The invention relates to a method for producing a vessel hull (1) for use as a hull of an FPSO or FSO, comprising producing a vessel hull with a stern portion (2), a bow portion (3) and a central portion (4), arranging a deck (6) on the hull, for supporting processing modules, arranging hydrocarbon storage tanks inside the hull, providing the hull with an anchoring connection arrangement (7), characterized by arranging process module reinforcements (8) in the deck for supporting the hydrocarbon process modules, providing both longitudinal hull sides with mooring line connection reinforcements (9) at or near the bow portion, arranging riser connection reinforcements (10, 14) on one or more longitudinal hull sides, in between the mooring line connection reinforcements in longitudinal direction, for a riser balcony (28, 29), and providing the bow portion with turret reinforcements (11, 12).

A hopper barge is disclosed. The hopper barge comprises a hopper compartment for carrying a plurality of containers, the hopper compartment comprising a hopper compartment deck. The hopper barge comprises an inner-bottom portion defined in part by the hopper compartment deck and a bottom portion of the hopper barge. A plurality of longitudinal bulkheads are arranged in parallel within the inner-bottom portion of the hopper barge. A plurality of transverse bulkheads are arranged in parallel within the inner-bottom portion of the hopper barge, the plurality of transverse bulkheads running perpendicular to the plurality of longitudinal bulkheads. A plurality of pedestal supports are affixed to the hopper compartment deck, wherein at least one of the plurality of longitudinal bulkheads intersects at least one of the plurality of transverse bulkheads at a position beneath at least one of the plurality of pedestal supports.

A hull support structure of a liquefied gas tank has a foundation deck disposed around a liquefied gas tank; a skirt which supports the liquefied gas tank on the foundation deck; an inner bottom plate extending in a hull length direction, at a location that is below the liquefied gas tank; and a pair of bilge hopper plates each of which is provided between the foundation deck and corresponding one of both end portions of the inner bottom plate, wherein a plate connection section at which each of the pair of bilge hopper plates is connected to the foundation deck is disposed outward in a hull width direction, relative to a skirt connection section at which the skirt is connected to the foundation deck.

A hull support structure of a liquefied gas tank has a foundation deck disposed around a liquefied gas tank; a skirt which supports the liquefied gas tank on the foundation deck; an inner bottom plate extending in a hull length direction, at a location that is below the liquefied gas tank; and a pair of bilge hopper plates each of which is provided between the foundation deck and corresponding one of both end portions of the inner bottom plate, wherein a plate connection section at which each of the pair of bilge hopper plates is connected to the foundation deck is disposed outward in a hull width direction, relative to a skirt connection section at which the skirt is connected to the foundation deck.

Semi-submersibles are subjected to loading from waves, causing racking, longitudinal shear and parallelogramming, or differential movement of the pontoons. The cyclic wave loading makes the various connections, where stress concentrations occur, susceptible to fatigue damage throughout the hull structure. This is most evident at the connections between the braces and the main hull structure. A revised brace to main hull connection with reduced bending stiffness is employed to reduce the moment being transferred from the brace to the hull, thereby reducing the bending stress and susceptibility to fatigue damage. This improved connection employs an internal member to transfer the loads between the brace and hull structure mainly as tension and compression. As a consequence of the improved fatigue performance, the structural weight of the connection can be greatly reduced, thus increasing the capacity with which the semi-submersible hull can operate.

A skeg mounts from the stern of a towing vessel and extends below the waterline. A channel in the skeg protects cables for steamers and a source (e.g., air gun array) of a seismic system deployed from the vessel. Tow points on the skeg lie below the water's surface and connect to towlines to support the steamers and the source. A floatation device supports the source and tows below the water's surface to avoid ice floes or other issues encountered at the water's surface. Seismic streamers have head floats supporting the streamers. Each of the floats has adjustable buoyancy preconfigured to counterbalance the weight in water of the towed component that the float supports. Acoustic signals from a transceiver at the vessel find locations of the towed components. A towed fish at a lower level than the towed components also uses acoustic signals with a transceiver to further refine the locations of the towed components.

Semi-submersibles are subjected to loading from waves, causing racking, longitudinal shear and parallelogramming, or differential movement of the pontoons. The cyclic wave loading makes the various connections, where stress concentrations occur, susceptible to fatigue damage throughout the hull structure. This is most evident at the connections between the braces and the main hull structure. A revised brace to main hull connection with reduced bending stiffness is employed to reduce the moment being transferred from the brace to the hull, thereby reducing the bending stress and susceptibility to fatigue damage. This improved connection employs an internal member to transfer the loads between the brace and hull structure mainly as tension and compression. As a consequence of the improved fatigue performance, the structural weight of the connection can be greatly reduced, thus increasing the capacity with which the semi-submersible hull can operate.

A hull support structure of a liquefied gas tank has a foundation deck disposed around a liquefied gas tank; a skirt which supports the liquefied gas tank on the foundation deck; an inner bottom plate extending in a hull length direction, at a location that is below the liquefied gas tank; and a pair of bilge hopper plates each of which is provided between the foundation deck and corresponding one of both end portions of the inner bottom plate, wherein a plate connection section at which each of the pair of bilge hopper plates is connected to the foundation deck is disposed outward in a hull width direction, relative to a skirt connection section at which the skirt is connected to the foundation deck.

A hull support structure of a liquefied gas tank has a foundation deck disposed around a liquefied gas tank; a skirt which supports the liquefied gas tank on the foundation deck; an inner bottom plate extending in a hull length direction, at a location that is below the liquefied gas tank; and a pair of bilge hopper plates each of which is provided between the foundation deck and corresponding one of both end portions of the inner bottom plate, wherein a plate connection section at which each of the pair of bilge hopper plates is connected to the foundation deck is disposed outward in a hull width direction, relative to a skirt connection section at which the skirt is connected to the foundation deck.

A marine seismic surveying apparatus for obstructed waters includes a deployed device and a buoy. The deployed device is disposed at an end of a streamer and is towed below a surface of water. The buoy extends from the end of the streamer to the water's surface. A coupling connects the buoy to the end of the streamer and is breakable due to tension from the buoy obstructed at the surface of the water. A receiver associated with the buoy obtains location information via the buoy at the water's surface. The deployed device can reckon its location with an inertial navigation system in place of location information obtained with the buoy's receiver. Also, the buoy can be deployed at the surface of the water, and more than one buoy can be available for deployment should one be lost.