SOFEC designed and constructed an internal permanent turret for a deepwater FPSO installed on the Barracuda and Caratinga fields offshore Brazil. The FPSO is located in 835m water depth becoming, at the time of installation, the world’s deepest FPSO system. 

The turret system is designed to accommodate 34 flexible risers and umbilicals, at that time, the largest number of risers ever handled by a tanker-based FPSO and the largest number of flowpaths ever to be manifolded in an internal turret system.

The turret design is based upon a turret shaft supported by a large diameter roller bearing at the FPSO's main deck allowing ready access to inspection and maintenance. Catenary risers are routed to periphery of turret shaft to reduce congestion. The six-path fluid swivel includes production, test, gas lift, gas export, and hydraulic control. The turret uses a six-leg symmetric catenary polyester/chain mooring system. The P34 is the first FPSO to utilize polyester.

This SOFEC permanent internal turret mooring system is classed with Lloyd's Register of Shipping.

General Description