Patent ID: 6059620
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: B63B,E21B

Abstract:
An improved mooring system having an internal turret (14) which is rotatably supported on a vessel and includes a spider buoy (24) arranged and designed for releasable connection to a bottom end of said turret and where said spider buoy carries a riser (30) arranged and designed to transport hydrocarbon products from a subsea source of hydrocarbon product to said vessel and where said turret includes a pipe (36) connected to said riser by a connection device (38), wherein the improvement comprises,a structure which defines an enclosed space at the bottom end of said turret and above said top surface of said buoy,said enclosed space being formed by a partition (6) at said bottom end of said turret (14), said top end (4) of said spider buoy (24) and cooperating side walls (21, 22) of said spider buoy and said turret which extend respectively from said top end of said spider buoy and said partition (6) at said bottom end of said turret (14),said connection device (38) between said riser (30) and said pipe (36) being positioned in said enclosed space,a ventilation shaft (32) which is mounted to extend between said enclosed space and a position open to atmosphere, and whereinsaid pipe (36) extends through a first hole in said partition (6),said ventilation shaft (32) extends through a second hole in said partition (6), anda first seal (56) is placed between said pipe (36) and said first hole and a second seal (56) is placed between said ventilation shaft (52) and said second hole.