Tracy Dulle
Technology Editor, Surface Systems & Vessels
HOUSTON -- SBM Atlantia unveiled its MoorSpar FPSO mooring system at the 2008 Offshore Technology Conference in Houston.
The disconnectable FPSO mooring system uses lower-cost steel centenary risers (SCRs) in deep and ultra deepwater harsh environments such as the Gulf of Mexico or Southeast Asia.
"SCRs are far simpler" than other options such as single-line offset risers, bundled tower, or hybrid configurations, said Philippe Lavagna, SBM Atlantia engineering project manager.
The MoorSpar unit consists of a truss structure set atop a long, slender buoy and moored to the seafloor by a combination of lateral polyester lines and vertical tethers. The FPSO is connected to the facility through an articulated yoke system linked to a main roller bearing situated below a gimbal table at the top of the MoorSpar unit.
Fatigue has been an issue with SCRs, but SBM said they have managed to solve the issue with the MoorSpar.
The MoorSpar system de-couples the motion of the vessel from the risers, thereby eliminating the fatigue issues, Lavagna said, while at the same time allowing for disconnection in the event of a storm.
05/07/2008
