Patents Assigned to Single Buoy Moorings, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20120133468
    Abstract: Power swivel for transmitting electrical power from a first terminal to a second terminal, includes a central part with a hub and an outer ring of a magnetic material, coaxial with and surrounding the hub, the outer ring and central part being rotatable relative to one another around a vertical axis, at least two radial arms of a magnetic material projecting from the hub or from the outer ring, adjacent arms being spaced-apart, each arm carrying a conductor wound around the arm to form a coil for generating a magnetic flux along a radial flux path through the arm, the conductors being connected to the first terminal, wherein the outer ring or the hub has a cylindrical surface at close proximity to free ends of the arms, a plurality of axially extending conductors being distributed along the circumference of the outer ring or hub at or near the cylindrical surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: SINGLE BUOY MOORINGS INC.
    Inventor: Mauro Bedini
  • Patent number: 8181662
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon transfer system includes a first structure with a length direction and a transverse direction having a frame carrying a vertical arm with at its end a fluid connecting member for connecting to a second structure which is moored alongside the first structure. The connecting member includes a winch and first guiding elements for engaging with second guiding elements on the second structure by connecting a wire to the winch on one end an to the second structure on the other end, and a tension device for moving the vertical arm away from the second structure for tensioning the wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Single Buoy Moorings Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Pollack, Philippe Albert Christian Menardo, Eric Barrabino
  • Patent number: 8176938
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon transfer system comprising a first structure with a length direction and a transverse direction having a frame carrying a fluid transfer duct with at its end a fluid connecting member for connecting to a second structure which is moored alongside the first structure and wherein the fluid transfer duct is placed on a movable frame part which is displaceable in the transverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Single Buoy Moorings Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Queau, Walter Willy Maurel, Philippe Albert Christian Menardo
  • Patent number: 8146952
    Abstract: Coupling structure includes: a first and a second pipe section each having a metal wall and a flexible pipe section interconnecting the first and second sections, a hinging support frame including a first set of arms connected to the first pipe section, a support ring around the flexible pipe section hingingly attached to the first set of arms, the first set of arms being pivotable around a first axis, and a second set of arms connected to the second pipe section and hingingly attached to the support ring, the second set of arms being pivotable around a second axis transverse to the first axis, the base ends of the first and second set of arms are connected to the first and second pipe sections via at least one connector member extending transversely to the respective pipe section, at a predetermined distance from the pipe section metal wall, the arms extending along the respective pipe sections over a predetermined length such that a gap between the pipe section metal wall and the arm is defined over the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Single Buoy Moorings Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Queau, Jack Pollack, Philippe Albert Christian Menardo
  • Patent number: 8142108
    Abstract: A riser installation method including the steps of providing a first vessel situated over a hydrocarbon well, supporting a hydrocarbon transfer duct from the first vessel by a first end that is attached to a lowering device on the first vessel, and attaching a second end of the hydrocarbon duct to a second vessel, at a position near the first vessel. The method also includes the steps of lowering the transfer duct, increasing the distance of the second vessel from the first vessel, pulling the transfer duct until the second vessel is near the third vessel, contacting a section of the transfer duct with the sea bed, displacing the second end of the transfer duct from the first vessel, returning the second end of the transfer duct to the mooring position, and bringing the second end of the hydrocarbon transfer duct in fluid communication with the third vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Single Buoy Moorings Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Pollack, Hein Wille
  • Patent number: 8141645
    Abstract: During an Extended Well Test or Early Floating Production at an offshore hydrocarbon production site, where oil and gas hydrocarbons are produced by a production vessel, applicant stores the natural gas as pressured gas in a storage tank and occasionally transfers the pressured gas to a shuttle vessel which carries the gas to a site where it is used, as by pumping it into a natural gas pipeline. The transfer of natural gas to the shuttle can be accomplished by pumping it through a conduit extending between the vessels to a second tank on the shuttle, or can be accomplished by moving a gas-filled tank on the production vessel to the shuttle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Single Buoy Moorings, Inc.
    Inventors: Leendert Poldervaart, Jim Wodehouse
  • Publication number: 20120055388
    Abstract: A mooring system includes a vessel and a elongate mooring column having an upper end connected to an arm on the vessel projecting from the vessel bow and a lower end connected to the sea bed via anchor lines, characterized in that the arm is pivotable around a transverse axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: SINGLE BUOY MOORINGS INC.
    Inventors: Pieter Liem, Jack Pollack, Sebastien Jean-Francois Truchi
  • Patent number: 8122914
    Abstract: Cryogenic transfer hose for hydrocarbons comprising an inner hose, an outer hose arranged around the inner hose in a concentric manner and a spacer member bridging an annular gap between the inner and outer hoses, a fibrous insulation material forming a three dimensional matrix of fibers being comprised in the annular gap, characterized in that the outer hose comprises an elastomeric and/or a plastic material, the fibrous material being contiguous overall best a part of the length of the hoses with the inner and outer hose and forming a spacer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Single Buoy Moorings Inc.
    Inventors: Philippe Albert Christian Menardo, Jean-Pierre Queau
  • Patent number: 8120195
    Abstract: Systems are described for obtaining energy, especially electrical energy, from sea waves. An elongated elastic tube device (12) floats at the sea surface (20) (or at a shallow depth under it) and extends at least partially parallel to the direction of wave propagation (D). The tube bends as a wave passes by and such tube bending stretches and relaxes SSM (synthetic stretchable material) (44, 60, 62) which generates electricity in electrodes (46, 48) when its amount of stretching changes. Electricity from power takeoffs in the tube are electronically added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Single Buoy Moorings, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Pollack, Philippe F. Jean
  • Publication number: 20120031320
    Abstract: A mooring leg connector for use with a mooring leg extending up from the sea floor to connect a floating structure to be moored to the seabed wherein disconnection and connection of the mooring leg is done by pulling in and out a connector elongated body extending in the mooring leg direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: SINGLE BUOY MOORINGS INC.
    Inventors: Christian Raymond Bauduin, Jean Braud, Jean Pierre Benoit
  • Publication number: 20120024391
    Abstract: A system for developing one or more offshore hydrocarbon fields includes at least one floating hydrocarbon processing unit moored to the seabed and connected to a hydrocarbon reservoir via a riser and a wellhead on the seabed, the unit receiving and processing the hydrocarbon mixture received from the reservoir via the riser, and having equipment to separate the hydrocarbon mixture into oil, water and gas and store them in storage tanks. A gas storage buffer reservoir is placed at a certain distance from and isolated from the hydrocarbon reservoir. A gas export riser is connected to the floating hydrocarbon processing unit and the gas buffer reservoir to export separated gas and inject it into the gas buffer reservoir. A gas riser has one end connected to the gas buffer reservoir and another end connected to the floating gas processing unit for processing gas received from the gas buffer reservoir for enabling transportation to shore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: SINGLE BUOY MOORINGS INC.
    Inventors: Hein Wille, Harke Jan Meek
  • Publication number: 20120012221
    Abstract: A composite hose for transfer of cryogenic fluids, includes two end flanges, a helical wound inner wire several layers of protective fabric layers, at least one gas-tight sealing layer sandwiched between one or more protective layers and an outer helical wound wire which is placed on top of the protective layers between the pitch of the inner wire, characterized in that the inner wire is connected to a flexible inner liner that follow any axial and/or radial displacement of the inner wire and that covers the inner corrugations of the composite hose so to create a smooth inner bore of the composite hose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: SINGLE BUOY MOORINGS INC.
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Queau, Philippe Albert Christian Menardo, Giorgio Torre
  • Publication number: 20120012044
    Abstract: A vessel includes a hull with a turret, a cavity in the turret and a mooring buoy releasably attached in the cavity, the buoy including a buoyant body and carrying a number of risers, extending to a subsea hydrocarbon well and a number of anchor lines connected to the sea bed, wherein upon connection of the buoy to the cavity, the buoy is attached to a pulling member connected to a winch on the vessel for lifting of the buoy. Each anchor line and/or riser at its upper end is connected to a stopper member, the stopper member being attached to the pulling member, wherein during lifting, each anchor line and/or riser and the stopper member are movable relative to the buoyant body in a length direction of the anchor lines and/or risers, and wherein after connection of the buoyant body to the cavity, the stopper member is engaged with an abutment member on the buoyant body to support the anchor line and/or riser weight off the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: SINGLE BUOY MOORINGS INC.
    Inventors: Philippe Lavagna, Xavier Connaulte, Christoph Vogt
  • Patent number: 8074687
    Abstract: A flexible cryogenic transfer hose for connecting two cryogenic facilities, has a length of at least 20 m, and: an inner flexible hose with at least two segments, interconnected via at least two transverse inner connecting members, an outer hose surrounding the inner hose and including a watertight elastomeric or composite material, the outer hose having at least two segments mutually connected via two outer connecting members, the outer hose having a wall thickness of at least 2 cm, a bend radius of at least 2 m, and an internal diameter of at least 20 cm, the inner hose being kept at a distance from the outer hose via spacer elements bridging a distance between the outer wall of the inner hose and an inner wall of the outer hose, which distance is between 0.1 and 0.8 times the internal diameter dio of the inner hose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Single Buoy Moorings Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Queau, Jack Pollack, Hein Wille, Liselotte Van Dijk
  • Publication number: 20110266793
    Abstract: A connector for a hydrocarbon system includes a first duct section, a first connector part slidably attached to the first duct section for connecting to a complementary connector part attached to a second duct section and a retraction member for moving the first connector part in an axial direction between an extended position and a retracted position
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: SINGLE BUOY MOORINGS INC.
    Inventor: Jean Braud
  • Publication number: 20110254264
    Abstract: A high pressure swivel includes an annular inner wall and an annular outer wall, rotatable relative to one another around an axis, the walls defining a toroidal chamber, an axial gap extending between the walls from the chamber to an outer part, the gap including seen in the direction of the outer part: an isolation seal situated in the gap adjacent the chamber, an isolation gap section extending downstream from the isolation seal, a primary seal situated in the gap, a primary gap section situated downstream from the primary seal, and a secondary seal situated downstream from the primary seal, a first pressure control unit being connected to the chamber, to pressurization elements that are coupled to the isolation gap section for supplying fluid to the isolation gap section from the pressurisation elements when the pressure in the chamber rises and for venting fluid from the isolation gap section when the pressure in the chamber drops, to maintain the pressure in the isolation gap section at a substantially c
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: SINGLE BUOY MOORINGS INC.
    Inventor: Jack Pollack
  • Publication number: 20110241347
    Abstract: A floating energy generating device includes at least two wind turbines mounted on a floating open structure, the floating open structure being moored to the seabed with a mooring system, each wind turbine featuring in operation mode a blade and rotor part mounted at the top of a tower and being connected via a cable to a central control power electronic unit on the floating open structure, the central control power unit being connected to a submerged high voltage power export cable for exporting the electricity generated by the at least two windmills, characterized in that the floating open structure being connectable to or disconnectable from the mooring system and that when disconnected from the mooring system, the center of gravity of the floating open structure is at or below its center of buoyancy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: SINGLE BUOY MOORINGS INC.
    Inventors: Sophie BOUREAU, Hein WILLE
  • Publication number: 20110237089
    Abstract: A high voltage swivel including an inner and an outer body, each body having at least a first and a second ring-shaped conductor element, the conductor elements including two spaced-apart end faces and a curved contact surface, the elements being mutually interconnected at opposing end faces via insulating members at axially spaced-apart positions, the inner and outer bodies being coaxial around a longitudinal axis, the contact surface of each inner conductor element being adjacent to and in electrical contact with an opposed contact surface of a corresponding outer conductor element, the inner and outer bodies being rotatable relative to one another around the longitudinal axis, each conductor element of the inner and outer body connected to a voltage line extending to an input terminal or an output terminal, the insulator members interconnecting the conductor elements situated at a mutual distance in the circumferential direction of the conductor element, the interconnected conductor elements of the inner a
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: SINGLE BUOY MOORINGS INC.
    Inventors: Maxime Baptiste Berard, Eric Barrabino, Philippe Albert Christian Menardo, Jean-Pierre Queau, Benjamin Passieux
  • Publication number: 20110232767
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon transfer arrangement for transfer of fluids between an offshore unit and a carrier which are placed in an offloading configuration, includes at least one transfer hose and a gas return hose, wherein the end of the at least one transfer hose is connected to a floating multi-function unit allowing for the transport of the transfer hose between the offshore unit and the carrier, wherein the floating multi-function unit can be lifted out of the water and can be held in a fixed position above water-level and is provided with connection elements for making a fluid connection between the transfer hose end and a manifold of the carrier and with emergency disconnect elements for the at least one transfer hose, placed at a distance from the connection elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: SINGLE BUOY MOORINGS INC.
    Inventors: Pieter LIEM, Jean-Robert FOURNIER, Jean-Charles RINALDI
  • Patent number: 7997947
    Abstract: System of a hydrocarbon transfer buoy and a vessel, the buoy having a length of at least 50 m and a length-to-width ratio of at least 10:1, and including a submerged buoyancy member having a length of at least 30 m and being situated at a depth of at least 10 m below water level, another support frame protecting above water level being connected to the top of the buoyancy member and carrying a support deck and a mooring buoy connector for attaching to a mooring arm connector of the vessel, which mooring arm connector is situated on an arm projecting outboard from the vessel's hull, the buoy being anchored to the sea bed via anchor lines which extend at an angle to a vertical direction, at least one hydrocarbon riser being attached to the buoy. The buoyancy member being connected to the sea bed via at least one substantially vertical taut tendon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Single Buoy Moorings Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Pollack, David Lewis Hankin