Process, vessel and system for transferring fluids between floating vessels using flexible conduit and releasable mooring system

Abstract

A system is provided for transferring fluids such as liquefied natural gas between a floating transport vessel and a floating storage vessel utilizing a transfer vessel to deploy, operate and return a fluid conduit to the storage vessel. The fluid is transferred through at least one submerged-subsea catenary flexible conduit, at least one floating flexible conduit, or any combination thereof. A transfer vessel, including a releasable mooring system, is provided for deploying the conduit from the storage vessel to the transport vessel, mooring with a transport vessel, maintaining a unified connection during fluid transfer, releasing the mooring once fluid transfer is completed, returning to and parking on the storage vessel, and storing the conduit between fluid transfers. The transfer vessel and releasable mooring system allows safe, controlled operation and fluid transfer in open sea conditions.

1 . A process for transferring a product between a first vessel and a second vessel, the process comprising:
 mooring a transfer vessel to a surface of a second vessel with a mooring device capable of dampening the relative motions between the transfer vessel and the second vessel;   connecting a fluid conduit on the transfer vessel to the second vessel; and   flowing product between a first vessel and the second vessel through the fluid conduit.   
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit is in fluid communication with the first vessel. 
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit is in fluid communication with a second transfer vessel moored to the first vessel. 
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of disengaging the mooring device from the surface of the second vessel without adding ballast to the transfer vessel. 
   
   
       5 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of disconnecting the fluid conduit from the second vessel without adding ballast to the transfer vessel. 
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of disengaging the mooring device from the surface of the second vessel and mooring the transfer vessel with the first vessel. 
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the transfer vessel is moored to the second vessel such that the transfer vessel does not contact a bottom surface of the second vessel or pass under a bottom surface of the second vessel. 
   
   
       8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the first vessel comprises an FPSO vessel, an FSO vessel, an FLNG vessel, an FSRU vessel, an LNG carrier, or an LNG ice-breaking carrier. 
   
   
       9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the second vessel comprises an FPSO vessel, an FSO vessel, an FLNG vessel, an FSRU vessel, an LNG carrier, an LNG ice-breaking carrier, a crude carrier, or a refined product carrier. 
   
   
       10 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the step of mooring the transfer vessel to the second vessel comprises attaching at least one of air vacuum pad mooring, water vacuum pad mooring and electromagnetic pad mooring to a side of the second vessel. 
   
   
       11 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of liquefied natural gas, liquefied heavy gas, liquefied petroleum gas, crude oil, diesel, syncrude, petroleum condensate, synthetic lube oil, naphtha, and methanol and mixtures of the same. 
   
   
       12 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the step of flowing the product further comprises pumping the product through at least one of subsea catenary conduit, a surface floating conduit, a pipe supported by a floating jetty or arm and a pipe supported by a vessel or submerged jetty or arm. 
   
   
       13 . A transfer vessel comprising:
 a floating vessel having a vertical portion;   a fluid conduit disposed on the floating vessel; and   a mooring device connected to the vertical portion for releasably mooring the transfer vessel to a surface of a second vessel, wherein the mooring device is capable of dampening the relative motions between the floating vessel and the second vessel.   
   
   
       14 . The transfer vessel according to  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of fluid conduits. 
   
   
       15 . The transfer vessel according to  claim 14 , further comprising a valve manifold connected to the plurality fluid conduits. 
   
   
       16 . The transfer vessel of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of fluid conduits is connected to a product source on a first vessel and wherein the valve manifold is capable of directing a flow of product back to the first vessel. 
   
   
       17 . The transfer vessel according to  claim 13 , wherein the mooring device comprises at least one of an air vacuum pad mooring system, a water vacuum pad mooring system and an electromagnetic pad mooring system. 
   
   
       18 . The transfer vessel according to  claim 13 , wherein the mooring device further comprises dampening means for dampening the relative motions between the floating vessel and the second vessel. 
   
   
       19 . The transfer vessel according to  claim 13 , further comprising at least one of a hard pipe loading arm, an aerial hose, and a flexible aerial pipe, connected to an upper portion of the floating vessel for connecting to the second vessel. 
   
   
       20 . The transfer vessel of  claim 13 , further comprising ballast. 
   
   
       21 . The transfer vessel according to  claim 13 , further comprising an emergency release system for disconnecting the fluid conduit from a second vessel. 
   
   
       22 . The transfer vessel according to  claim 13 , wherein the fluid conduit comprises at least one of a subsea catenary conduit, a surface floating conduit, a pipe supported by a floating jetty or arm, and a pipe supported by a subsea submerged jetty or arm. 
   
   
       23 . The transfer vessel according to  claim 13 , wherein the mooring device is positioned on the vertical portion so that when the transfer vessel is moored to a second vessel the transfer vessel does not contact a bottom surface of the second vessel. 
   
   
       24 . The transfer vessel according to  claim 13 , further comprising a booster pump connected to the fluid conduit. 
   
   
       25 . The transfer vessel according to  claim 13 , further comprising a dynamic positioning propulsion system. 
   
   
       26 . A transfer vessel comprising:
 a floating vessel having a vertical portion;   a fluid conduit disposed on the floating vessel; and   a mooring device connected to the vertical portion for releasably mooring the transfer vessel to a surface of a second vessel, wherein when the transfer vessel is moored to a second vessel the transfer vessel does not contact a bottom surface of the second vessel or pass under a bottom surface of the second vessel.   
   
   
       27 . A product transfer system comprising:
 a first vessel;   a transfer vessel comprising:
 a floating vessel having a vertical portion; 
 a fluid conduit disposed on the floating vessel and in fluid communication with the first vessel; and 
 a mooring device connected to the vertical portion for releasably mooring the transfer vessel to a surface of a second vessel, wherein the mooring device is capable of dampening the relative motions between the floating vessel and the second vessel. 
   
   
   
       28 . The product transfer system of  claim 27 , further comprising a second transfer vessel, comprising:
 a floating vessel having a vertical portion;   a fluid conduit disposed on the floating vessel and in fluid communication with the first vessel; and   a mooring device connected to the vertical portion for releasably mooring the transfer vessel to a surface of a third vessel, wherein the mooring device is capable of dampening the relative motions between the floating vessel and the third vessel.