Mooring Systems

A mooring system for mooring a semisubmersible structure floating on a surface of a body of water having a first column, a second column, and a third column, comprising:

• a base structure configured to be disposed on a seabed;
• and
• a first mooring assembly, a second mooring assembly, and a third mooring assembly, each of the first mooring assembly, the second mooring assembly, and the third mooring assembly comprises:
• a yoke comprising a first end, a second end, and a ballast tank disposed on the yoke toward the second thereof that is configured to contain a ballast material;
• and
• a tether comprising a first elongated member and a second elongated member, wherein:
• the first elongated member and the second elongated member each comprises a first end and a second end,
• the first end of the first elongated member and the first end of the second elongated member are connected to one another via a first equalizer and the second end of the first elongated member and the second end of the second elongated member are connected to one another via a second equalizer,
• the first end of each yoke is configured to be connected to the base structure via a hinge assembly,
• each hinge assembly comprises a first hinge, a second hinge, and a thrust bearing,
• the first hinge and the second hinge in each hinge assembly are configured to permit the first ends of each yoke in the first mooring assembly, the second mooring assembly, and the third mooring assembly to rotate relative to the base structure about a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis, respectively,
• the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis are each substantially horizontal,
• the first hinge and the second hinge in each hinge assembly are configured to transmit a load between the first ends of each yoke in the first mooring assembly, the second mooring assembly, and the third mooring assembly and the base structure that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis, respectively,
• the thrust bearing in each hinge assembly is configured to transmit a shear load between the yoke in the first mooring assembly, the second mooring assembly, and the third mooring assembly, respectively, and the base structure that is substantially parallel to the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis, respectively,
• the first equalizer is configured to be connected to the second end of the yoke via a first dual axis joint, and
• the second equalizer is configured to be connected to a corresponding column of the semisubmersible structure via a second dual axis joint.