Patent ID: 6976443

Claim:
A system for transporting crude oil from an offshore production platform, said transportation system comprising: a dynamically positionable floating crude oil storage and offloading vessel, including a moon pool; a flexible transfer hose for connecting the offshore production platform to said dynamically positionable floating crude oil storage and offloading vessel, said flexible transfer hose being located on said dynamically positionable floating crude oil storage and offloading vessel and constructed and arranged for passage through said moon pool; at least one dynamically positionable shuttle tanker; a flexible discharge hose for connecting to the dynamically positionable floating crude oil storage and offloading vessel to said dynamically positionable shuttle tanker, said flexible discharge hose being located on said dynamically positionable floating crude oil storage and offloading vessel; wherein during a receiving mode, said dynamically positionable floating crude oil storage and offloading vessel is maintained in a predetermined locus of points with respect to the offshore production platform; wherein during a discharge mode, said dynamically positionable floating crude oil storage and offloading vessel offloads crude oil into said dynamically positionable shuttle tanker, said dynamically positionable floating crude oil storage and offloading vessel and said dynamically positionable shuttle tanker are maintained at a predetermined angular relationship and separation distance from one another.