FLOATING STRUCTURE

Abstract

The invention relates to a Floating Production Storage and Offloading, FPSO-, or Floating Production Storage, FSO-, structure comprising a hull adapted to support a weight of at least 50.000 tons, preferably at least 70.000 tons, with sidewalls of a length L extending in a longitudinal direction, a bottom structure and an upper deck, the hull having a breadth B, a process unit support structure overlying the upper deck, hydrocarbon processing units mounted on the process unit support structure, an outer part of the hull comprising: side spaces being bounded by the bottom structure, the upper deck, a respective side wall and an adjacent longitudinal sidewall, the adjacent longitudinal sidewalls being situated at a distance Wt from the side walls, Wt being at least equal to the smallest of 0.2 B or 11.5 m, an inner part of the hull comprising: at least one hydrocarbon storage tank for storage of hydrocarbons being situated between the bottom structure, the upper deck and the adjacent longitudinal walls, wherein the vessel comprises a centre line bulkhead and, between one and four hydrocarbon storage tanks of substantially the same size extending, in a transverse direction, between an adjacent longitudinal sidewall and the centreline bulkhead.

Claims

1. Floating Production Storage and Offloading, FPSO-, or Floating Production Storage, FSO-, structure comprising a hull adapted to support a weight of at least 50.000 tons, with sidewalls of a length L extending in a longitudinal direction, a bottom structure and an upper deck, the hull having a breadth B, a process unit support structure overlying the upper deck, hydrocarbon processing units mounted on the process unit support structure, an outer part of the hull comprising: side spaces being bounded by the bottom structure, the upper deck, a respective side wall and an adjacent longitudinal sidewall, the adjacent longitudinal sidewalls being situated at a distance Wt from the side walls, Wt being at least equal to the smallest of 0.2 B or 11.5 m, an inner part of the hull comprising: at least one hydrocarbon storage tank for storage of hydrocarbons being situated between the bottom structure, the upper deck and the adjacent longitudinal walls, wherein the vessel comprises a centre line bulkhead and between one and four hydrocarbon storage tanks of substantially the same size extending, in a transverse direction, between an adjacent longitudinal sidewall and the centreline bulkhead.

2. The Floating Production Storage and Offloading, FPSO-, or Floating Production Storage, FSO-, structure according to claim 1, the hydrocarbon storage tanks being situated between front and aft transverse walls extending in a transverse direction from an adjacent longitudinal sidewall to the centreline bulkhead.

3. The Floating Production Storage and Offloading, FPSO-, or Floating Production Storage, FSO-, structure according to claim 1, wherein the processing units are placed on the upper deck structure, overlying the adjacent longitudinal walls and the transverse walls.

4. The Floating Production Storage and Offloading, FPSO-, or Floating Production Storage, FSO-, structure according to claim 1, wherein the process unit support structure is supported on the upper deck at positions overlying the side spaces.

5. The Floating Production Storage and Offloading, FPSO-, or Floating Production Storage, FSO-, structure according to claim 1, comprising hydrocarbon risers extending from the hull to a subsea well, piping connecting the risers to the processing units.

6. The Floating Production Storage and Offloading, FPSO-, or Floating Production Storage, FSO-, structure according to claim 1, risers vertically extending in the side spaces.

7. The Floating Production Storage and Offloading, FPSO-, or Floating Production Storage, FSO-, structure according to claim 1, wherein the side spaces are provided with internal reinforcement structures for a riser balcony and/or a mooring structure.

8. The Floating Production Storage and Offloading, FPSO-, or Floating Production Storage, FSO-, structure according to claim 1, wherein the side spaces comprise water tanks, the floating structure comprising pumps adapted for filling and emptying the water tanks.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] An embodiment of a floating structure according to the invention will by way of non-limiting example, be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan view of a floating structure according to the invention,

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a schematic transverse cross-sectional view of the floating structure of FIG. 1,

[0020] FIG. 3 shows a detailed transverse cross-sectional view of the hull of the floating structure of FIG. 1, and

[0021] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the hull section of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a floating structure 1, having a hull 2 with sidewalls 3, 4, a bow 6 and a stern 8. The length L of the structure 1 is at least about 380 m, the breadth B being at least about 64 m. The structure 1 comprises longitudinal bulkheads 10, 11 and a centreline bulkhead 12, extending from the stern 8 to the bow 6. The transverse distance Wt of the longitudinal bulkheads 10, 11 from the sidewalls 3, 4 is at least 0.2 B or 11.5 m, whichever is less, in this example 11.5 m. Transverse bulkheads 15, 16, 17, 18 extend in a transverse direction between the sidewalls 3, 4, so that spaces, or wing tanks 20,21,22,23,24,25 are formed by the spaces bounded by a sidewall 3,4; a longitudinal bulkhead 10, 11 and adjacent transverse bulkheads 15,16; 17,18. Crude oil tanks 30,31,32,33,34,35 are situated on each side of the centreline bulkhead 12 between the longitudinal bulkheads 10, 11. The twelve crude oil tanks 30-35 are of substantially the same size. Other lay outs with a different number and a configuration of the cargo tanks may be provided.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a schematic transverse cross-section of the floating structure 1, with a bottom 7 and an upper deck 9. The bottom 7 may be formed by a single plate or can be formed by a double wall bottom structure. The height H may be about 34 m. A process unit support structure 40 in the form of an integral deck, or a number of individual process unit support structures, is placed on supports 41, 42 and carries processing units 43, 44, the total weight of the top structure being about 50.000-100.000 tons. Risers 50 may be supported on riser balconies 51, connected to a well head 52 on the seabed 53. Via piping 54, 56 and pumps 55, the risers 50 are connected to the processing units 43, 44 for the separation of gas and water from the produced oil, and for storage of the processed oil in the crude oil tanks 30-35.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the hull 2 and a transverse bulkhead.

[0025] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the part of the hull 2 shown in FIG. 3.