A novel rotatable hull that generally includes a hull that is capable of rotating around an attachment point where it is connected to a vessel. In preferred embodiments, an outdoor motor mounted to the rotatable hull will turn to vector thrust and apply a moment to rotate the hull around a nominally vertical axis where the hull connects to the vessel. The invention also is directed to a vessel, which employs a plurality of rotatable hulls. A plurality of rotatable hulls can be arranged into a tripod, square or other stable geometric configuration and connected by a structure to form a vessel that can move in any direction along the plane of the surface of the water with or without changing the yaw axis orientation of the connecting structure. This may be useful in applications such as catching objects that are descending from the sky.

A novel rotatable hull that generally includes a hull that is capable of rotating around an attachment point where it is connected to a vessel. In preferred embodiments, an outdoor motor mounted to the rotatable hull will turn to vector thrust and apply a moment to rotate the hull around a nominally vertical axis where the hull connects to the vessel. The invention also is directed to a vessel, which employs a plurality of rotatable hulls. A plurality of rotatable hulls can be arranged into a tripod, square or other stable geometric configuration and connected by a structure to form a vessel that can move in any direction along the plane of the surface of the water with or without changing the yaw axis orientation of the connecting structure. This may be useful in applications such as catching objects that are descending from the sky.

A floating platform for high-power wind turbines, comprising a concrete substructure, said concrete substructure forming the base of the platform, which remains semi-submerged in the operating position, and consisting of a square lower slab on which a series of beams and five hollow reinforced concrete cylinders are constructed, distributed at the corners and the center of said lower slab; a metal superstructure supported on the concrete substructure and forming the base for connection with the wind turbine tower, said tower being coupled at the center thereof; and metal covers covering each of the cylinders, on which the metal superstructure is supported and to which vertical pillars are secured, linked together by beams, which join at the central pillar by an element whereon the base of the wind turbine tower is secured.

A system for conveying a fluid produced from at least one producing subsea well to an existing host facility via a flowline includes a support structure having at least a deck, a mooring system, and a plurality of topsides modules. The mooring system anchors the support structure to a seabed and passively positions the support structure proximate to the at least one producing subsea well. The support structure elevates the deck above a water's surface and is normally unmanned. The plurality of topsides modules are disposed on the deck. The topsides modules include at least: a power generation module; a switchgear module a flowline heating module; a chemical injection module; a water injection module; a subsea control module; and a control module that communicates with a remote command center.

A self-propelled waterborne wave riding system includes a vessel having at least one motor and control system for navigating and propelling the vessel along a body of water. A rider section is located along the top of the vessel and includes a lower platform at the front of the vessel, an upper platform at the back of the vessel, and an elongated angled ride surface that extends between the upper and lower platforms. A pump system is provided along the vessel and includes an impeller assembly that is mechanically coupled to an inboard motor and a water pipe. Water received by the impeller is directed through the water pipe to a horizontally oriented nozzle in the lower platform which pushes the water over the ride surface. Openings in the upper platform return the used water into the body of water.

A floating offshore structure includes a buoyant hull including a first column, a second column, and a pontoon coupled to the first column and the second column. The pontoon extends horizontally from the first column to the second column. The pontoon includes a first tubular member, a second tubular member positioned laterally adjacent to the first tubular member, a first edge plate extending horizontally from the first tubular member, and a second edge plate extending horizontally from the second tubular member. The first tubular member and the second tubular member are disposed between the first edge plate and the second edge plate. Each tubular member has a central axis, a first end coupled to the lower end of the first column, and a second end coupled to the lower end of the second column. The longitudinal axis of the first tubular member and the longitudinal axis of the second tubular member are disposed in a common horizontal plane.

A method for constructing a hull of an offshore structure includes (a) welding a plurality of plates together to form a plate assembly. The method also includes (b) passing the plate assembly through a rolling machine with the plate assembly in a vertical orientation. In addition, the method includes (c) bending the plate assembly into a cylinder during (b). The cylinder includes a pair of circumferentially adjacent free ends. Further, the method includes (d) welding the free ends of the cylinder together after (c) to form a cylindrical external wall.

A self-propelled waterborne wave riding system includes a vessel having at least one motor and control system for navigating and propelling the vessel along a body of water. A rider section is located along the top of the vessel and includes a lower platform at the front of the vessel, an upper platform at the back of the vessel, and an elongated angled ride surface that extends between the upper and lower platforms. A pump system is provided along the vessel and includes an impeller assembly that is mechanically coupled to an inboard motor and a water pipe. Water received by the impeller is directed through the water pipe to a horizontally oriented nozzle in the lower platform which pushes the water over the ride surface. Openings in the upper platform return the used water into the body of water.

Provided is a floating foundation for supporting a wind power generation system including a stabilized power cable. In one embodiment, the floating foundation includes a column extending upwardly and couplable at a top end thereof to a base of the wind turbine, at least one power cable for exporting power generated from the wind turbine to another floating foundation or to an offshore/onshore station, and a plurality of buoyancy modules disposed along the at least one power cable. Power cables between a plurality of floating foundations and/or power station may be supported by buoyant modules such that the power cable is located in an optimal submergence range of the water body in which the floating foundations are deployed.

Provided is a semi-submersible floating foundation for supporting a wind power generation system. In one embodiment, the floating foundation includes a plurality of outer buoyant columns equidistantly spaced around a center buoyant column that are connected by buoyant structural pontoons. The center buoyant column supports a horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) or a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) energy system. The floating foundation includes motion attenuating extensions with or without porosity attached to the sides of the pontoons. Deepwater station-keeping system of the floating foundation includes a plurality of disconnectable and reconnectable taut or semi-taut mooring lines coupling one or more outer buoyant columns to seabed anchors. Inter-array power cable between a plurality of floating foundations may be free hanging or supported by buoyant modules. Export power cable from a floating foundation to seabed toward shore may be free hanging or supported by buoyant modules.