Apparatus and method for processing of production fluids from a subsea oil or gas well, in order to recover hydrocarbons from the well. In an embodiment, the apparatus is a column stabilised structure having an interconnected array of three columns, with the upper portion protruding above the surface of the sea. The apparatus described has processing facilities in a lower portion of a first column, power generation facilities in a lower portion of a second column and service and utilities in a lower portion of a third column. Further facilities equipment and storage tanks can be located in the columns.

A very large floating structure based on modular units and a combined mooring system. The system includes a central large platform module, small outer platform modules, tension-legs, mooring lines, oscillating float-type wave energy converters and module connectors. The oscillating float-type wave energy converters can convert the swinging motion of the floaters into the horizontal motion of the piston rods through the gear wheel-rack transmission. Module connectors between modules are divided into two kinds of modes. One can utilize both relative torsional motion and horizontal motion between the central large platform module and the adjacent small platform modules, while the other simultaneously generates power and reduces the relative motions between the adjacent platform modules. The wave energy converters on the outer modules of the very large floating structure can generate power by absorbing the incident wave energy.

A system includes a water turbine, a plurality of positioning winches coupled to the water turbine and a plurality of positioning cables. An individual positioning cable extends between a fixed point at a first end and the water turbine at a second end and is coupled to a corresponding positioning winch that is configured to extend and retract the individual positioning cable between the fixed point and the water turbine. A plurality of sensors is configured to sense water conditions around the water turbine. A position control system is connected to the plurality of positioning winches and connected to the plurality of sensors. The position control system is configured to position the water turbine using the plurality of positioning winches according to the water conditions sensed by the plurality of sensors.

A buoyant hydrodynamic pump is disclosed that can float on a surface of a body of water over which waves tend to pass. The pump incorporates an open-bottomed tube with a constriction. The tube partially encloses a substantial volume of water with which the tube's constriction interacts, creating and/or amplifying oscillations therein in response to wave action. Wave-driven oscillations result in periodic upward ejections of portions of the water inside the tube that can be collected in a reservoir that is at least partially positioned above the mean water level of the body of water, or pressurized by compressed air or gas, or both. Water within such a reservoir may return to the body of water via a turbine, thereby generating electrical power (making the device a wave engine), or else the device's pumping action can be used for other purposes such as water circulation, propulsion, or cloud seeding.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for pumping or removing a fluid from a region within or on top of or in contact with a water or liquid body and applications for said systems and methods. Some embodiments may be applicable to, for example, inhibiting or preventing growth formation or fouling of structures in liquid environments. Other embodiments may be applicable to, for example, an energy storage device or a tidal power energy generation system.

The present invention relates generally to the offshore renewable energy utilization technology. A novel floating wind-wave integrated power generation system is based on the braceless semi-submersible floating wind turbine concept and the oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy generator. The integrated system includes the offshore wind energy system and the oscillation water column wave energy system. The novel floating wind-wave integrated power generation system transfers the rise and fall movement of the water column into the air in and out movement which is converted into the electricity by the air turbine generator. This invention makes good use of pontoons at of the semi-floating platform and the mooring lines. Since the wave energy system will move with the wave movement, which will reduce the power generation efficiency. The pontoon can help to mitigate this movement. The mooring system can further prevent the movement of the wave energy device. This invention uses the braceless structure, which simplifies the construction process and reduce the fatigue issues for the braces. Compared with the traditional three columns semi-submersible wind turbine, this invention enlarges the water plane area. The moment of inertia for hydrostatic stability is enhanced, and the stability of the floating foundation is improved.

A system for converting the mechanical energy produced by the flow of ocean currents into electric power including a first and second floating structure, a first pulley device supported on the first and second structure, and a second pulley device supported on the first and second structure. A first continuous cable is configured to be suspended from the first pulley device supported on said first and second structure. A second continuous cable is configured to be suspended from the second pulley device supported on the first and second structure. A sail implement is configured to collect mechanical energy from the ocean currents, and wherein the sail implement is operable for transmitting the mechanical energy to the first continuous cable and the second continuous cable. A generator device is operable for transforming the mechanical energy from the continuous cables into electrical power.

A turbine comprises a shaft (20), a mass (10) eccentrically mounted for rotation about shaft (20), having its center of gravity at a distance from the shaft (20) and a motion base (15). Motion base (15) rigidly supports the shaft (20), and is configured for moving the shaft (20) in any direction of at least two degrees of movement freedom, except for heave. A floating vessel-turbine (120), encloses entirely the eccentrically rotating mass (10) and the motion base (15). The turbine converts ocean wave energy into useful energy, very efficiently.

A floating drum turbine is used for generating the electrical energy from the kinetic energy of a water stream (sea wave or river flow) that provides the mechanical energy needed to rotate an electrical generator for generating the electricity. The drum turbine is installed on a buoyant skid anchored to the seabed by some chains/ropes to keep it in a fixed position and direction along the water stream. The turbine is coupled to an electrical generator with a power transmission system, and generates the electricity that is transferred to the coast using a cable system floated on the water surface.

Systems and methods are presented for deploying and using a floating platform using articulated spar legs used as a type of hull, each of the spar legs attached to the floating platform by an articulated connection. Each of the articulated spar legs being moveable from a horizontal to a vertical position, horizontal for transport and vertical for deployment of the floating platform. The articulated spar legs serve to support the floating position of the floating platform. The articulated spar legs are moved from horizontal to vertical position by controlling ballast imposed upon or within spar legs. Each of the articulated spar legs are moveable from a vertical to a horizontal position with a ballast changing method. Systems and methods are presented for extracting natural renewable energy from the environment surrounding the floating platform with energy capture devices modularly affixed to the platform and energy capture devices incorporated into the articulated spar legs.