Taut Inverted Catenary Mooring System
AssigneeSeahorse Equipment Corp
InventorsSwanik Maas Hoogeveen, Jack Pollack
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A Taut-Inverted-Catenary (TIC) mooring system may be implemented using only field-proven components. The mooring lines yield a positive uplift force on the anchors in all conditions. In the inverted-catenary configuration, geometric stiffness is provided by a subsurface spring buoy or distributed buoyancy elements on the line. The TIC system consists as much as possible of lightweight components, such as polyester fiber rope. Since the uplift force on the anchor is always positive, clearance between polyester rope and the seabed is provided. All geometric stiffness is provided by the spring buoy. Therefore, a ground chain between the seafloor anchor and the fiber rope is not necessary.
Claims26
A mooring system comprising:
- a buoyant body;
- and,
- a plurality of mooring legs, each mooring leg comprising
- a seafloor anchor having a total holding power sufficient to remain fixed on the seafloor;
- a subsea buoyancy element;
- a first mooring line segment that extends upwards from the seafloor anchor and is connected at a first end thereof to the seafloor anchor and at an opposing second end to the buoyancy element;
- and,
- a second mooring line segment that extends generally upwards from the buoyancy element and is connected at a first end thereof to the buoyancy element and at an opposing second end to the buoyant body,
- wherein each mooring leg is configured such that it exerts a positive uplift force on the seafloor anchor under all normal [undamaged] conditions.
A mooring system for a surface vessel comprising:
- a plurality of mooring legs, each mooring leg comprising
- a seafloor anchor having a total holding power sufficient to remain fixed on the seafloor;
- a subsea buoyancy element;
- a first mooring line segment that extends upwards from the seafloor anchor and is connected at a first end thereof to the seafloor anchor and at an opposing second end to the buoyancy element;
- and,
- a second mooring line segment that extends generally upwards from the buoyancy element and is connected at a first end thereof to the buoyancy element and at an opposing second end to the surface vessel.
A method for mooring a buoyant turret mooring (BTM) buoy comprising:
- installing a plurality of anchors in the seafloor at preselected positions, each mooring legs, each a seafloor anchor having a total holding power sufficient to remain fixed on the seafloor;
- providing an equal plurality of subsea buoyancy elements;
- connecting a first mooring line segment at a first end thereof to each seafloor anchor, the first mooring line segment extending upwards from the seafloor anchor and connected and at an opposing second end to a buoyancy element;
- and,
- connecting a second mooring line segment at a first end thereof to the buoyancy element that extends generally upwards from the buoyancy element and is connected and at an opposing second end to the BTM buoy,
- wherein a positive uplift force is exerted on each of the seafloor anchors under all normal [undamaged] conditions.
A mooring system comprising:
- a buoyant body;
- and,
- a plurality of mooring legs, each mooring leg comprising
- a seafloor anchor having a total holding power sufficient to remain fixed on the seafloor;
- a first subsea buoyancy element;
- a second subsea buoyancy element;
- a first mooring line segment that extends upwards from the seafloor anchor and is connected at a first end thereof to the seafloor anchor and at an opposing second end to the first buoyancy element;
- a second mooring line segment that extends generally upwards from the first buoyancy element and is connected at a first end thereof to the first buoyancy element and at an opposing second end to the second buoyancy element;
- and,
- a third mooring line segment that extends generally upwards from the second buoyancy element and is connected at a first end thereof to the second buoyancy element and at an opposing second end to the buoyant body,
- wherein each mooring leg is configured such that it exerts a positive uplift force on the seafloor anchor under all normal [undamaged] conditions.
A mooring system comprising:
- a buoyant body;
- and,
- a plurality of mooring legs, each mooring leg comprising
- a seafloor anchor having a total holding power sufficient to remain fixed on the seafloor;
- a mooring line that extends generally upwards from the seafloor anchor and is connected at a first end thereof to the seafloor anchor and at an opposing second end to the buoyant body;
- and,
- one or more buoyancy elements on a selected length of the mooring line,
- wherein each mooring leg is configured such that it exerts a positive uplift force on the seafloor anchor under all normal [undamaged] conditions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.