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Single Buoy Mooring Procedure

Single buoy mooring (SBM) is a floating buoy anchored offshore that allows liquid cargo handling from tanker ships. SBMs are used where dedicated loading/unloading facilities are unavailable and can handle very large crude carriers. The SBM consists of an anchoring system that keeps the buoy in place and a product transfer system that connects via flexible hoses to a subsea pipeline to transfer cargo between the buoy and tankers. Tankers connect to the buoy using mooring ropes and hose connections equipped with breakaway couplings to prevent spills if the tanker disconnects. Cargo is then transferred through the product transfer system while the mooring allows for tanker movement in waves and currents.

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435 views3 pages

Single Buoy Mooring Procedure

Single buoy mooring (SBM) is a floating buoy anchored offshore that allows liquid cargo handling from tanker ships. SBMs are used where dedicated loading/unloading facilities are unavailable and can handle very large crude carriers. The SBM consists of an anchoring system that keeps the buoy in place and a product transfer system that connects via flexible hoses to a subsea pipeline to transfer cargo between the buoy and tankers. Tankers connect to the buoy using mooring ropes and hose connections equipped with breakaway couplings to prevent spills if the tanker disconnects. Cargo is then transferred through the product transfer system while the mooring allows for tanker movement in waves and currents.

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Kannan
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Single Buoy Mooring Procedure

Single point mooring (SPM), also known as single buoy mooring (SBM), is a floating jetty/buoy
that is anchored offshore to allow liquid cargo handling such as products of petroleum for tanker
ships. Single buoy mooring is mostly used in places where dedicated facilities for unloading or
loading liquid cargo isn’t available. They are often positioned at a distance of a few kilometres
from the shore-facility (one of the facilities that’s located onshore and used for receiving ships as
well as transferring cargo plus people to them).

The single buoy mooring facilities are capable of even handling vessels of massive capacity like
VLCC (very large crude carriers) where there is no available alternative facility. They serve as a
link between shore-facilities and tankers for off-loading or loading gas and liquid cargo. Here are
some major benefits of using single buoy mooring:

o It is easy to handle large quality of cargo.


o Ships that have high drafts can be easily moored.
o Does not need ships to go to the port, and therefore, save time and fuel.
o The capability of handling extra large vessels.
How Does Single Buoy Mooring Work?
The loading buoy that is anchored offshore is typically divided into different parts, which have
dedicated functionality. Anchoring and mooring system, product transfer system, as well as buoy
body are the main parts found on the single buoy mooring.

The single buoy mooring is basically moored to the seabed by means of a mooring arrangement,
which includes chain stoppers, anchor chains as well as anchors. The mooring arrangement
allows the buoy to be capable of moving freely within defined limits, taking the tanker ship
conditions, current, waves as well as wind into consideration. The buoy is moored to the bottom
of the ocean using anchor chains (legs) joined to the anchor point (piled or gravity base) on the
seabed (bottom of the ocean). Chain stoppers are normally used to join each chain to the buoy.

Also, the part of the SBM System (buoy body) that’s floating comes with a rotating part
connecting to the tanker. These rotating parts enable the tanker to become stable at its desired
place around the buoy. Usually, the tanker is moored to the buoy using a hawser arrangement
consisting of polyester or nylon ropes that are shacked to a hook that has been integrated on the
buoy deck.

To prevent any damage from tanker fairlead, the chafe chains are attached at the hawser tanker
end. The mooring systems that are used for offshore operations of this kind follow the standards
that OCIMF (Companies International Marine Forum) has put forth. The Companies International
Marine Forum is an association of oil companies that have an interest in the shipment as well as
terminalling of crude oil plus oil products.

Positioned at the centre of the mooring buoy, the product transfer system transfers products from
the PLEM (Pipeline End and Manifold) (geostatic location) situated on the seabed and takes
them to the tanker. Flexible horses called risers join the pipelines beneath the surface of the sea
to the product transfer system of the buoy. The configuration of the risers varies depending on
buoy motions, sea condition, water depth and so on.

The buoy is attached to the tankers by means of floating hose strings provided with breakaway
couplings (which is a special coupling type that has a breakpoint that breaks at a break load
that’s predetermined, activating intervals valves that’ll close automatically at both ends,
preventing further product release) to prevent oil spills.

SBM systems often use a swivel system that connects the PLEM (Pipeline End and Manifold) to
the buoy. Product swivel system provides movement flexibility to the tankers at the time of
transfer of the products. That movable pipe-connection system helps in preventing premature
hose failure as a result of traction or bending stresses.

Here is the general overview of how the Single Buoy Mooring procedure Works
o First, the tanker is anchored to the buoy for unloading or loading of cargo.
o Fenders are used for protecting the buoy from the ship’s unexpected movement as a
result of bad weather.
o A boat landing space that is on the buoy deck has a purpose of providing access to the
buoy to set up the connections as well as secure the ship.
o Handling as well as lifting equipment on the buoy permits handling of hoses connections
plus safety tools.
o After the connection have been made, valves are then operated from an electrical
substation (part of an electrical generation and transmission as well as distribution system).
o As a safety precaution, necessary navigational aids and alarm systems are provided.
o Liquid cargo is transferred from PLEM (Pipeline End and Manifold) (or geostatic location)
to the tanker by means of product transfer system of SBM system.
o You should ensure that MBC’s (Marine Breakaway Couplings) are used to prevent
possible oil spills. The Gall Thomson MBC has become the world-wide industry standard for
offshore marine terminal applications.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-BZWM3eDJ8

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