Subsea Loading System | OneSubsea

Subsea Loading System

Minimal maintenance, maximum efficiency

Subsea loading systems avoid much of the environmental impact and motion subjected to conventional systems. Because the loading hose is never in contact with the seabed, the subsea loading system requires minimal maintenance and is designed for a 25-year service life.

Uninterrupted loading during commissioning

Requiring no modification for use with existing tanker fleets, the subsea loading system can be positioned close to any existing loading system. This feature enables operating the existing and new systems in parallel—no interruption to oil exportation during field testing and commissioning.

The system is fully piggable and enables diverless replacement of all critical components. It's ideal for medium-depth to deepwater applications, and systems for shallow water are also available.

Illustration of a subsea loading system

Technical configuration

  • Riser base containing couplers for two flexible flowlines, valves, and a control system for communication with the platform.
  • Buoyancy tank located below the surface of the sea and equipped with swivels and a loading hose
  • Rigid riser held in tension by the buoyancy tank and equipped with a flexible joint at the lower end. A swivel stack system is placed on top of the buoyancy tank, enabling the loading hose and shuttle tanker to weathervane freely.
  • Pickup system attached to the end of the loading hose and connected to a marker buoy on the surface that can be picked up by the tanker for connection of the loading hose.