Floating system connected to an underwater line structure and methods of use
View Patent ↗There is disclosed a floating system positioned in a body of water having a water bottom, the system comprising a host member floating in the water; an elongated underwater line structure, comprising a top connected to the host; a bottom extending to the seabed and adapted to connect to a flowline lying on the seabed; a first portion of the line structure being shaped concave upward; a second portion of the line structure being shaped concave upward; and a transition segment between being shaped concave downward, the transition segment located between the first portion and the second portion.
1. A floating system positioned in a body of water above a seabed, the floating system comprising:
a host member floating in the body of water;
an elongated underwater line structure, comprising a steel catenary riser, which is substantially made of a single rigid material and does not include flexible portions and comprises:
a top connected to the host member;
a bottom extending to the seabed and adapted to connect to a flowline lying on the seabed;
a first portion shaped concave upward;
a second portion shaped concave upward; and
a transition segment shaped concave downward, wherein the transition segment is located between the first portion and the second portion and wherein the transition segment comprises a buoyed and anchored point;
a buoyancy member connected to the buoyed and anchored point of the transition segment; and
an anchor member connected to the buoyed and anchored point of the transition segment.
2. The floating system of claim 1 , wherein the buoyancy member is directly connected to the transition segment without the use of a connector member.
3. The floating system of claim 1 , wherein the anchor member is connected to the buoyed and anchored point of the transition segment through the use of a connector member.
4. The floating system of claim 1 , further comprising additional buoyancy members connected to at least one of the transition segment, the first portion, and the second portion, by a plurality of connections.
5. The floating system of claim 1 , further comprising additional anchor members connected to at least one of the transition segment, the first portion, and the second portion, by a plurality of connections.
6. The floating system of claim 1 , wherein the buoyancy member is mounted about the transition segment.
7. The floating system of claim 1 , wherein a lowest point of the first portion is from 5 to 50 meters lower than a highest point of the transition segment.
8. The floating system of claim 1 , wherein the transition segment comprises at least one of a pre-curved shore pipe, a bell-mouth, a bending restrictor, a tapered stress joint, and a titanium stress joint.
9. The floating system of claim 1 , wherein the steel catenary riser comprises a fixed bending point.