Split mooring system and methods for vessels

Abstract

A split mooring system may include at least two vessels in a body of water and a plurality of mooring lines. The plurality of mooring lines may be attached to the at least two vessels and configured to fix and maintain a position of the at least two vessels in the body of water relative to each other. A first vessel of the at least two vessels may be adjacent to a second vessel of the at least two vessels. The plurality of mooring lines may be attached to sides of the first vessel and the second vessel. The sides of the first vessel and the second vessel with mooring lines may face open water of the body of water.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A split mooring system, the split mooring system comprising:
 at least two vessels in a body of water; and   a plurality of mooring lines attached to the at least two vessels and configured to fix and maintain a position of the at least two vessels in the body of water relative to each other,   wherein a first vessel of the at least two vessels is adjacent to a second vessel of the at least two vessels,   wherein the plurality of mooring lines is attached to sides of the first vessel and the second vessel, and   wherein the sides of the first vessel and the second vessel with mooring lines face open water of the body of water.   
     
     
         2 . The split mooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the first vessel is a production vessel, and wherein the second vessel is a storage vessel or floating storage unit. 
     
     
         3 . The split mooring system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more spring lines having a first end attached to the first vessel and a second end attached to the second vessel, wherein the one or more spring line are configured to maintain a relative position of the first and second vessels with each other. 
     
     
         4 . The split mooring system of  claim 1 , further comprising fenders attached to the first vessel and/or the second vessel, wherein the fenders are configured to prevent collisions between a body of the first vessel and a body of the second vessel. 
     
     
         5 . The split mooring system of  claim 1 , wherein each mooring line of the plurality of mooring lines comprise at least one chain line and a polyester line. 
     
     
         6 . The split mooring system of  claim 5 , wherein one end of the mooring line is connected to a corresponding vessel and a distal end of the mooring line is connected to an anchor. 
     
     
         7 . The split mooring system of  claim 6 , wherein the anchor is a suction pile anchor disposed on a seabed of the body of water or a buoy on a surface of the body of water. 
     
     
         8 . The split mooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the first vessel and second vessel are less than 30 meters apart from each other. 
     
     
         9 . The split mooring system of  claim 8 , further comprises a transfer hose attached between the first vessel and the second vessel, wherein the transfer hose is configured to transfer cryogenic materials. 
     
     
         10 . A method for split mooring at least two vessels in a body of water, the method comprising:
 placing a first vessel of the at least two vessels adjacent to a second vessel of the at least two vessels;   attaching mooring lines to sides of the first vessel and the second vessel that face open water of the body of water;   fixing a position of the first vessel and the second vessel in the body of water with the mooring lines; and   maintaining the fixed position of the first vessel and the second vessel with the mooring lines.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 attaching a first end of one or more spring lines to the first vessel;   attaching a second end of the one or more spring lines to the second vessel; and   maintaining a relative position of the first and second vessels relative to each other with the one or more spring lines.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing fenders on the first vessel and/or the second vessel; and   preventing collisions, via the fenders, between a body of the first vessel and a body of the second vessel.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the fixing of the position of the first vessel and the second vessel comprises attaching a distal end of each mooring line to an anchor. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising anchoring the anchor in a seabed of the body of water. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising keeping the first vessel and second vessel at a distance of less than 30 meters apart from each other. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising transferring cryogenic materials between the first vessel and the second vessel via a transfer hose. 
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 a production vessel positioned a distance apart from a floating storage unit in a body of water;   a plurality of mooring lines attached to the production vessel and the floating storage, wherein the plurality of mooring lines is configured to fix and maintain a position of the production vessel and the floating storage in the body of water relative to each other; and   a transfer hose attached to a first adjacent side of the production vessel and a second adjacent side of the floating storage, wherein the transfer hose is configured to transfer cryogenic materials from the production vessel to the floating storage,   wherein the first adjacent side and the second adjacent side face each other,   wherein the plurality of mooring lines is attached to a first opposite side of the production vessel and a second opposite side of the floating storage, and   wherein the first opposite side is opposite the first adjacent side and the second opposite side is opposite the second adjacent side.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising one or more spring lines having a first end attached to first adjacent side of the production vessel and a second end attached to the second adjacent side of the floating storage, wherein the one or more spring line are configured to maintain a relative position of the production vessel and the floating storage with each other. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising fenders attached to first adjacent side of the production vessel and/or the second adjacent side of the floating storage, wherein the fenders are configured to prevent collisions between the production vessel and the floating storage. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the production vessel and the floating storage are spaced apart a distance between 5 to 25 meters.