Abstract:
A transferring sea buoy is moored to the sea floor via an anchoring line. The anchoring line comprises a chain and an anchoring device for fastening the chain and the buoy. The anchoring device comprises a deformable longitudinal element having a first end connected to the transferring sea buoy and a second end connected to the chain. The deformable longitudinal element is deformable when the transferring sea buoy moves. The member has at least first and second portion of thin rectangular cross-section, each deformable in one plane to absorb relative motion between the buoy and the chain.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   The present application is a 35 U.S.C. §§ 371 national phase conversion of PCT/FR2005/001992, filed 29 Jul. 2005, which claims priority of French Application No. 0408701, filed 6 Aug. 2004. The PCT International Application was published in the French language. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to an anchoring system for a surface installation subject to high frequency movements. 
   One specific proposed application is to marine loading buoys for transferring hydrocarbons, these buoys being adapted to float on the surface of the water. 
   These marine buoys are positioned in the vicinity of an oil platform which is installed above an undersea oil field. The marine buoys are then connected to the platform and the hydrocarbon is transferred from the platform to the buoys and passed from the buoys to a surface vessel moored to the buoy. 
   This marine loading buoy is obviously moored to the seabed by at least one anchor line extending between the buoy and the bed. This anchor line generally comprises a chain of which one end is anchored to the seabed and the other end is attached to the marine loading buoy by means of an attachment device. In some cases, these anchor lines are composite, having a central part composed of a cable, and two ends each terminating in a chain. 
   Although the marine loading buoy is generally moored with a plurality of anchor lines which are relatively tightly stretched, it is moved by the wind, the swell and/or the surface currents, in such a way that severe fatigue stress is exerted on these anchor lines and particularly on the links of the chains. This is because, unlike a ship or a platform which is relatively stable with respect to these surface movements because of its inertia, a marine loading buoy, being lighter, is constantly moved at high frequencies with respect to the anchor lines which retain it. 
   Thus, in order to attach the chain to the marine installation, anchor lines generally comprise an attachment device which is pivoted about two pivot pins. This attachment device has at least two flanges mounted with one pivoting on the other, one of the flanges being mounted rotatably in a shackle which is fixed to the marine installation, while the other flange is fixed to the chain. 
   This is because the frictional forces arising in the pivots create a resistive torque which is proportional to the coefficients of friction, to the tension of the chain and to the diameter of the pivot axis. To enable pivoting to take place, this resistive torque must be overcome by a torque created by the angle of deflection of the end of the chain with respect to the end of the flange. Although the links of the chains are capable of pivoting with respect to each other, it is found that the chain becomes virtually rigid because of the high degree of tension, and this torque can only be generated by the bending of the links. Although the angles of deflection are less than 1°, this bending still causes fatigue in the chain which can adversely affect its service life. 
   Above this angle, the torque is sufficient to cause the attachment device to pivot. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   One problem which arises, and which the present invention is intended to overcome, is that of providing an anchor system for which the movements of said marine installation caused by the surface do not cause premature fatigue in the links of the chains and the breakage of these links. 
   For this purpose, the present invention proposes an anchor system for a marine surface installation which is subject to movements at a high frequency with respect to the seabed. The anchor system comprises an anchor line which extends between the marine installation and the seabed to moor the marine installation to the seabed. The anchor line allows movements of the marine installation around an equilibrium position. The anchor line comprises a chain and an attachment device for attaching the chain to the marine installation. According to the invention, the attachment device comprises a deformable longitudinal member which has two opposite ends, namely a first end fixed to the marine installation and a second end fixed to the chain. The deformable longitudinal member is adapted to be deformed during movements of the marine installation. 
   Thus one characteristic of the invention consists in the use of a deformable longitudinal member between the chain and the marine installation, such that, during the movements of the installation, this deformable longitudinal member can be effectively deformed in place of the chain links, and therefore the fatigue of the chain links is negligible. 
   In this arrangement, instead of the chain links becoming deformed or finally breaking, it is the deformable longitudinal member, specially designed for this purpose, that undergoes the deformations and absorbs them until the angle of deflection is sufficient for the torque to compensate said resistive torque. In this way, the service life of these anchor lines is prolonged. 
   The deformable longitudinal member is advantageously mounted between the aforesaid flange and the chain. If necessary, a flange, formed by a long link, could be mounted to enable the necessary deflection of the chain to be decreased, owing to the increase of the lever arm. On the other hand, the increase in this length is limited in terms of the dynamic behavior of the system and the dimensions of such a link would be too large to enable the marine installation to be handled and installed by the conventional installation means. 
   Advantageously, said first and second ends are mounted pivotably on said marine installation and on said chain respectively. Thus the system consisting of the marine installation, the deformable longitudinal member and the chain reaches its state of equilibrium and least stress more rapidly, thus considerably decreasing the wear. 
   In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, said longitudinal member has at least one portion which can be deformed by deflection in a first plane, and at least one other portion which can be deformed by deflection in a second plane which is substantially perpendicular to said first plane. Thus the two portions, which can be deflected independently of each other, allow the bending or deflection of the longitudinal member in all possible directions. In this way, regardless of the relative displacements of the marine installation and the chain under tension, the longitudinal member absorbs these displacements. 
   In a first, particularly advantageous, embodiment of the invention, said portions are formed by two parts mounted pivotably with respect to each other. The mounting of the longitudinal member is therefore easier. 
   In a second embodiment of the invention, said longitudinal member has three portions, one portion fixed to said marine transfer buoy, one portion fixed to said chain, and a third intermediate portion which connects the other two portions. Thus, because of this third intermediate portion, the amplitude of deflection is increased by a substantial increase in the length of the deformable longitudinal member, and furthermore a third direction of curvature in a third plane is favored. However, this third portion can be mounted in such a way as to be bent in a third plane which is substantially parallel to one of the other two favored planes. 
   Preferably, said deformable longitudinal member has a rectangular cross section which gives it a favored direction of deflection, in a plane perpendicular to its wider side. If the deformable longitudinal member has a plurality of portions, each of said portions has a rectangular cross section in this arrangement. 
   In a variant embodiment of the invention, the cross section of the deformable longitudinal member decreases from said first end towards said second end in such a way that its cross sectional moment of inertia also decreases in parallel. Thus, when the deformable longitudinal member is deflected, its radius of curvature is substantially constant from the first end, which is fixed to the marine installation, to the second end, which is fixed to the chain. Consequently, the deformable longitudinal member allows a more uniform distribution of the stresses acting on it. 
   Advantageously, the cross sectional moment of inertia of said deformable longitudinal member is less than the mean moment of inertia of a chain link, being for example less than 10×10 −6  m 4 . This cross sectional moment of inertia is comparable, for example, with the moment of inertia of 12×10 −6  m 4  of the arms of a chain link measuring approximately 0.5 m in length, where the diameter of each arm is close to 0.125 m. 
   The moment of inertia of said deformable longitudinal member is, for example, 7.2×10 −6  m 4 , in other words approximately equal to the cross sectional moment of inertia of a longitudinal member having a rectangular section of 60 mm×400 mm, made from steel. However, the greatest width of the longitudinal member in cross section can be in the range from 400 mm to 800 mm, while its thickness can be in the range from 50 mm to 100 mm. Additionally, any alloy, such as a titanium alloy, can be used in place of steel. 
   Additionally, another object of the invention relates to a marine loading buoy equipped with an anchor system as described above, said anchor system comprising a plurality of anchor lines so as to limit the drift of the marine loading buoy. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be made clear by the following description of specific embodiments of the invention, provided for information and without restrictive intent, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1A  is a partial schematic view in longitudinal section of an anchor line according to the invention in a first embodiment; 
       FIG. 1B  is a schematic view in longitudinal section of the object shown in  FIG. 1A  taken at a viewing angle shifted through 90° in a plane perpendicular to said anchor line; 
       FIG. 2A  is a partial schematic view in longitudinal section of an anchor line in a second embodiment; 
       FIG. 2B  is a schematic view in longitudinal section of the object shown in  FIG. 2A  taken at a viewing angle shifted through 90°; 
       FIG. 3A  is a partial schematic view in longitudinal section of an anchor line in a third embodiment; 
       FIG. 3B  is a schematic view in longitudinal section of the object shown in  FIG. 3A  taken at a viewing angle shifted through 90°; 
       FIG. 4A  is a partial schematic view in longitudinal section of an anchor line in a fourth embodiment; 
       FIG. 4B  is a schematic view in longitudinal section of the object shown in  FIG. 4A  taken at a viewing angle shifted through 90°; 
       FIG. 5A  is a partial schematic view in longitudinal section of an anchor line in a fifth embodiment; and 
       FIG. 5B  is a schematic view in longitudinal section of the object shown in  FIG. 5A  taken at a viewing angle shifted through 90°. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1A and 1B  show an attachment device  110  according to the invention which connects, for example, in a mean longitudinal direction D, a marine loading buoy  112  and a chain  114  of which only one end  116 , located in the vicinity of the water surface, is shown here. The other end of the chain  114  is anchored in the seabed. In  FIG. 1A , the attachment device  110  is oriented perpendicularly to the wall of the marine loading buoy  112  to simplify the drawing. However, in the real situation, this wall is positioned substantially vertically and the attachment device  110  is inclined downward toward the seabed. 
   The attachment device  110  comprises a deformable longitudinal member  118  which has two opposing ends, namely a first end  120  terminating in a first shackle  122  and a second end  124  in which a transverse hole  126  is formed. This deformable longitudinal member  118  has two substantially identical portions with a rectangular cross section, namely a first portion  128  terminating in the first end  120  and a second portion  130  terminating in the second end  124 ; the two portions  128  and  130 , which define two planes P 1  and P 2  respectively, are twisted with respect to each other in the longitudinal direction D in such a way that the planes defined by them are substantially perpendicular to each other. 
   The attachment device  110  also comprises, at the first end  120 , a second shackle  132  fixed to the marine loading buoy  112  and a connecting flange  134  having two ends in which two openings, perpendicular to each other, are respectively formed; one of the ends being mounted pivotably in the first shackle  122  by means of a first pin  136 , while the other end is mounted pivotably in the second shackle  132  by means of a second pin  138 . At the second end  124 , the attachment device  110  comprises a stirrup  140  hooked into the last end link  116  of the chain  114  and having its two free ends linked by a third pin  142  which also passes through the transverse hole  126  of the second end  124 . 
   The deformable longitudinal member  118  has, for example, portions of rectangular cross section, having a thickness of 0.06 m and a width of 0.4 m, corresponding to a cross sectional moment of inertia of approximately 7.2×10 −6  m 4 , allowing these portions to be deflected in the conditions of use described below. 
   When the chain  114  is under tension, the tensile forces are so strong that all the elements of the attachment device  110  form a rigid system and the smallest movement of the marine loading buoy  112  will not cause the deformation of the chain  114  whose cross sectional moment of inertia is at least greater by two thirds than that of the deformable longitudinal member, nor the pivoting of the connecting flange  134  about the pins, but will cause the deformation of the deformable longitudinal member  118  in one and/or the other of its portions  128 ,  130 . This is because, allowing for differences in the moment of inertia, the deformation resistance of the chain is greater than the deformation resistance of the deformable longitudinal member  118 . In the situation as shown in  FIG. 1A , when the marine loading buoy  112  is, for example, made to rock in a direction opposite to the chain  114 , only the second portion  130  of the deformable longitudinal member  118  is deflected in its thickness in a plane perpendicular to the plane P 2  which it defines, the first portion  128  then operating according to its width in its plane P 1  and not being deformed. 
   On the other hand, if the marine loading buoy  112  is moved not by rocking, but in a perpendicular direction, by rotation about its own axis for example, it is not the second portion  130  of the deformable longitudinal member  118  that is deflected, but the first portion  128 , which then operates according to its thickness in a plane perpendicular to the plane P 1  which it defines. However, the movements of the marine loading buoy  112  rarely occur only in the plane P 1  or in the plane P 2 , but generally between the two planes, in such a way that the two portions  128 ,  130  of the deformable longitudinal member  118  are deflected simultaneously without the deformation of the chain  114 , which prevents the premature ageing of the chain links by fatigue. 
   References will now be made to  FIGS. 2A and 2B  which show a second embodiment of an attachment device  210  according to the invention. These figures similarly show an attachment device  210  which connects a marine loading buoy  212  and a chain  214 . 
   The only difference is in the deformable longitudinal member  218 , which is not formed from a single twisted part but from two separate parts which are pivoted with respect to each other. A first part  228  whose first end  220  terminates, as in the preceding embodiment, in a shackle  222 , and a second part  230  having a second end  224  in which in which a transverse hole  226  is formed. The first end  220  and the second end  224 , respectively, of the first part  228  and the second part  230  are connected, respectively, to the marine loading buoy  212  and to the chain  214 , by means identical to those described with reference to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , and are not described again here. 
   On the other hand, the first part  228  has a second end  246  in which a hole  248  is formed, while the second part  230  has a first end  250  which terminates in a third shackle  252  adapted to receive the second end  246 . Thus the second end  246  and the first end  250  are interconnected by means of a fourth pin  254  which extends in the third shackle  252  and through the hole  248 . 
   Additionally, as in the preceding embodiment, the parts  228 ,  230 , which are homologous to the portions  128  and  130  respectively, have the same cross section, and they are adjusted in such a way that the planes which they define, P 1  and P 2 , are oriented perpendicularly to each other. 
   Thus, when the chain  214  is under tension, the system of elements of the attachment device  210  form a rigid system, despite the pivoting of the two parts  228 ,  230 , and, as in the preceding embodiment, the parts  228  and  230  are most often deflected simultaneously during movements of the marine loading buoy  212 . On the other hand, if the chain becomes slack, for example if the depth of water above the seabed decreases, the first part  228  and the second part  230  can then pivot not only with respect to each other but also, respectively, with respect to the marine loading buoy  212  and with respect to the chain  214 , enabling the tensions to be relieved. 
   Reference will now be made to  FIGS. 3A and 3B  which show an attachment device  310  according to a third embodiment. This attachment device  310  again connects a marine loading buoy  312  and a chain  314 , and, as in the preceding embodiment, it has a deformable longitudinal member  318 , which comprises a first part  328  and a second part  330 , not mounted pivotably together but connected by an intermediate part  358 . This intermediate part  358  is identical to the second part  330 , which is connected to the end of the chain  316  in a way identical to that seen in the preceding embodiments. 
   Beside the addition of an intermediate part  358 , the first part  328  has a thickness which is substantially twice that of the first part  228  of the embodiment described above on the right of  FIGS. 2A and 2B , and which corresponds to an arm or a link. The details of operation of this arrangement are explained below. 
   However, this intermediate part  358  also has a rectangular cross section, and it has the same dimensions as the second part  330 . It also has a third shackle  352 ′ at its first end  350 ′ and a second end  324 ′ in which a transverse hole  326 ′ is formed. Additionally, the second part  330  has a first end  350  terminating in a third shackle  352  and a second end  324  in which a transverse hole  326  is formed. 
   Thus, the first part  328  is mounted pivotably on a connecting flange  334  in a similar way to that seen in the preceding embodiments. This first part  328  has a thickness of 0.15 m for example, while the width of approximately 0.4 m remains unchanged. The intermediate part  358  which defines a plane P 3  is mounted pivotably on the first part  328  by means of a fourth pin  354 ′, in such a way that the plane P 1  is substantially perpendicular to the plane P 3 , and the second part  330  is mounted pivotably on the second end  324 ′ of this intermediate part  358  by means of the fourth pin  354  which passes through both the third shackle  352  and the transverse hole  326 ′ of the second end  324 ′ of the intermediate part  358 . Thus the first part  328  and the second part  330  are substantially coplanar. 
   Thus the cross section of the parts decreases between the first part  328  and the intermediate part  358 , in such a way that the latter part, and therefore the second part  330 , are deflected with a greater amplitude than the first part  328  which is deflected very little. Globally, therefore, the deformable longitudinal member  318  has a smaller radius of curvature toward the second end  324 , while this radius is greater in the vicinity of the marine loading buoy  312 . Thus the deformable longitudinal member  318 , and in particular the second part  330  and the intermediate part  358 , can be deflected and perform their function fully to prevent the deformation of the chain  314 . 
   Reference will now be made to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , which show a fourth embodiment for achieving the deflection of a deformable longitudinal member  418  whose radius of curvature decreases in a substantially continuous way between a first end  420  and a second end  424 . 
   As in the preceding embodiment, the deformable longitudinal member  418  comprises an intermediate part  458  similar to a second part  430 , both being mounted pivotably on each other in the same way. However, their rectangular cross section is not constant here, but variable, decreasing from a first end  450 ′,  450  toward a second end  424 ′,  424  respectively for the intermediate part  458  and the second part  430 . 
   Additionally, a first part  428  also has a cross section decreasing from the first end  420  toward a second end  446 . On the other hand, as in the third embodiment, this first part  428  has a cross section in proportion, which is substantially twice that of the intermediate part  458  and the second part  430 . Thus, as a result of this last embodiment, each of the parts is adapted to be deflected in a plane perpendicular to that which it defines, but with a radius of curvature which decreases from the thickest to the thinnest end, in a substantially continuous way along the part concerned. Thus, when the discontinuities of deflection of the deformable longitudinal member are decreased, the forces which it has to withstand are distributed in a substantially uniform way, and thus its potential service life is prolonged. 
   In this embodiment, the cross sections of the parts pivoting with respect to each other are always rectangular. However, in another embodiment which is not shown, parts with circular cross sections are used, in order not to favor any particular plane of deflection. 
   Finally, in a fifth embodiment of the invention, shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , a deformable longitudinal member  518  consists of two deformable longitudinal members  218 , as shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , mounted end to end in such a way as to connect a marine loading buoy  512  and a chain  514 . 
   Thus these figures show a first first part  528  mounted pivotably on a connecting flange  534  and a first second part  530  which is pivoted on a second end  546  of the first first part  528 . In turn, a second first part  528 ′ is mounted pivotably on a second end  524  of the first second part  530 , while a second second part  530 ′ is mounted pivotably on a second end  546 ′ of the second first part  528 ′. This second second part  530 ′ has a second end  524 ′ which is connected to the end  516  of the chain  514 . 
   Thus, this deformable longitudinal member  518  has four substantially identical parts which are mounted in succession pivotably on each other and in alternating perpendicular planes. Thus the length of the deformable longitudinal member  518  is twice that of the deformable longitudinal member  218  shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , and it allows at least twice the degree of deflection when a substantially equivalent stress is undergone. 
   In yet another embodiment of the invention (not shown), the deformable longitudinal member is fitted to an adjustable attachment device. This device has a first tubular member oriented substantially vertically and fixed to the marine installation, and a second tubular member mounted pivotably in the lower part of said first member. The chain can be guided in translation in said tubular members, and the lower end of the second tubular member has means for locking the chain. When the chain is locked in the tubular members with respect to translation, the movements of the marine installation can also cause the deformation of the chain. In order to overcome this, the first tubular member is fitted with a deformable longitudinal member in place of the second member, to which said chain locking means are fixed. Thus the deformable longitudinal member can absorb the stresses acting on the chain when the marine installation is moved.