Question 4463 Deck General

The correct answer is B) paid out to reduce weather mooring line tensions. In heavy weather conditions, semisubmersible rigs need to have their weather mooring lines adjusted to balance the tensions across all the lines. By paying out the leeward lines, this reduces the tension on those lines and helps distribute the load more evenly across the mooring system. This helps prevent excessive tension on any single line, which could lead to failure. The other options are incorrect because: A) adjusting the chain length along the bottom is not the primary concern for balancing mooring line tensions, C) tensioning the leeward lines would increase the imbalance, and D) the vertical component of chain tension is less relevant than the overall balanced tension across all the lines.