A system for offloading LNG (liquified natural gas) from a tanker (26)
in
shallow waters, for regasing, or heating the offloaded LNG to produce gaseous hydrocarbons,
or gas, for pressurizing the gas, and for flowing the gas to an onshore station
(56), includes a structure that is fixed to the sea floor and projects above
the sea surface and aids in mooring the tanker. In one system, the structure that
is fixed to the sea floor is a largely cylindrical tower (12) with a mooring
yoke (20) rotatably mounted on its upper end. A floating structure (14)
such as a barge that weathervanes, has a bow end pivotally connected to a distal
end of the yoke, so the barge is held close to the tower but can drift around the
tower with changing winds, waves and currents. The tanker is moored to the barge
so the barge and tanker form a combination that weathervanes as a combination.
Regas and pressurizing equipment (32, 34) for heating and pressuring the
LNG, and any crew quarters (36), are all located on the barge, so a low
cost tower can be used. In another system, the structure is a breakwater (180).