107 may include housing for between 20, 25, 30 and 220, 240, 260 persons. The living quarters may include any one or more of offices, workshops, spare parts storage, telecommunications (satellite, VHF, fiber optic, etc.), kitchens, and control rooms. In one embodiment, the living quarters are unmanned and the FPSO is remotely monitored and / or controlled using telecommunications or similar means. In addition, the living quarters 107 may include lifeboats 108 mounted on the sides of the living quarters 107. In at least one embodiment, the living quarters 107 may accommodate at least 140 persons, 150 persons, or 160 persons and include no less than 4×50% or 2×100% of suitable lifeboats 108 mounted on the sides of the living quarters 107 and a helicopter deck 106 fixed to the top of the living quarters.

[0037] The FPSO may also include any suitable mooring system, such as an internal turret, an external turret, a deployed mooring, a tower, etc., or any combination thereof. The FPSO may also be moored to a pier or grounded on the bottom like a gravity-based structure. In one or more embodiments, the size of the hull may be large enough to support any suitable mooring system to accommodate any mooring system requirements from project to project. In addition, the FPSO may include a riser system corresponding to the mooring system used. In one or more embodiments, the hull may be configured to support any appropriate riser system that is matched to one or more suitable mooring systems as needed from project to project.

[0038] Additional embodiments of the present disclosure include the following: Embodiment 1: A floating vessel used as an ammonia floating production storage and unloading vessel, comprising: a hull having two opposing double side walls and a double bottom wall; at least two longitudinal bulkheads located within the hull, defining at least three independent storage spaces within the hull; at least two transverse bulkheads located between the at least two longitudinal bulkheads within the hull; a series of beams, wherein the series of beams are arranged between any one of the at least two longitudinal or transverse bulkheads to provide support and stability to the bulkheads; a deck at least partially arranged above the hull and at least partially supported by at least two longitudinal bulkheads, transverse bulkheads, or a combination thereof; and at least one void located within the double side walls or the double bottom wall of the hull, at least one void being used for ballast, wherein the at least three independent storage spaces are configured to contain one or more liquids, pressurized gases, or a combination thereof.

[0039] Embodiment 2: The floating vessel of embodiment 1, wherein the bulkhead is insulated to maintain the temperature or pressure or both of the cargo liquid.

[0040] Embodiment 3: The floating vessel of embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the distance between at least two bulkheads is smaller than the distance between any bulkhead and the nearest inner wall of the hull.

[0041] Embodiment 4: The floating vessel of any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 3, further comprising a bow and a stern, wherein at least two bulkheads longitudinally span between the bow and the stern.

[0042] Embodiment 5: The floating vessel of any one or more of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the deck is configured to support a weight of at least 50,000 tons.

[0043] Embodiment 6: The floating vessel of any one or more of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the liquid is ammonia, liquefied petroleum gas or natural gas liquid, and the pressurized gas is selected from the group consisting of H2, N2, O2, CO2 and water.

[0044] Embodiment 7: The floating vessel of any one or more embodiments of embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the deck includes at least one living area configured for living or office use.

[0045] Embodiment 8: The floating vessel of any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the floating vessel is remotely monitored.

[0046] Embodiment 9: The floating vessel of any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 8, wherein the deck comprises a helicopter deck.

[0047] Embodiment 10: The floating vessel of any one or more of embodiments 1 to 9, wherein each bulkhead includes a bulkhead bracket secured at or around the bottom of the bulkhead, the top of the bulkhead, or both the bottom and the top of the bulkhead to secure the bulkhead within the hull inner wall.

[0048] Embodiment 11: The floating vessel of any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the bulkhead is independent within the hull inner wall.

[0049] Embodiment 12: The floating vessel of any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 11, wherein the bulkhead is an integrated insulation tank disposed within the inner wall of the hull.

[0050] All patents and patent applications, test procedures (eg, ASTM methods, UL methods, etc.), and other documents cited herein are fully incorporated by reference to the extent such disclosure is not inconsistent with this disclosure and for all jurisdictions in which such incorporation is permitted.

[0051] Certain embodiments and features have been described using a set of numerical upper limits and a set of numerical lower limits. It should be understood that, unless otherwise indicated, ranges include combinations of any two values, for example, any combination of a lower limit with any upper limit, any combination of any two lower limits, and / or any combination of any two upper limits. Certain lower limits, upper limits, and ranges are shown in one or more claims below.

[0052] The features of several embodiments are also summarized above so that those skilled in the art can better understand the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should recognize that they can easily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other methods or devices to achieve the same purpose and / or achieve the same advantages as the embodiments disclosed herein. Those skilled in the art should also recognize that such equivalent interpretations do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and they can make various changes, substitutions and modifications herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, the scope of which is determined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A floating vessel for use as a floating production storage and unloading vessel for ammonia, characterized in that: include: A hull having two opposing double side walls and a double bottom wall; at least two longitudinal bulkheads located within the hull defining at least three separate storage spaces within the hull; at least two transverse bulkheads located between at least two longitudinal bulkheads within the hull; a series of transverse beams, wherein the series of transverse beams are disposed between any of at least two longitudinal or transverse bulkheads to provide support and stability to the bulkheads; The deck is at least partially disposed above the hull and is at least partially supported by at least two longitudinal bulkheads, transverse bulkheads, or a combination thereof; and at least one void is located in the double side walls or double bottom walls of the hull, and at least one void is used for ballast; Wherein, the at least three separate storage spaces are configured to contain one or more liquids, pressurized gases, or a combination thereof.

2. The floating vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also included is at least one freestanding storage tank located within the hull below the deck.

3. The floating vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The distance between at least two bulkheads is smaller than the distance between any bulkhead and the nearest inner wall of the hull.

4. The floating vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hull inner wall has a first side and a second side, and the hull inner wall is supported by a plurality of transverse bulkheads spanning from the first side of the hull inner wall to the second side of the hull inner wall.

5. The floating vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The deck is configured to support a weight of at least 50,000 tonnes.

6. The floating vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that The liquid is ammonia, liquefied petroleum gas or natural gas liquid, and the pressurized gas is selected from the group consisting of H2, N2, O2, CO2 and water.

7. The floating vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that The deck includes a building configured to house or accommodate office personnel.

8. The floating vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that The floating vessel is remotely monitored.

9. The floating vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that The decks include a helicopter deck.

10. The floating vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that Each bulkhead includes a bulkhead bracket secured at the bottom or periphery of the bulkhead, the top of the bulkhead, or both the bottom and the top of the bulkhead to secure the bulkhead within the hull inner wall.

11. The floating vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that The bulkhead is independent within the hull inner wall.

12. The floating vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that The bulkhead is an integrated insulating tank disposed within the inner wall of the hull.

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