Universal catenary riser support

In a floating offshore structure for producing hydrocarbons where a catenary riser extends from a sea floor to the floating structure, a support for the catenary riser, said support comprising:

• a. a riser support receptacle in the keel of the floating offshore structure;
• b. a curved riser segment received in said support receptacle and receiving a vertical riser through the offshore structure, said curved riser segment having a radius of curvature of five to ten pipe diameters such that the lower end of said curved riser segment allows connection to a riser below the offshore structure at the natural catenary angle;
• c. a fitting attached to said curved riser segment, said fitting provided with a complementary shape to that of said riser support receptacle;
• and
• d. means attached to said curved riser segment for accommodating relative motion between the catenary riser and offshore structure, said means comprising a stress joint.

In a floating offshore structure for producing hydrocarbons where a catenary riser extends from a sea floor to the floating structure, a support for the catenary riser, said support comprising:

• a. a riser support receptacle in the keel of the floating offshore structure;
• b. a curved riser segment received in said support receptacle and receiving a vertical riser through the offshore structure, said curved riser segment having a radius of curvature of five to ten pipe diameters such that the lower end of said curved riser segment allows connection to a riser below the offshore structure at the natural catenary angle;
• c. a fitting attached to said curved riser segment, said fitting provided with a complementary shape to that of said riser support receptacle;
• and
• d. means attached to said curved riser segment for accommodating relative motion between the catenary riser and offshore structure, said means comprising a flex joint.