Patent ID: 7063158

Claim:
A bottom tensioned riser system for conveying petroleum from an offshore oil well on a sea floor to a platform floating above, the riser system comprising: a tubular conduit comprising a plurality of individual tubular riser pipes, the conduit being suspended from the platform and having a bottom end extending downward therefrom in a substantially vertical direction and toward the sea floor; and, a connection and tensioning assembly disposed at die bottom end of the conduit, the connection and tensioning assembly comprising: a flexible jumper connecting the bottom end of the conduit to the well; a weight applying a vertical tension in the conduit; and a telescopic piling connected to the bottom end of the conduit by a pivot joint and slidably retained in a piling guide sunk into the sea floor, thereby constraining the bottom end of the conduit against horizontal movement, while enabling the conduit to move freely in a vertical direction and to pivot freely about the bottom end thereof in response to motions of the platform.