Patents by Inventor Rick A. Hall

Rick A. Hall has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6983712
    Abstract: A mooring arrangement between a floating storage body spread moored in deep water and a shuttle tanker, the arrangement including a single point buoyant member that is adapted for mooring a shuttle tanker in offloading position relative to a floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) with a link between the floating storage body and the single point buoyant member. One embodiment (100) of the invention employs a submerged yoke (30), having one end (31) rotatably coupled to a FPSO (10) and a second end (32), supported by a buoy. A mooring hawser (28) extends from the buoy to the shuttle tanker and product hoses connect the shuttle tanker with the FPSO and extend along the submerged yoke. In another embodiment, the mooring buoy is stationed by a hold-back mooring system (303–304) and the FPSO or the tanker or both is provide with traction device (308) to move the tanker into loading position with respect to the FPSO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: FMC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Roy H. Cottrell, Rick A. Hall, Brent A. Salyer, Caspar N. Heyl, Richard H. Gunderson
  • Publication number: 20030061980
    Abstract: A mooring arrangement between a floating storage body spread moored in deep water and a shuttle tanker, the arrangement including a single point buoyant member that is adapted for mooring a shuttle tanker in offloading position relative to a floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) with a link between the floating storage body and the single point buoyant member. One embodiment (100) of the invention employs a submerged yoke (30), having one end (31) rotatably coupled to a FPSO (10) and a second end (32), supported by a buoy. A mooring hawser (28) extends from the buoy to the shuttle tanker and product hoses connect the shuttle tanker with the FPSO and extend along the submerged yoke. In another embodiment, the mooring buoy is stationed by a hold-back mooring system (303-304) and the FPSO or the tanker or both is provided with traction devices (308) to move the tanker into loading position with respect to the FPSO.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Applicant: FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Roy H. Cottrell, Rick A. Hall, Brent A. Salyer, Caspar N. Heyl, Richard H. Gunderson