BUOYANT TURRET MOORING WITH POROUS RECEPTOR CAGE

摘要

A disconnectable buoyant turret mooring system for an FPSO is vulnerable to damage from collisions between the buoy and the buoy turret cage during mating and de-mating operations. It is therefore desirable that the buoy separate quickly from the turret of the FPSO vessel during a disconnect operation. A buoy turret cage is provided with a certain degree of porosity that allows a flow of seawater from the outside of the receptor to the inner surface of the receptor. Introducing water in this way relieves the suction forces and allows for a quicker separation of the buoy from the turret of the FPSO vessel, minimizing the time during which an uncontrolled collision between the buoy and the FPSO vessel is most likely. Filling a portion of the turret above the mooring buoy with water prior to releasing the buoy also decreases the separation time.

主权项

1. A turret cage for an FPSO vessel equipped with a buoyant turret mooring system comprising:
a generally bell-shaped structure having an open, top end and an opposing, open, bottom end and an inner surface between the top and bottom ends at least of portion of which is in the shape of a conical frustum; a plurality of through holes in the conical frustum portion of the inner surface.