The Floating Production Storage and Offloading unit (FPSO) is typically a ship-shaped hull that supports crude oil storage in hull tanks and plenty of deck area for topsides facilities. Although hull fabrication includes relatively complex geometry and stiffening (fair shapes, double hulls, etc.), many fabrication facilities world wide have the required specialized capability for design and construction so the hull is low risk and low cost in terms of delivery.

 

Limitations of the FPSO

 

The limitation of the concept is motions, which are too excessive to support dry trees in typical applications and which require a turret mooring system for most environments. The turret mooring system allows the FPSO to weathervane around an earth-fixed mooring so that the vessel is in the most favorable orientation relative to wind, waves and current. The turret mooring system works best in environments where wind, waves and current are typically aligned.

 

Advantages of the FPSO

 

The advantage of the FPSO is extensive deck area and oil storage. The deck area provides plenty of space for safe and maintainable process facilities and utilities. Oil storage is a huge benefit if your oil and gas development is far away from pipeline infrastructure.