BUOYANT TURRET MOORING WITH POROUS TURRET CAGE

A disconnectable buoyant turret mooring system for an FPSO is vulnerable to damage from collisions between the buoy and the buoy turret cage during mating and de-mating operations. It is therefore desirable that the buoy separate quickly from the turret of the FPSO vessel during a disconnect operation. A buoy turret cage is provided with a certain degree of porosity that allows a flow of seawater from the outside of the receptor to the inner surface of the receptor. Introducing water in this way relieves the suction forces and allows for a quicker separation of the buoy from the turret of the FPSO vessel, minimizing the time during which an uncontrolled collision between the buoy and the FPSO vessel is most likely. Filling a portion of the turret above the mooring buoy with water prior to releasing the buoy also decreases the separation time.