Disconnectable mooring system
AssigneeEncomara Limited
InventorMalcolm Bowie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A disconnectable mooring system for offshore semi-submersible floating structures. A disconnectable buoy has a number of mooring lines which include a buoy chain between the mooring chain and the buoy. The mooring chain and the buoy chain are connected via a three way mooring connector, with the third connection configured to pull the mooring connector to a mooring point on the structure. In a first configuration the buoy is disconnected and supports the mooring chains for recovery at shallow depths to be pulled in. In a second configuration, the mooring lines are pulled in via the mooring connectors thereby providing a spread mooring to the structure with the buoy chain left as a catenary between the buoy and mooring point.
Claims20
A disconnectable mooring system for offshore semi-submersible floating structures, comprising:
- a buoy including means to connect and disconnect from the structure;
- a plurality of mooring lines;
- each mooring line comprising a mooring chain, the mooring chain having a first end connected to an anchor on a seabed;
- at least one mooring line also comprising a buoy chain, a first end of the buoy chain being connected to a second end of the mooring chain via a mooring connector and a second end of the buoy chain being connected to the buoy;
- wherein, in use:
- in a first configuration, the buoy is disconnected from the structure and the buoy chain supports the mooring chain, preventing the mooring connector contacting the seabed;
- and
- in a second configuration, the buoy is connected to the structure and the mooring chain is pulled in via the mooring connector to a mooring point on the structure to tension the mooring chain, thereby providing a spread to the structure with the buoy chain being a catenary.
A method of mooring an offshore semi-submersible floating structure, comprising the steps:
- (a) providing a disconnectable mooring system comprising:
- a buoy including means to connect and disconnect from the structure;
- a plurality of mooring lines;
- each mooring line comprising a mooring chain, the mooring chain having a first end connected to an anchor on a seabed;
- at least one mooring line also comprising a buoy chain, a first end of the buoy chain being connected to a second end of the mooring chain via a mooring connector and a second end of the buoy chain being connected to the buoy;
- (b) arranging the disconnectable mooring system in a first configuration, wherein the buoy is disconnected from the structure and the buoy chain supports the mooring chain, preventing the mooring connector contacting the seabed;
- (c) connecting the buoy to the structure;
- (d) pulling in the mooring connector to a mooring point on the structure to tension the mooring chain on each of the mooring lines which also comprise a buoy chain;
- and
- (e) thereby arranging the disconnectable mooring system in a second configuration, spreading the mooring lines around the structure with the buoy chain being a catenary.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.