Impact Of Coupled Analysis On Global Performance Of Deep Water Tlp'S

1993 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sid Sircar ◽  
J.W. Kleinhans ◽  
Jitendra Prasad
Author(s):  
Aldo Roberto Cruces Girón ◽  
Fabrício Nogueira Corrêa ◽  
Breno Pinheiro Jacob

Analysis techniques and numerical formulations are available in a variety for mooring and riser designers. They are applied in the different stages of the design processes of floating production systems (FPS) by taking advantage of both the accuracy of results and the computational costs. In early design stages, the low computational cost is more valued with the aim of obtaining fast results and taking decisions. So in these stages it is common to use uncoupled analysis. On the other hand, in more advanced design stages, the accuracy of results is more valued, for which the use of coupled analysis is adequate. However, it can lead to excessive computing times. To overcome such high computational costs, new formulations have been proposed with the aim of obtaining results similar to a coupled analysis, but with low computational costs. One of these formulations is referred as the semi-coupled scheme (S-C). Its main characteristic is that it combines the advantages of uncoupled and coupled analysis techniques. In this way, analyses can be performed with very fast execution times and results are superior to those obtained by the classical uncoupled analysis. This work presents an evaluation of the S-C scheme. The evaluation is made by comparing their results with the results of coupled analyses. Both type of analysis were applied in a representative deep water platform. The results show that the S-C scheme have the potentially to provide results with appropriate precision with very low computational times. In this way, the S-C scheme represents an attractive procedure to be applied in early and intermediate stages of the design process of FPS.


Author(s):  
Ying Min Low ◽  
Robin S. Langley

The global dynamic response of a deep water floating production system needs to be predicted with coupled analysis methods to ensure accuracy and reliability. Two types of coupling can be identified: one is between the floating platform and the mooring lines/risers, while the other is between the mean offset, the wave frequency, and the low frequency motions of the system. At present, it is unfeasible to employ fully coupled time domain analysis on a routine basis due to the prohibitive computational time. This has spurred the development of more efficient methods, including frequency domain approaches. A good understanding of the intricate coupling mechanisms is paramount for making appropriate approximations in an efficient method. To this end, a simplified two degree-of-freedom system representing the surge motion of a vessel and the fundamental vibration mode of the lines is studied for physical insight. Within this framework, the frequency domain equations are rigorously formulated, and the nonlinearities in the restoring forces and drag are statistically linearized. The model allows key coupling effects to be understood; among other things, the equations demonstrate how the wave frequency dynamics of the mooring lines are coupled to the low frequency motions of the vessel. Subsequently, the effects of making certain simplifications are investigated through a series of frequency domain analyses, and comparisons are made to simulations in the time domain. The work highlights the effect of some common approximations, and recommendations are made regarding the development of efficient modeling techniques.


Author(s):  
Rolf Baarholm ◽  
Carl Trygve Stansberg ◽  
Fabio Gondim Palazzo

Author(s):  
Zhiling Li ◽  
Carlos Llorente ◽  
Cheng-Yo Chen ◽  
Chang Ho Kang ◽  
Edmund Muehlner ◽  
...  

For the global performance analysis of a floater, the traditional semi-coupled method models mooring lines/risers as nonlinear massless springs and ignores 1) the inertial effects from mooring lines/risers, 2) the current and wave load effects on mooring lines/risers, and 3) the dynamic interaction between mooring lines/risers and the floater. However, these effects are deemed critical for deepwater and ultra deepwater floating structures as they may have a significant impact on the floaters’ motions and mooring line/riser tensions. This paper presents the development and verification of a time-domain nonlinear coupled analysis tool, MLTSIM-ROD, which is an integration of a recently developed 3D rod dynamic program, ROD3D, with the well-calibrated floater global performance analysis program, MULTISIM (Ref [9]). The ROD3D was developed based on a nonlinear finite element method and merged with MULTISIM by matching the forces and displacements of mooring lines/risers with the floater at their connections. MLTSIM-ROD can thus predict the floater’s large displacement/rotation motions and mooring line/riser tensions including all the coupled effects between the floater and mooring lines/risers. In this paper, global performance predictions for a SPAR in the Gulf of Mexico in deepwater were carried out using MLTSIM-ROD. The results were then verified with those from other coupled analysis programs. The paper also presents the results of motions and mooring line/riser tensions of the SPAR using both the coupled and semi-coupled methods. The results from the coupled and semi-coupled analyses indicate that the floater’s motions and mooring line/riser tensions could be significantly influenced by the dynamic interactions between the floater and mooring lines/risers. Hence, the coupled method needs to be considered for deepwater floating structures.


Author(s):  
Zhiming Yuan ◽  
Chunyan Ji ◽  
Minglu Chen ◽  
Yun Zhang

As the exploitation of hydrocarbon reserves moves towards deeper waters, the floating structures are becoming more and more popular, and the catenary and taut mooring systems are two widespread mooring systems which are used for these floating structures. However, both of them have their inherent drawbacks. The aim of the present work is to develop and validate a new mooring system which will overcome these shortcomings. To this end, the motion performance of a semi-submersible platform is simulated by employing a full time domain coupled analysis method. It is shown that the new mooring system yields very good motion performance when benchmarked against the taut mooring system, and the reasons for this improved performance are discussed. Also, the new mooring system is compatible with the characteristic of catenary mooring system, which eliminates the requirement of anti-uplift capacity of the anchors. The second aim of this paper is to explore the proper water depth in employing this new mooring system. For this purpose, several typical water depths are simulated. It is found that the new mooring system works well both in deep water and ultra-deep water. But, as the water depth becomes deeper, the advantages of the new mooring system are reduced.


Author(s):  
Sigve Orheim Drabløs ◽  
Katharina Haakenstad ◽  
Nils Sødahl ◽  
Kjell Herfjord ◽  
Oddrun Steinkjer

Flexible risers are inevitable in the operation of floating production units in intermediate water depths in harsh environments. The operation of flexible pipes under these conditions is challenging, and reliable and accurate analysis of the global performance of risers is vital. The main purpose of this paper is to describe an analysis method for the global performance of flexible risers taking advantages from advanced floater motion modelling and comprehensive modelling of the risers. The analysis scheme has been employed on a semi-submersible platform, operated in harsh environments in the North Sea and all its flexible risers and umbilicals have been analyzed. The platform motions are generated by means of a coupled vessel/slender structure model in which the vessel force model is introduced into a finite element model of the slender structures including the mooring lines and all its flexible risers. In this way all relevant coupling effects from damping, restoring and current loading on the slender structures are consistently included in the platform motion predictions. Subsequently each riser is analyzed in separate models with high element mesh resolution. The platform motions, in terms of low frequency and wave frequency motions obtained from the coupled model, are applied consistently with wave and current loading in the detailed riser model. In the detailed riser models, bending stiffeners are modelled with non-linear material behavior. The diffracted wave field is included in the wave loading of the risers. The stick-slip bending of the flexible pipes have been modelled for a selection of risers and the effect of this on the riser hang off loads and the curvature in the bend stiffener region is discussed. The main responses looked into have been the curvature in the bend stiffener region, the hang off loads and interference between risers and platform pontoons. The riser responses obtained from the coupled analysis scheme performed in the present work is compared to more standard analysis schemes where extreme offsets and transfer functions are used to generate platform motions.


Author(s):  
A. B. M. Saiful Islam ◽  
Mohammed Jameel ◽  
Suhail Ahmad ◽  
Mohd Zamin Jumaat

The oil and gas industry has moved towards the offshore deep water regions due to depletion of these resources in shallow and intermediate water depths. Conventional fixed jacket type platforms and bottom supported compliant platforms have been found to be inefficient and uneconomical for exploring these resources in deep water regions. In view of deep water conditions, Spar platforms have been seen to be the most economical and suitable alternative offshore platforms. Several operational Spar platforms such as SB-1, Shell’s ESSCO, Brent Spar, Oryx Neptune Spar, Chevron Genesis Spar and Exxon’s Diana Spar in the Gulf of Mexico and North Sea have shown the effectiveness and success of such platforms in deep-ocean. In deep water conditions, the severity of sea states has substantial effects on the spar platform. The mooring lines contribute significant inertia and damping because of their longer lengths, larger sizes, and heavier weights. Precise motion investigation of platforms should consider these actions in deep waters. However, proper dynamics cannot be assessed by the commonly used decoupled quasi-static method that ignores all or part of the interaction effects between the mooring lines and platform. Coupled analysis, which includes the platform and mooring lines in a single model, is the only way to capture the damping from mooring lines in a consistent manner. In the present study, coupled analysis of integrated Spar-mooring system has been performed. Cylindrical spar hull is treated as a rigid beam element and catenary mooring line as hybrid beam element. Nonlinear dynamic responses have been evaluated under several severe sea states of dissimilar wave heights and wave periods. Damping due to mooring lines has been assessed. An automatic Newmark-β time incremental approach has been implemented to conduct the analysis in time domain. Wave induced spar hull motion in surge, heave and pitch direction along with maximum tension in mooring line has been assessed for different wave conditions with and without current in 1018 m water depth. The time histories of spar responses follow substantial alteration for larger wave heights and wave periods. Maximum tensions in mooring line are very sensitive with momentous value for extreme sea loading. Mooring tension responses are significantly different reflecting the damping effect of mooring lines.


Author(s):  
Mohammed Jameel ◽  
Suhail Ahmad ◽  
A. B. M. Saiful Islam ◽  
Mohd Zamin Jumaat

The oil and gas exploration has moved from shallow water to much deeper water far off the continental shelf. Spar platforms under deep water conditions are found to be the most economical and efficient type of offshore platform. Several Spar platforms installed in the Gulf of Mexico and North Sea proves its suitability for deep water exploration. Accurate prediction of motions of a Spar hull is very important for the integrity and associated costs of the riser/mooring line. The most common approach for solving the dynamics of Spar platform is to employ a decoupled quasi-static method, which ignores all or part of the interaction effects between the platform, mooring lines and risers. Coupled analysis, which includes the mooring lines, risers and platform in a single model, is the only way to capture the damping from mooring lines and risers in a consistent manner. The present coupling is capable in matching the forces, displacement, velocities and acceleration for mooring line with Spar hull at the fairlead position and riser with Spar hull at the riser keel connection. It can handle possible significant nonlinearities. The output from such analyses will be platform motions as well as a detailed mooring line and riser responses. In actual field problems hydrodynamic and aerodynamic loads act simultaneously on Spar platform, mooring lines and risers. In finite element model, the entire structure acts as a continuum. This model can handle all nonlinearities, loading and boundary conditions. The selected configuration of Spar platform is analysed under wave force together with wind loading and its structural response behaviour in steady state is studied. An automatic Newmark-β time incremental approach in ABAQUS/AQUA environment has been implemented to conduct the analysis in time domain. The wind force acting on the exposed part of the platform encompasses mean and fluctuating wind components. The frontal region includes the topside assembly and the spar hull portion above the sea level. High degree of nonlinearities makes the solutions convergence sensitive and it requires large number of iterations, at each time station. Spar responses in surge, heave and pitch along with top tension in moorings are computed. The coupled Spar experiences significant lateral shift along wave direction due to wind loading. Increase in standard deviation shows the participation of wind loading giving higher fluctuations. The CML tension increases for wind loading but the extent of the tension fluctuations under wind loading is not much due to high pretension of mooring line.


Author(s):  
Alexandre Rezende Diezel ◽  
Fabrício Nogueira Correa ◽  
Murilo Augusto Vaz ◽  
Breno Pinheiro Jacob

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