Patent ID: 6845727

Claim:
A system for supplying cooling water to a process on board a floating vessel for the production of hydrocarbons, wherein the vessel ( 1 ) is anchored by means of a bottom-anchored turning unit ( 20 ) mounted in a receiving space ( 7 ) in the hull ( 34 ) of the vessel and allowing turning of the vessel ( 1 ) about the turning unit, and wherein the turning unit ( 20 ) supports a swivel unit ( 24 ) for the transfer of hydrocarbons from production risers ( 28 ) extending between the seabed and the turning unit ( 20 ), the system comprising a conduit means ( 30 ) depending from the vessel ( 1 ) to a depth for taking in cooled sea water, and a pump means ( 44 ) for pumping of the sea water from the conduit to a place of use for the process, characterized in that the turning unit ( 20 ) is designed as a seawater swivel, the unit being provided with one or more passages ( 29 ) for receiving upper end portions of respective seawater risers ( 30 ) constituting the conduit means, and with a means for transferring sea water from the upper end portions of the risers ( 30 ) to an annulus ( 31 ) arranged at the boundary surface between mutually movable parts ( 21 , 22 ) of the turning unit ( 20 ) or between the turning unit ( 20 ) and the vessel hull ( 34 ), and communicating with one or more passages ( 41 ) arranged in the vessel hull and leading to said place of use, a seawater sealing means ( 37 , 39 ) being arranged on each side of the annulus ( 31 ).