Abstract: An offshore terminal of the type which includes a dedicated vessel which rigidly supports a transfer structure beyond one end of the vessel, and with the transfer structure held by catenary chains to the sea floor. The transfer structure lies very close to an end of the vessel, but is has an underwater lower end which lies at a level substantially no higher than the adjacent end of the vessel, to avoid the possibility of the catenary chains hitting the vessel. The transfer structure extends from below water to above water, and the hose structure extending up from the sea floor extends through the transfer structure to protect it from surface waves. A product distribution unit (PDU) lies at the top of the transfer structure and has a turning portion connected to the vessel, the PDU being connected to the vessel independently of a massive mooring structure that connects a rotatable portion of the transfer structure to the vessel to transfer large loads.

Abstract: An offshore terminal is described, of the type which includes a dedicated vessel that supports a transfer structure loosely anchored as by several chains, and a fluid conduit structure that extends from the sea floor through the transfer structure to the vessel, wherein the vessel and transfer structure can be quickly disconnected to avoid potentially damaging surface conditions such as ice flows and hurricanes. The nonrotatable portion of the transfer structure, together with upper portions of the chains and underwater fluid conduit, can be detached from the rest of the transfer structure to sink below the surface, but to a predetermined depth which is considerably above the sea floor, so the vessel and a portion of the transfer structure can be sailed away from the region.

Abstract: A mooring and fluid transfer system of the type which utilizes a yoke pivotally connected at its opposite ends to a ship and to a buoy, which enables the use of hard piping along the fluid conduit which couples the buoy to the ship. A cross arm whose middle is rotatably mounted about a vertical axis on top of the buoy and whose opposite ends connect to the arms of the yoke, has a cutout between its middle and ends. The fluid conduit includes a fluid swivel joint for accommodating pivotal movement of the yoke, which lies in the cutout so the axis of the fluid joint is coincident with the horizontal axis of pivoting of the yoke on the yoke connector.

Abstract: A mooring and cargo transfer terminal is described, for use in transferring a fluid such as LNG (liquified natural gas) which is supercooled and therefore likely to cause severe icing of pipes and joints. The terminal includes a table support in the form of a tower extending from a base at the sea floor up to the sea surface, and a table device rotatable about a vertical axis at the top of the table support. The table device carries a pair of fenders that can press directly against the side of a ship, hawser couplings for tying the table device to a set of hawsers that hold it tightly against the ship, and one or more loading arms which can extend beyond the table device to connect to an LNG coupling on the ship. A pipe carries LNG from an underwater pipeline up to a fluid swivel at the top of the table support, and the rotatable portion of the fluid swivel connects to the loading arms to deliver the LNG thereto.

Abstract: A mooring and cargo transfer terminal is described, of the type which includes a buoy held at a predetermined height above the seabed as by a single anchor leg, to moor a ship which can drift in rotation about the buoy while a floating hose structure carries fluid to or from the ship, wherein the terminal is constructed to protect the buoy end of the floating hose structure from wave action, while facilitating maintenance of the fluid swivel which connects a nonrotating conduit extending up from the seabed to a rotating conduit connected to the floating hose structure. The fluid swivel is mounted at the top of the buoy for easy maintenance, and a rotating pipe connected to the rotating portion of the swivel extends therefrom and downwardly to an underwater depth below the troughs of waves, so that the buoy end of the floating hose structure is always below the waves.

Abstract: A SALM (single anchor leg mooring) terminal is described, of the type which includes apparatus mounted on the moored vessel for applying tension to the anchor leg so as to avoid the need for a large float at its upper end, which is of simple and reliable construction and which occupies little or no space on the permanently moored vessel. The system includes a yoke having a middle portion pivotally connected to the moored vessel, an inner end connected to the top of the anchor leg, and an outer end which lies outboard of the ship and which carries a counter weight, so that downward force applied by the counter weight produces an upward force on the anchor leg. By mounting the counter weight outboard of the vessel, large up-and-down swinging movement of the yoke can be accommodated without drastic modification of the vessel, and a simple pivoting system can be utilized to apply the necessary tension to the anchor leg.

Abstract: An offshore terminal of the type which includes a dedicated vessel which rigidly supports a transfer structure beyond one end of the vessel, and with the transfer structure held by catenary chains to the sea floor. The transfer structure lies very close to an end of the vessel, but it has an underwater lower end which lies at a level substantially no higher than the adjacent end of the vessel, to avoid the possibility of the catenary chains hitting the vessel. The transfer structure extends from below water to above water, and the hose structure extending up from the sea floor extends through the transfer structure to protect it from surface waves. A product distribution unit (PDU) lies at the top of the transfer structure and has a turning portion connected to the vessel, the PDU being connected to the vessel independently of a massive mooring structure that connects a rotatable portion of the transfer structure to the vessel to transfer large loads.

Abstract: For the purpose of mooring a vessel in deep water, as well as to load or discharge a fluid cargo from the vessel, mooring terminals consisting of a buoy anchored to the seabed or a column coupled to the bottom are used. Hoses transfer fluid between the vessel and a fluid swivel in the terminal, allowing 360.degree. rotation of the vessel around the terminal. Pipes and/or hoses from the swivel to a sealed pipeline allow fluid transfer between the ship and any desired location. This invention provides a fluid swivel which has a toroidal shape and can be easily removed from a buoy or column for maintenance, or repair, or replacement.