Claims
- 1. In an offshore arrangement where a pipeline is suspended in the sea between a hydrocarbon facility above a seabed and a single point mooring facility, and an end of said pipeline is in fluid communication with a product swivel on said single point mooring facility, the improvement comprising,
a submerged connection assembly connecting an end of said pipeline to a flexible hose which fluidly connected to said product swivel, and an elastic suspension arrangement including an elastic member coupled between said single point mooring facility and said submerged connection assembly.
- 2. The arrangement claim 1 wherein,
said elastic suspension arrangement includes an elastic tether coupled at an upper end to said single point mooring facility, said tether having a lower end, an anchor leg connected between said lower end of said tether and a sea floor, and a flexible member connected between said lower end of said elastic tether and said connection assembly.
- 3. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein,
said single point mooring facility is a SALM buoy with a single anchor leg connected between said SALM buoy and said sea floor.
- 4. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein,
said single point mooring facility is a CALM buoy with catenary anchor legs connected between said CALM buoy and said sea floor.
- 5. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein,
first and second pipelines are provided between said hydrocarbon facility, and first and second submerged connection assemblies couple respectively first and second hose members to ends of said first and second pipelines, with said first and second pipelines, with said first and second flexible hose members fluidly connected to said product swivel, and said elastic suspension arrangement includes first and second flexible members connected respectively between said lower end of said elastic tether and said first and second submerged connection members.
- 6. The arrangement of claim 5 including,
a spreader bar connected between said first and second flexible members; and an anchor leg connected between said spreader bar and said sea floor.
- 7. The arrangement of claim 2 further comprising,
a second anchor leg coupled between said flexible member and said sea floor.
- 8. The arrangement of claim 5 including,
means for coupling said first and second flexible members to said sea floor with an anchor leg.
- 9. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said elastic member includes,
an elastic device having an upper end connected to said single point mooring facility and a lower end, and a flexible member connected between said lower end and said submerged connection assembly.
- 10. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein,
said submerged connection assembly includes a gooseneck fluid flow conduit and a ball valve which fluidly connect said end of said pipeline to said flexible hose.
- 11. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein,
said elastic member is a tether which includes an element which is characterized by resilient properties.
- 12. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein,
said elastic member includes spring element means for providing resilient characteristics between said single point mooring facility and said lower end, and further comprising,
an anchor leg coupled between said lower end and a sea floor.
- 13. The arrangement of claim 12 wherein,
said spring element means includes,
a single tether fabricated of elastic material.
- 14. The arrangement of claim 12 wherein,
said spring element includes a series spring-chain arrangement.
- 15. An offshore arrangement for coupling a pipeline to an SPM buoy having a fluid swivel mounted thereon, the arrangement comprising,
a flexible hose having an upper end coupled to said fluid swivel and a lower end extending to a submerged position, a submerged connector assembly connecting an end of said pipeline to said lower end of said flexible hose, and an elastic suspension arrangement including an elastic member coupled between said single point mooring facility and said submerged connection assembly.
- 16. The arrangement of claim 15 wherein said elastic member includes,
a resilient device having an upper end connected to said SPM buoy and a lower end, and a flexible member connected between said lower end and said submerged connection assembly.
- 17. The arrangement of claim 16 wherein,
said resilient device includes spring element means for providing resilient characteristics between said single point mooring facility and said lower end, and further comprising,
an anchor leg coupled between said lower end and a sea floor.
- 18. The arrangement of claim 17 wherein said spring element means includes,
a single tether fabrication of elastic material.
- 19. The arrangement of claim 18 further comprising,
a second anchor leg coupled between said flexible members said sea floor.
- 20. The arrangement of claim 19 wherein,
said pipeline runs between a surface offshore storage facility and said submerged connection assembly, and a shuttle tanker is moored and fluidly connected to said fluid swivel by a connecting hose at said SPM buoy and a fluid flow path is provided between said surface offshore storage facility and said shuttle tanker via said pipeline, said flexible hose, said fluid swivel and said connecting hose.
- 21. The arrangement of claim 18 wherein,
said spring element includes a series spring-chain arrangement.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority from provisional application No. 60/332,782 filed Nov. 6, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60332782 |
Nov 2001 |
US |