Abstract: A valve station for interconnecting boreholes in a seabed has a buoy anchored to the seabed and secured to a tanker whereby the buoy serves to anchor the tanker. Valves are provided on the buoy for connecting a plurality of separate pipelines extending from the boreholes to a common pipeline on the tanker. The buoy has an upstanding pipe extending through a shaft space in the stern of the tanker to a swivel connecting the pipe to the common pipeline on the tanker.

Abstract: A relatively permanent anchoring arrangement for a decommissioned tanker which is connected to an undersea flexible transfer hose, uses a spreader beam suspended under the tanker by a plurality of mooring hawsers which are guided on the hull of the tanker. A support column structure having a vertical axis is suspended from and supported by the spreader beam. The support column structure comprises a diver's chamber which includes a massive peripheral bearing which enables relative rotary movement between the diver's chamber and the support column. The diver's chamber is anchored and fastened using a plurality of anchor chains. The diver's chamber can be evacuated and made dry for a diver to enter for purposes of bearing inspection maintenance. A fluid proof rotary joint housed in the diver's chamber is provided for connecting an undersea flexible transfer hose to a rigid transfer tube emerging from the tanker at the bottom thereof. Anchoring in high seas is effective by this arrangement.

Abstract: An anchoring system for a converted tanker, including a fluid transfer line extending from the sea bed to the tanker, uses a vertical hollow shaft which is integrated into the stern portion of the tanker. A buoy, which is generally annular, is located under the vertical hollow shaft and anchored. Attached to the buoy, vertically above the buoy, is a hollow columnar superstructure which is disposed coaxially with the hollow shaft and is unaffected by weather. The superstructure is supported and located in vertical and horizontal directions coaxially inside of the hollow shaft by top and bottom pivot bearings which may be lubricated by sea water. The anchoring per se of the tanker takes place through the hollow superstructure member and the anchored buoy. The shaft and superstructure can be evacuated dry without any sea water, for maintenance personnel to inspect or replace the bearings and for completing repairs to the transfer line which is disposed within the hollow superstructure.