Disconnectable submerged buoy mooring device comprising clamping dogs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9963205-B2
Application number	US-201314904619-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2013
Priority date	Jul 12, 2013
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

A mooring assembly includes: a mooring buoy having a central axis, an upper ring portion providing an upper abutment surface; a mooring structure including a cavity with a wall receiving the mooring buoy; and a buoy locking system near the cavity engaging with the upper ring portion for locking the mooring buoy to the turret mooring structure and including at least two locking devices attached to the mooring structure, each locking device having a locking dog connected to a force member for axial displacement and exerting an upward force on the upper abutment surface. The mooring buoy includes a lower abutment surface. The locking system includes an engagement member below the locking dog, engaging with the lower abutment surface and exerting a downward force. The buoy at positions axially above the upper abutment surface situated at an axial clearance from the cavity wall.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mooring assembly, comprising:
a mooring buoy ( 6 ) comprising a central axis, and an upper ring portion ( 200 ) providing an upper abutment surface ( 202 );
a mooring structure ( 3 ) comprising a cavity ( 5 ) with a cavity wall arranged for receiving the mooring buoy ( 6 ); and
a buoy locking system ( 7 ) located at the cavity ( 5 ) for engaging with the upper ring portion ( 200 ) for locking the mooring buoy ( 6 ) to the turret mooring structure ( 6 ), and comprising at least two locking devices ( 10 ) attached to the mooring structure ( 3 ), each locking device ( 10 ) having a locking dog ( 106 ) connected to a force member ( 110 ) for upward axial displacement and exertion of an upward force on the upper abutment surface ( 202 ),
wherein:
the mooring buoy ( 6 ) further comprises an annular lower abutment rim ( 203 ) located at an axial distance below the upper abutment surface ( 202 ) and protruding radially from a surface of the buoy parallel with the upper ring portion,
the buoy locking system ( 7 ) further comprises an engagement member ( 107 , 208 ) situated axially below the locking dog ( 106 ) extending radially inward from the cavity wall and configured for engaging with a top part of the lower abutment rim ( 203 ) and for exerting a downward force thereon, and
a top of the mooring buoy being at a position ( 201 ) axially above the upper abutment surface ( 202 ) having an axial clearance (D) from the cavity wall when engaged with the buoy locking system, such that axial forces on the buoy are transferred to the turret mooring structure ( 6 ) substantially only at the positions of the locking dog ( 106 ) and the engagement member ( 107 , 208 ).

2. The mooring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the locking dog ( 106 ) is rotatable around a horizontal shaft ( 104 ), the force member comprising an axially movable hydraulic jack ( 110 ).

3. The mooring assembly according to claim 2 , a hydraulic power unit being mounted on the hydraulic jack ( 110 ) for supplying high pressure fluid to the hydraulic jack and for following pivoting movements of the hydraulic jack.

4. A locking device ( 10 ) for use in a buoy locking system, comprising:
a frame with a pivotable locking dog ( 106 ) and with a hydraulic jack ( 110 ) attached to the frame and to the locking dog ( 110 ) for pivoting the locking dog; and
a hydraulic power unit being mounted on the hydraulic jack ( 110 ) for supplying high pressure fluid to the hydraulic jack and for following pivoting movements of the hydraulic jack.

5. A structure having a mooring system and a buoy locking system according to claim 1 .

6. A vessel having a mooring system and a buoy locking system according to claim 1 .

7. A hydrocarbon production system comprising a vessel according to claim 6 .

8. A structure having a mooring system and a buoy locking system according to claim 2 .

9. A structure having a mooring system and a buoy locking system according to claim 3 .

10. A structure having a mooring system and a buoy locking device according to claim 4 .

11. A vessel having a mooring system and a buoy locking system according to claim 2 .

12. A vessel having a mooring system and a buoy locking system according to claim 3 .

Assignees

• Single Buoy Moorings

Inventors

• Bauduin Christian Raymond
• Toggiani Jean-Yves Silvain
• Benoit Jean Pierre
• Perrin Jerome

Classifications

• B63B21/508 Primary

  connected to submerged buoy (mooring buoys per se B63B22/02) · CPC title

• B63B2035/448

  Floating hydrocarbon production vessels, e.g. Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels [FPSO] · CPC title

• B63B2022/028

  submerged, e.g. fitting into ship-borne counterpart with or without rotatable turret, or being releasably connected to moored vessel · CPC title

• B63B22/021 Primary

  and for transferring fluids, e.g. liquids (container type buoys having means to selectively release contents, not adapted for mooring a vessel B63B22/26) · CPC title

• B63B35/44

  Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices {(construction methods for floating offshore platforms B63B75/00)} · CPC title