A New Top Connection System for Steel Catenary Risers

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Marcio Silva Dantas ◽  
Jose´ Renato Mendes de Sousa ◽  
Fernando Jorge Mendes de Sousa ◽  
Marcos Queija de Siqueira ◽  
Isai´as Quaresma Masetti
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Line Segment ◽  
Mooring Line ◽  
Bending Moments ◽  
Connection System ◽  
Steel Catenary Risers ◽  
Flexible Jumper ◽  
Maximum Stresses ◽  
New System

PETROBRAS has been developing several studies in order to verify the structural feasibility of SCRs connected to production units such as FPSOs, semi-submersible and monocolumn platforms. Due to the great stresses developed at the top region as a consequence of the platforms rotation movements, robust stress joints or flex joints are always required to connect the SCRs to the platforms. However, those components may add high costs to any project, mainly where titanium is required. In attempt to avoid this fact, the objective of this work is to present a new top connection system called “Suspender”. This system is composed by the SCR, a mooring line segment, a flexible jumper and a “Y” shaped steel connector, and has the advantage of reducing the transmission of bending moments from the platform to the SCR. The performance of this alternative was compared to a more conventional one, composed by a SCR and a flex joint, and the obtained results indicate that this new system reduces the maximum stresses at the top region without changing the SCR behavior at the TDZ. It is also possible to extend the fatigue life by changing the SCR configuration.

Global Benefits and Operational Challenges of Vessel Relocation

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
‘Claire’ Yue Zhao ◽  
Curt E. Haveman ◽  
Allison R. Cribbs ◽  
Jonathon D. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Service Life ◽  
Mooring Line ◽  
Design Phase ◽  
Operational Method ◽  
Environmental Loading ◽  
Life Challenges ◽  
Steel Catenary Risers ◽  
Design Challenge

Movement of moored floating production vessels, such as Spars, Semi-submersibles, Deep Draft Floaters and Floating Production Units, due to environmental loading is often considered a design challenge to be addressed during the design phase of a structure. Proactive vessel relocation through mooring line adjustment can be integrated as part of an operational method to improve and extend component lives. This method may be implemented during the initially planned life of the structure to overcome riser fatigue life challenges, or as one of the methods to extend service life. The benefits are particularly noteworthy for steel catenary risers and mooring systems and have been discussed in previous works. However, vessels often deviate from the original relocation plan in practice. This paper assesses the benefits of a vessel relocation program with conscientious focus on the associated operational challenges. Risks associated with vessel relocation are also investigated. Suggestions are made to optimize such a program and to minimize interruption to production.

Improving the Fatigue Performance of Welded Tubular Connections via Flared and Thickened Pipe Ends

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghiath Guy Mansour
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Lower Cost ◽  
Fatigue Performance ◽  
Viable Alternative ◽  
Welding Time ◽  
Time Cost ◽  
Steel Catenary Risers ◽  
The Many ◽  
Espirito Santo

Abstract Fatigue is a primary challenge in the design of steel catenary risers (SCRs) and different measures and methods are utilized to mitigate it. Traditional upset ends and steel lazy wave risers (SLWRs) are such methods to mitigate fatigue. SLWRs were first used in 2009 on the Espirito Santo floating, production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel of Shell Company's Parque das Conchas (BC-10) project offshore Brazil. SLWRs have been used increasingly since then and gained popularity especially in recent years. A novel patented tubular connection assembly referred to as Flared Thickened Ends (FTEs) improves the fatigue life of SCRs and welded connections in general. This novel assembly has many advantages. It overcomes the thickness limitation of welding traditional upset ends and reduces offshore welding time, cost, and risk. When FTEs are used in simple SCRs, they render simple SCRs a robustly viable alternative at significantly lower cost, shorter schedule, and with many additional advantages as compared to SLWRs. Of the many advantages, simple SCRs are more straightforward to configure, analyze, design, and install using varied installation methods and vessels. Simple SCRs use less materials and offer better long-term integrity, especially for insulated SCRs. In addition, they have a smaller footprint and are less prone to clashing than SLWRs.

Design Drivers of Hybrid Riser Towers

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franc¸ois Thie´baud ◽  
Ste´phane Luteyn ◽  
Dominique Pe´rinet
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Loop Current ◽  
Distant Future ◽  
Flexible Pipes ◽  
Steel Catenary Risers ◽  
Key Drivers ◽  
Northern North Sea ◽  
Flexible Jumper ◽  
The Impact

DORIS Engineering and Stolt Offshore have jointly designed the three Girassol hybrid riser towers installed offshore Angola. They were the first riser towers designed to provide very efficient insulation properties in very deepwater conditions. Some towers are under development or construction for other fields but in similar design conditions. Based on the experience of Girassol, DORIS engineering and Stolt Offshore have developed the concept to adapt to much deeper waters (around 2500 m) and more severe environments such as the Gulf of Mexico loop current or hurricane waves. This paper will present the key drivers for design of riser towers in these environments addressing for example the impact on the bundle cross section, buoyancy requirements, top tank size, flexible jumper lengths. Limitations will be defined and explained both in terms of design, fabrication and installation. As FPSO units are likely to be part of the development of the Gulf of Mexico deepwater areas in the not-so-distant future, the benefit of riser towers will become obvious, given the existing facilities for fabrication along the coast and spreads for installation. Other areas such as the Mediterranean sea, or even the Northern North Sea are potential candidates for this type of riser arrangement which provides multiple benefits over steel catenary risers and flexible pipes.

Impact of Soil Modeling on Fatigue Design of Lazy Wave Riser Systems

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rupak Ghosh ◽  
Haydar Arslan
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Water Injection ◽  
Field Testing ◽  
Vertical Displacement ◽  
Soil Response ◽  
Fatigue Design ◽  
Steel Catenary Risers ◽  
Design Requirements ◽  
Seabed Stiffness

Abstract The Liza risers comprise production risers, water injection risers and gas injection risers, and a lazy wave configuration is selected considering FPSO motion, reservoir fluid and overall project execution requirements. During operation, the risers are expected to move cyclically with small vertical displacement amplitudes (e.g. 0.1% to 1% of the riser diameter), and a key design issue is the fatigue life of these risers at critical locations including the touch-down zone which will be governed by the seabed stiffness. The role of soil response on fatigue life of riser with buoyancy has been investigated through nonlinear finite element and comprehensive lab and field testing program. Published methodologies for determining seabed stiffness values for risers concentrate more on larger amplitude motions based on the design requirements of steel catenary risers. The paper presents the sensitivity of the fatigue life at TDP to various soil model and provides insight in the results. Also included is the importance of site specific soil investigation in the context of design of riser.

Experimental Study of the Effect of the Pontoon Presence on the Flow-Induced Motion of a Semi-Submersible Platform With Four Square Columns

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodolfo T. Gonçalves ◽  
Hideyuki Suzuki ◽  
Fredi Cenci ◽  
André L. C. Fujarra ◽  
Shinichiro Hirabayashi
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Transverse Direction ◽  
The Other ◽  
Mooring Line ◽  
Towing Tank ◽  
Spacing Ratio ◽  
Floating System ◽  
Induced Motion ◽  
Four Square

Abstract The Flow-Induced Motions (FIM) is an essential topic on multi-column platforms due to the effect on the mooring line fatigue life. Vortex-Induced Motions (VIM) or galloping behavior can be observed for an array of four columns with square sections. The presence of pontoons showed to be important for changing the flow around the array and promote different amplitude behavior of the motions in the transverse direction mainly. This article aims to understand the effect of the presence of two pontoons on the FIM of a semi-submersible platform (SS) with four columns and square sections. Model tests of a floating system supported elastically utilizing four springs were performed in a towing tank. Five different pontoon ratios were tested, namely P/L = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00; where P is the pontoon height, and L is the length of the square column face. The draft condition was kept constant as H/L = 1.5; where H is the draft of the platform. The spacing ratio of the columns was S/L = 4; where S is the distance between column centers. Three incidence angles of the current were carried out, i.e., 0-deg incidence represents the condition in which the two pontoons are aligned to the current, 45-deg incidence represents the non-symmetric condition in which the pontoons are 45 degrees positioned to the current, and 90-deg incidence represents the condition in which the two pontoons are perpendicular to the current. The transverse amplitudes decreased with increasing the pontoon ratio for 0 and 45-deg incidences. On the other hand, the transverse amplitudes increased with increasing the pontoon ratio for 90-deg incidence. The pontoon presence needs to be well investigated to choose the best condition to avoid raising the FIM.

Fatigue Approaches for Mooring Chains Subjected to Wear Degradation

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilang M. Gemilang ◽  
Philippa A. S. Reed ◽  
Adam J. Sobey
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Breaking Load ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Nominal Stress ◽  
Mooring Line ◽  
Fe Model ◽  
Mooring Lines ◽  
Wear Rates ◽  
Fatigue Life Estimation ◽  
Early Failures

Abstract There are currently 365 FPSOs in service around the world. These vessels all use mooring lines to maintain position and provide stability, keeping the vessel and cargo safe. However, more than 21 failures have occurred between 2001 and 2011 and approximately 50% of the reported failures occurred in the first 3 years of 20-year design life. Each mooring line failure represents the potential for serious environmental and economic consequences. Based on industry surveys, the most common failure mode is fatigue failure. In the current offshore standards, the surface degradation due to wear and corrosion is modelled as a diameter loss at a standards rate. To assess whether the uniform reduction in chain diameter suggested in the offshore standards is able to explain the early chain failures seen in service, this paper incorporates two wear rates into a fatigue life calculation; one wear rate is taken from DNV-OS-E301 and is compared against one taken from NORSOK M-001. Three fatigue life estimation approaches: tension, nominal stress and hotspot, are used to compare the differences in fatigue method. The stress in the chain is calculated using an analytical model, which is verified against an FE model. The effect of wear degradation on the ultimate strength of the chain is calculated based on the minimum breaking load. The results show that the diameter loss rates suggested in the offshore standards are not able to explain the early mooring chain failures seen in the past and that the reduction of diameter cannot solely explain the early failures seen in service. The hotspot approach, not often used in mooring line predictions, is best able to predict these shorter lives, as it offers more accurate fatigue predictions by considering high peak stresses compared to standard methods such as tension and nominal stress approaches.

Fatigue Life Analysis for a Steel Catenary Riser in Ultra-Deep Waters

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcos V. Rodrigues ◽  
Caroline Ferraz ◽  
Danilo Machado L. da Silva ◽  
Bruna Nabuco
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Global Analysis ◽  
Fatigue Behavior ◽  
Density Variation ◽  
Steel Catenary Riser ◽  
Deep Waters ◽  
Internal Fluid ◽  
Steel Catenary Risers ◽  
Fatigue Life Analysis ◽  
Definition Of

With new discoveries in the Brazilian Pre-Salt area, the oil industry is facing huge challenges for exploration in ultra-deep waters. The riser system, to be used for the oil transportation from seabed to the production unit, is one of them. The definition of riser configurations for ultra-deep waters is a real challenge. Problems have being identified for flexible risers, hybrid risers and steel catenary risers (SCR) configurations to comply with rules requirements and criteria in water depths of 2000m. The objective of this work is to present a study on the fatigue behavior of a Steel Catenary Riser in 1800m of water depth. One of the main challenges for SCRs in ultra-deep waters is the fatigue, due to platform 1st order motions, at the touch down zone (TDZ). A case study is presented for a Steel Catenary Riser connected to a semi-submersible platform. The influence of some design and analysis parameters is studied in order to evaluate their impact on the SCR fatigue life. The main parameters to be evaluated in this work are: The mesh refinement, in the global analysis, at the Touch Down Zone; The internal fluid density variation along the riser, and; The 1st order platform motions applied to the top of riser; In addition to the results of this paper, some highlights are presented for SCR analysis in similar conditions.

scholarly journals EXPERIMENTAL AND NUMERICAL FATIGUE ANALYSIS OF BRASS SHAFT SPECIMEN UNDER CYCLIC BENDING MOMENTS

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haider Abbas Luaibi
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Yield Strength ◽  
Endurance Limit ◽  
Static Load ◽  
Bending Moments ◽  
Cyclic Bending ◽  
Long Period ◽  
Stress Cycling ◽  
Repetitive Stress ◽  
Metal Failure

Fatigue is a form of failure that occurs in structures subjected to dynamic and fluctuating stresses, where failure can occur at a stress level significantly lower than the tensile or yield strength of a static load under these circumstances. The term “fatigue” is used because, after a long period of repetitive stress or stress cycling, this form of failure typically occurs. Fatigue is important because it is the single largest cause of metal failure, estimated to account for about 90% of all metal failures; polymers and ceramics (except glasses) are also prone to this form of failure. This research is studying the failure analysis, fatigue life and endurance limit of brass metal experimental and numerical under cyclic bending moments

Experimental Study of the Effect of the Pontoon Dimensions on the Flow-Induced Motions (FIM) of a Semi-Submersible Platform With Four Square Columns

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodolfo T. Gonçalves ◽  
Hideyuki Suzuki ◽  
Matheus A. Marques ◽  
Leandro S. P. Silva ◽  
Chenling Tian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Transverse Direction ◽  
Vertical Direction ◽  
Model Tests ◽  
Mooring Line ◽  
Towing Tank ◽  
Spacing Ratio ◽  
Floating System ◽  
Four Square

Abstract The Flow-Induced Motions (FIM) is an essential topic on multi-column platforms due to the effect on the mooring line fatigue life. Vortex-Induced Motions (VIM) or galloping behavior can be observed for an array of four columns with square sections. The presence of pontoons showed to be important for changing the flow around the array and promoting different amplitude behaviors of the motions in the transverse direction mainly. This article aims to understand the effect of the presence of four pontoons on the FIM of a semi-submersible platform (SS) with four square section columns. Model tests of a floating system supported elastically utilizing four springs were performed in a towing tank. Five different pontoon ratios were tested, namely P/L = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00; where P is the pontoon height (the dimension in the vertical direction), and L is the length of the square column face. The draft condition was kept constant as H/L = 1.5; where H is the draft of the platform. The spacing ratio of the columns was S/L = 4; where S is the distance between column centers. Two incidence angles of the current were carried out, namely 0 and 45 degrees. The amplitudes in the transverse direction (direction perpendicular to the incidence current) decreased by increasing the pontoon ratio for 0 and 45-deg incidences. The pontoons positioned aligned to the flow significantly reduced the amplitudes in the transverse direction since the pontoon presence in this position modified the incident wake in the downstream columns. The pontoon presence needs to be well investigated to choose the best condition to avoid raising the FIM or mitigating the FIM.

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