Development of Deep Water Multicolumn Buoy

Author(s):  
Rodrigo A. Barreira ◽  
Vinicius L. Vileti ◽  
Joel S. Sales ◽  
Sergio H. Sphaier ◽  
Paulo de Tarso T. Esperança

A new conceptual design of a deepwater MONOBUOY, named DeepWater MultiColumn Buoy (DWMCB), patent PCT/BR2011/000133, was developed by PETROBRAS/CENPES. The DWMCB was designed to be part of an offloading system for a Spread Moored Floating Production Offloading Unit (FPSO). The offloading system principle consists of Oil being exported from the FPSO to a Shutle tanker passing through Offloading Oil Lines (OOLs) that are supported by the DWMCB. The system is designed to operate at a water depth of 2,200 meters, with expected in site life duration of 25 years. The geometry of DWMCB was defined after an optimization process in order to minimize its motions. This paper describes the development of this concept and discusses the results from some design verifications done with the help of a model tests campaign. An equivalent traditional shaped monobuoy was also tested for comparison purposes.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Zhang ◽  
Lei Xing ◽  
Mingyu Dong ◽  
Weimin Chen

Abstract Articulated pusher barge vessel is a short-distance transport vessel with good economic performance and practicability, which is widely used in the Yangtze River of China. In this present work, the resistance performance of articulated pusher barge vessel in deep water and shallow water was studied by model tests in the towing tank and basin of Shanghai Ship and Shipping Research Institute. During the experimental investigation, the articulated pusher barge vessel was divided into three parts: the pusher, the barge and the articulated pusher barge system. Firstly, the deep water resistance performance of the articulated pusher barge system, barge and the pusher at design draught T was studied, then the water depth h was adjusted, and the shallow water resistance at h/T = 2.0, 1.5 and 1.2 was tested and studied respectively, and the difference between deep water resistance and shallow water resistance at design draught were compared. The results of model tests and analysis show that: 1) in the study of deep water resistance, the total resistance of the barge was larger than that of the articulated pusher barge system. 2) for the barge, the shallow water resistance increases about 0.4–0.7 times at h/T = 2.0, 0.5–1.1 times at h/T = 1.5, and 0.7–2.3 times at h/T = 1.2. 3) for the pusher, the shallow water resistance increases about 1.0–0.4 times at h/T = 2.7, 1.2–0.9 times at h/T = 2.0, and 1.7–2.4 times at h/T = 1.6. 4) for the articulated pusher barge system, the shallow water resistance increases about 0.2–0.3 times at h/T = 2.0, 0.5–1.3 times at h/T = 1.5, and 1.0–3.5 times at h/T = 1.2. Furthermore, the water depth Froude number Frh in shallow water was compared with the changing trend of resistance in shallow water.


Author(s):  
Wenhua Zhao ◽  
Hugh Wolgamot ◽  
Scott Draper ◽  
Paul H. Taylor ◽  
Rodney Eatock Taylor ◽  
...  

Floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facilities are a new type of offshore structure, which have been developed as a game changer in offshore hydrocarbon development for unlocking stranded gas reserves. One of the key challenges associated is offloading from FLNG facilities to LNG carriers. Offloading may proceed with vessels in a side-by-side configuration, which allows offtake by un-modified vessels and minimizes requirements for new hardware or procedures (e.g. compared to a tandem operation). Significant challenges remain, however, and reliable offloading is critical for successful FLNG implementation. In this scenario, the two vessels are separated by a narrow 4 m wide gap. The resonant response of the sea surface in the gap has been predicted by numerical simulations [1] to be a few times that of the incident waves at particular frequencies. As a consequence, the gap resonant response may play a role in determining the operational window for side-by-side offloading operations, and thus has attracted a lot of attention recently. There have been studies on this topic both numerically and experimentally. However, many of these studies are in 2 dimensions (2D), for relatively large gaps and relatively shallow water depth, which may pose difficulties when extending the results to a real project. It is unclear what will happen for a gap resonance if the gap width gets narrower (say 4 m in full scale) and the water depth gets deeper (say 600 m in full scale). In this study, we conducted a series of model tests at a scale of 1:60 in a large wave basin, and focused on deep water and, crucially, narrow gaps, which are closer to a real project geometry. To facilitate future numerical simulations, we used two identical fixed bodies in the model tests and the vessels were simple barge-like shapes. Using white noise waves as the excitation, which covers a broad brand, the response of the fluid in the gap has been measured at several points. In these experiments, different modes of the gap resonance have been observed. Response amplitude operators (RAOs) of the gap resonance have been obtained through spectral analyses, which provide valuable information for the design of side-by-side operations and will benefit future numerical simulations. Test runs in white noise waves with different significant wave heights were also performed, to study the nonlinearities of the gap resonance phenomenon.


Author(s):  
Timothy E. Kendon ◽  
Ola Oritsland ◽  
Rolf J. Baarholm ◽  
Svein I. Karlsen ◽  
Carl-Trygve Stansberg ◽  
...  

Model test verification of floater systems in ultra-deep water meets limitations when it comes to available laboratory sizes. Systems in depths beyond 1000–1500 m cannot be tested at reasonable scales without the truncation of the mooring and riser system. The development of methods and procedures to overcome this problem has been addressed through extensive research programs at MARINTEK (VERIDEEP, VERIDEEP Extension, NDP, DEMO2000). This led to a hybrid verification procedure which combines reasonable truncation principles, model tests of the truncated system, and numerical simulations, to estimate the system’s response at full depth. There is, however, still a need to address the actual influence from the truncation procedure, and from the integration with simulations, on the final extrapolated full depth results. This paper presents a case study for the validation of the procedure, that compares full depth model test results of a semisubmersible in water depth 1250m against the extrapolated full depth results obtained from a truncated system of 500m. Results are presented for line tension and vessel responses in 3 seastates. In general the extrapolated full depth results were found to be in good agreement with the full depth model tests. However, the results confirmed expectation that the low frequency response has the greater uncertainties and presents the greatest challenge for the procedure.


Author(s):  
Roger Slora ◽  
Stian Karlsen ◽  
Per Arne Osborg

There is an increasing demand for subsea electrical power transmission in the oil- and gas industry. Electrical power is mainly required for subsea pumps, compressors and for direct electrical heating of pipelines. The majority of subsea processing equipment is installed at water depths less than 1000 meters. However, projects located offshore Africa, Brazil and in the Gulf of Mexico are reported to be in water depths down to 3000 meters. Hence, Nexans initiated a development programme to qualify a dynamic deep water power cable. The qualification programme was based on DNV-RP-A203. An overall project plan, consisting of feasibility study, concept selection and pre-engineering was outlined as defined in DNV-OSS-401. An armoured three-phase power cable concept assumed suspended from a semi-submersible vessel at 3000 m water depth was selected as qualification basis. As proven cable technology was selected, the overall qualification scope is classified as class 2 according to DNV-RP-A203. Presumed high conductor stress at 3000 m water depth made basis for the identified failure modes. An optimised prototype cable, with the aim of reducing the failure mode risks, was designed based on extensive testing and analyses of various test cables. Analyses confirmed that the prototype cable will withstand the extreme loads and fatigue damage during a service life of 30 years with good margins. The system integrity, consisting of prototype cable and end terminations, was verified by means of tension tests. The electrical integrity was intact after tensioning to 2040 kN, which corresponds to 13 000 m static water depth. A full scale flex test of the prototype cable verified the extreme and fatigue analyses. Hence, the prototype cable is qualified for 3000 m water depth.


Author(s):  
Jairo Bastos de Araujo ◽  
Roge´rio Diniz Machado ◽  
Cipriano Jose de Medeiros Junior

Petrobras developed a new kind of anchoring device known as Torpedo. This is a steel pile of appropriate weight and shape that is launched in a free fall procedure to be used as fixed anchoring point by any type of floating unit. There are two Torpedoes, T-43 and T-98 weighing 43 and 98 metric tons respectively. On October 2002 T-43 was tested offshore Brazil in Campos Basin. The successful results approved and certified by Bureau Veritas, and the need for a feasible anchoring system for new Petrobras Units in deep water fields of Campos Basin led to the development of a Torpedo with High Holding Power. Petrobras FPSO P-50, a VLCC that is being converted with a spread-mooring configuration will be installed in Albacora Leste field in the second semester of 2004. Its mooring analysis showed that the required holding power for the mooring system would be very high. Drag embedment anchors option would require four big Anchor Handling Vessels for anchor tensioning operations at 1400 m water depth. For this purpose T-98 was designed and its field tests were completed in April 2003. This paper discusses T-98 design, building, tests and ABS certification for FPSO P-50.


2013 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z.J. Westgate ◽  
D.J. White ◽  
M.F. Randolph

Subsea pipelines are becoming an increasingly significant element of offshore hydrocarbon developments as exploration moves into deep-water environments further from shore. During the lay process, pipelines are subject to small amplitude vertical and horizontal oscillations, driven by the sea state and lay vessel motions. Centrifuge model tests have been used to simulate these small-amplitude lay effects, with varying degrees of idealization relative to the real lay process. In the soft soils found in deep water, pipe embedment can exceed a diameter or more, thus significantly affecting the lateral pipe–soil interaction, axial resistance, and thermal insulation. In this paper, results from centrifuge model tests are used to calibrate a model for calculating the dynamic embedment of a subsea pipeline. The model uses elements of plasticity theory to capture the effects of combined vertical and horizontal loading, and incorporates the softening of the surrounding soil as it is remoulded due to the pipeline motions. Influences from the lay rate, lay geometry, and sea state are included in the calculation process. The model is compared with observed as-laid pipeline embedment data from field surveys at three different offshore sites. Using site-specific soil parameters obtained from in situ testing and idealized pipe loads and motions to represent the load and displacement patterns during offshore pipe-laying, respectively, the model is shown to capture well the final as-laid embedment measured in the field surveys.


Author(s):  
Neil Williams ◽  
Steve Leverette ◽  
Sean Bian ◽  
Sean Large ◽  
Peimin Cao
Keyword(s):  

This paper discusses the development of a dry-tree semisubmersible (DTS) platform concept appropriate for deployment in non-hurricane/non-cyclonic environments worldwide, and the verification of the concept through wave basin model tests. An example configuration is presented for an application in 2,100 m water depth offshore Brazil.


Author(s):  
V Kurian ◽  
N Rini ◽  
M Liew ◽  
A Whyte
Keyword(s):  

Author(s):  
Marius STAN ◽  
◽  
Valentin Paul TUDORACHE ◽  
Lazăr AVRAM ◽  
Mohamed Iyad AL NABOULSI ◽  
...  

Riser systems are integral components of the offshore developments used to recover oil and gas stored in the reservoirs below the earth’s oceans and seas. These riser systems are used in all facets of the development offshore process including exploration and exploitation wells completion/intervention, and production of the hydrocarbons. Their primary function is to facilitate the safe transportation of material, oil and gases between the seafloor oceans and seas and the marine platform. As the water depth increases, the working conditions of this system becomes challenging due to the complex forces and extreme environmental conditions which are impacting the operational mode as well as the stability. In this paper several aspects concerning riser mechanics and the behaviour of the riser column will be evaluated against different operational situations.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 2590
Author(s):  
Qisheng Li ◽  
Yanqing Han ◽  
Kunquan Chen ◽  
Xiaolong Huang ◽  
Kuanyi Li ◽  
...  

Water level is one of the most important factors affecting the growth of submerged macrophytes in aquatic ecosystems. The rosette plant Vallisneria natans and the erect plant Hydrilla verticillata are two common submerged macrophytes in lakes of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. How water level fluctuations affect their growth and competition is still unknown. In this study, three water depths (50 cm, 150 cm, and 250 cm) were established to explore the responses in growth and competitive patterns of the two plant species to water depth under mixed planting conditions. The results show that, compared with shallow water conditions (50 cm), the growth of both submerged macrophytes was severely suppressed in deep water depth (250 cm), while only V. natans was inhibited under intermediate water depth (150 cm). Moreover, the ratio of biomass of V. natans to H. verticillata gradually increased with increasing water depth, indicating that deep water enhanced the competitive advantage of V. natans over H.verticillata. Morphological adaptation of the two submerged macrophytes to water depth was different. With increasing water depth, H. verticillata increased its height, at the cost of reduced plant numbers to adapt to poor light conditions. A similar strategy was also observed in V. natans, when water depth increased from 50 cm to 150 cm. However, both the plant height and number were reduced at deep water depth (250 cm). Our study suggests that water level reduction in lake restoration efforts could increase the total biomass of submerged macrophytes, but the domination of key plants, such as V. natans, may decrease.


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