Mooring system for floating arctic vessel

摘要

A mooring system for a floating vessel such as a drilling unit is provided. The floating vessel has a platform for providing drilling, production or other operations in a marine environment, and a tower for providing ballast and stability below a water line in the marine environment. The mooring system generally includes a plurality of anchors disposed radially around the tower along a seabed, and a plurality of mooring lines. Each mooring line has a first end operatively connected to the tower, and a second end operatively connected to a respective anchor. Each mooring line further comprises at least two substantially rigid links joined together using linkages. Each joint is at least five meters in length. The mooring system is capable of maintaining station-keeping for the vessel greater than about 100 Mega-Newtons such that operations may be conducted when the marine environment is substantially iced over.

主权项

1. A mooring system for a floating vessel, the floating vessel having a platform for conducting operations in a marine environment, and a floating tower for providing ballast and stability below a water line in the marine environment, the floating tower being constructed and arranged to detachably connect to the floating vessel, the mooring system comprising:
a plurality of anchors disposed around the tower along a seabed; a plurality of primary mooring lines, each primary mooring line having a first end connected to the tower proximate to a top end of the tower and a second end operatively connected to a respective anchor; and a plurality of secondary mooring lines, each secondary mooring line having a first end connected to the tower proximate a bottom end of the tower and a second end connected to a respective anchor.