Riser installation vessel and method of using the same
AssigneeSingle Buoy Moorings Inc.
InventorsJack Pollack, Leendert Poldervaart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vessel for exploration of hydrocarbons includes one or more risers extending from the vessel to the seabed, a hydrocarbon processing unit connected to the one or more risers and to a storage or transport structure for storing the processed hydrocarbons. The vessel is anchored to the seabed, the vessel includes a lifting member for lowering risers vertically towards the sea bed and for connecting a riser with a first end to a subsea hydrocarbon structure, which riser includes a connector on a second end, the vessel having a connector for attaching to the riser connector and for placing the riser in fluid connection with the processing unit.
Claims20
Vessel for exploration of hydrocarbons, comprising one or more risers extending from the vessel to the sea bed, a hydrocarbon processing unit connected to the one or more risers and to a storage or transport structure for storing or transporting of the processed hydrocarbons, characterized in that, the vessel is anchored to the seabed, the vessel comprising a lifting means for lowering risers vertically towards the sea bed and for connecting a riser with a first end to a subsea hydrocarbon structure, which riser comprises a connector on a second end, the vessel comprising a connector for attaching to the riser connector and for placing the riser in fluid connection with the processing unit.
Method of installing a number of risers between a floating vessel and the sea bed, the vessel comprising a hydrocarbon processing unit connected to the one or more risers and a storage or transport structure for storing or transporting of the processed hydrocarbons, the vessel being anchored to the sea bed, characterized in that, the vessel comprises a lifting means for lowering risers vertically towards the sea bed and for connecting a riser with a first end to a subsea hydrocarbon structure, and a connector means on a second end of the riser and on the vessel for placing the riser in fluid connection with the processing unit, the method comprising the steps of
- lowering the first riser part from the lifting means,
- connecting an upper end of the riser to a buoyancy device,
- lowering the riser and buoyancy device,
- connecting the lower end of the first riser part to a subsea structure with a remote operated vehicle,
- releasing the buoyancy device from the lifting means,
- lowering the flexible riser part from the lifting device
- connecting the lower part of the flexible riser part to the buoyancy device, in fluid communication with the lower riser part, and the upper end of the flexible riser part to the processing unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.