Mooring systems and processes for using same

A mooring system for mooring a vessel floating on a surface of a body of water, comprising:

• a mooring structure configured to be disposed on a seabed;
• a turntable configured to be connected to the mooring structure such that the turntable is partially rotatable with respect to the mooring structure about an axis of the mooring structure, and wherein the turntable is disposed above the surface of the body of water;
• a yoke comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the yoke is configured to be connected to the turntable in a manner permitting the yoke to at least partially rotate about a longitudinal axis of the yoke and to at least partially rotate about a second axis that is substantially orthogonal or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the yoke;
• a ballast tank disposed on the yoke toward or at the second end thereof and configured to contain a ballast medium;
• a first link arm and a second link arm each having a first end configured to be connected to the second end of the yoke and a second end configured to be connected to the vessel;
• a first mooring leg and a second mooring leg each having a first end configured to be connected to the vessel and a second end configured to be connected to a seabed;
• and
• a plurality of flexible fluid conduits each comprising a fluid swivel at one end thereof;
• wherein:
• each flexible fluid conduit has a first end configured to be connected to a corresponding rigid fluid conduit disposed on an offshore production facility and a second end configured to be connected to a corresponding rigid fluid conduit disposed on the vessel,
• the first end or the second end of each flexible fluid conduit independently comprises the fluid swivel,
• the fluid swivel connected to each flexible fluid conduit is configured to connect the first end of the flexible fluid conduit to the rigid fluid conduit disposed on the offshore production facility or the second end of the flexible fluid conduit to the rigid fluid conduit disposed on the vessel, and
• the mooring system is configured to permit an angular orientation of the vessel about the axis of the mooring structure that is within a 180 degree sector.