Structural Impact in FPSO Life Extension: A Class Perspective

The Offshore Oil and Gas Industry has converted a large number of units from trading tankers and carriers into Floating Production, Storage and Offloading units (FPSOs). Several of these have been moored offshore Brazil during the last 15 years. Following the discovery of offshore pre-salt fields some years ago, demand for FPSOs has increased, and the forecasts for productive field lives have grown. The result of these developments is the need to extend the service lives of existing FPSOs. The main aim of this study is to investigate FPSO structural response to environmental conditions and functional loads, considering the actual available tools for numerical simulations and Rule requirements, which currently are basic requirements for design review for Classification. The procedure was developed from one selected FPSO converted from a trading Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) tanker approximately 15 years ago and includes investigation of the impact on hull behavior comparing the motion analyses of the production unit under environmental data and software capabilities available at the period of conversion and actual performance: variances in the environmental (sea scatter diagrams) datasets; updates to Classification requirements for defining offloading conditions, environmental loads, acceptance criteria and remaining fatigue life (RFL); and incorporating the most recent gauged thickness for primary structure. The selected FPSO was evaluated according to prescriptive Rule requirements and also using finite element analysis, taking into account the previous conditions of Classification approval as well as the actual requirements and available data. Structural analysis included one global model and some local refined models to address strength, buckling and fatigue capacity of the typical portions/connections of the hull. The comparisons performed from the results of these analyses are a crucial step toward understanding the structural capacity of the FPSO at the conversion stage, its performance during the last 15 years, and its remaining service life. Differences were tabulated and evaluated so that a more precise level of uncertainty could be achieved for predicting the estimated remaining service life, and consequently, a new and dedicated approach to investigate the existing FPSO fleet is being generated.

Effective Shear Area in One Dimensional Ship Hull Finite Element Models to Predict Natural Frequencies of Vibration

This work discusses procedures used to determine effective shear area of ship sections. Five types of ships have been studied. Initially, the vertical natural frequencies of an acrylic scale model 3m in length in a laboratory at university are obtained from experimental tests and from a three dimensional numerical model, and are compared to those calculated from a one dimensional model which the effective shear area was calculated by a practical computational method based on thin-walled section Shear Flow Theory. The second studied ship was a ship employed in midshipmen training. Two models were made to complement some studies and vibration measurements made for those ships in the end of 1980 decade when some vibration problems in them were solved as a result of that effort. Comparisons were made between natural frequencies obtained experimentally, numerically from a three dimensional finite element model and from a one dimensional model in which effective shear area is considered. The third and fourth were, respectively, a tanker ship and an AHTS (Anchor Handling Tug Supply) boat, both with comparison between three and one dimensional models results out of water. Experimental tests had been performed in these two ships and their results were used in other comparison made after the inclusion of another important effect that acts simultaneously: the added mass. Finally, natural frequencies experimental and numerical results of a barge are presented. The natural frequencies numerical results of vertical hull vibration obtained from these approximations of effective shear areas for the five ships are finally discussed.

Three Dimensional Grillage Analysis of Reactions on Supports of a Pre-Erection Block

There are many PE(Pre-Erection) Blocks in open areas of the shipyard, which are supported by the wooden, concrete, or steel supports. Their position and numbers are decided on a basis of the workers’ experiences. Recently, many shipyards have been making PE blocks with various shape and weight distribution because of the variety of kinds of ships and their building technology. Seriously, they are treating blocks which have not been experienced. In order to evaluate the reliability of all support plans of PE Blocks in such situation, many man hours (MH) are consumed, and the special knowledge and technology about structural analysis are required. We proposed how to conveniently and quickly evaluate the structural safety on PE block supports and developed an application system to implement the evaluation process with three dimensional part models of the PE block and their weight information. The evaluation is based on the simplification to a grillage model of a PE block and its grillage analysis. The load distribution on the grillage model is calculated by two approaches. The first is that the load distribution on the grillage nodes are estimated with the real weight and the center of gravity of each part of a PE block, which can be provided from design databases of the shipyard. The other is that the load distribution is optimally estimated only with the weight and the center of gravity of sub blocks of a PE block. The latter is useful in the case that block information of mother ships can be obtained without the detail design of the PE block. The integrated system has been comprehensively implemented in order to make the grillage model from the three dimensional CAD models of the PE block and their weight information, and to perform the grillage analysis for the reaction forces on the block supports. In the application program, the grillage model can be automatically built from CAD models of PE block. Also the grillage can be modified by inserting, splitting, and deleting a beam element.

Swell Genesis, Modelling and Measurements in West Africa

Swell events show a large variety of configurations when they arrive at sites off West Africa after generation and propagation of waves across the Atlantic Ocean. Within the West Africa Swell Project (WASP JIP), these different configurations have been described and discussed and the ability of numerical models to reproduce faithfully their properties has been assessed from comparisons with in-situ measurements. During the austral winter months, swells approach West African coast from the south to south-westerly direction. These swells are generated by storms in the South Atlantic mainly between 40°S and 60°S. But during austral summer, north-westerly swells are also observed coming from North Atlantic. Typical situations of superposition of these different swells are illustrated in the paper. In spite of a poor overlapping between numerical and in-situ measurements databases at the time of the WASP project, and of reduced durations of measurement campaigns, comparisons between in situ measurements and hindcast models permitted identification of the limitations of the different numerical models available. Three sites have been used for this study, one in the Gulf of Guinea with directional Waverider and Wavescan buoys, a second one off Namibia with a directional Waverider and one last instrumented with two wavestaffs off Cabinda (Angola). In addition, the existence of infra-gravity waves in shallow water measurements has been investigated.

Structural Reliability Based Design and Assessment Acceptance Criteria Development for Fixed Offshore Platforms in South China Sea Under Extreme Storm Conditions

This paper presents a reliability based methodology to develop the design and assessment acceptance criteria for fixed offshore platforms in the northern South China Sea under extreme storm events. Firstly, the atmosphere, ocean and wave coupled numeric simulation model with site measurements verification is used to generate the time series directional waves, currents and winds for each refined grid point in the studied area during the past 40 years. Secondly, the storm and response based load statistics method is adopted to investigate the long term distribution of the extreme environmental load considering the joint occurrence of wave, current and wind. Thirdly a structural reliability method is proposed to quantify the probability of platform failure subjected to extreme storms. The environmental load factors for new design platforms in the northern South China Sea with different exposure categories are calibrated. Finally risk assessment is performed to develop the acceptance criteria for the exiting platforms in terms of reserve strength ratio based on the failure consequence and failure probability of platforms. Case studies are presented to illustrate the applications of the proposed method and how the reliability analysis results can be used in development of long term structural integrity management strategies.

Physical Component Testing to Simulate Dynamic Marine Load Conditions

The reliability and integrity of components used in the marine offshore environment is paramount for the safety and viability of offshore installations. The engineering challenge is to design components that are robust enough to meet reliability targets whilst lean enough to minimise cost. This is particularly the case for offshore marine renewable installations which operate in the same, possibly harsher, environment as offshore oil and gas installations, and are subjected to highly cyclic and dynamic wave, wind and operational load conditions. The cost of electricity produced has to compete with other means of electricity generation and does thus not offer the same profit margins available as oil and gas commodities. As a result, components for marine renewable installations have to meet the target reliability, without the application of costly safety factors to account for load and environmental uncertainties. Industries with similar design tasks such as the aviation or automotive industry have successfully used a service simulation test approach to develop robust yet lean designs. This paper builds on an approach to establish and validate the reliability of floating renewable energy devices in which dedicated component testing using the purpose built Dynamic Marine Component test rig (DMaC) plays a pivotal role to assess, validate and predict the reliability of components in the marine environment. This paper presents a test rig for both static and fatigue tests of marine components such as mooring lines and mooring shackles under simulated or measured load conditions and provides two case studies from recently conducted mooring component tests. This includes an investigation into the load behaviour of synthetic mooring ropes and the ageing of mooring shackles.

An Oil Field Structural Integrity Assessment for Re-Qualification and Life Extension

The ageing of offshore infrastructure presents a constant and growing challenge for operators. Ageing is characterised by deterioration, change in operational conditions or accidental damages which, in the severe operational environment offshore, can be significant with serious consequences for installation integrity if not managed adequately and efficiently. An oil field consisting of twelve well head platforms, a living quarter platform (XQ), a flare platform (XFP) and a processing platform (XPA) are the focus of this paper, providing an overview of the integrity assessment process. In order to ensure technical and operational integrity of these ageing facilities, the fitness for service of these offshore structures needs to be maintained. Assessments of the structural integrity of thirteen identified platforms under existing conditions were undertaken as these platforms are either nearing the end of their design life or have exceeded more than 50% of their design life. Information on history, characteristic data, condition data and inspection results were collected to assess the current state and to predict the future state of the facility for possible life extension. The information included but was not limited to as built data, brown fields modifications, additional risers and clamp-on conductors and incorporation of subsea and topside inspection findings. In-service integrity assessments, pushover analyses, corrosion control and cathodic protection assessments and weight control reports were completed to evaluate the integrity of these facilities for requalification to 2019 and life extension to 2030. The analytical models and calculations were updated based on the most recent inspection results and weight control reports. A requalification and life extension report was prepared for each platform to outline the performance criteria acceptance to achieve requalification until 2019 and life extension until 2030. This paper documents the methodology to assess the platform structural integrity in order to evaluate platform integrity for the remaining and extended design life. An overview of various aspects of ageing related to these offshore facilities, representing risk to the integrity, the required procedures and re assessment criteria for deciding on life extension of these facilities is presented. This paper also provides an overall view of the structural requirements, justifications and calibrations of the original design for the life extension to maintain the safety level by means of maintenance and inspection programs balancing the ageing mechanisms and improving the reliability of assessment results.

Three-Dimensional Periodic Fully Nonlinear Potential Waves

An exact numerical scheme for a long-term simulation of three-dimensional potential fully-nonlinear periodic gravity waves is suggested. The scheme is based on a surface-following non-orthogonal curvilinear coordinate system and does not use the technique based on expansion of the velocity potential. The Poisson equation for the velocity potential is solved iteratively. The Fourier transform method, the second-order accuracy approximation of the vertical derivatives on a stretched vertical grid and the fourth-order Runge-Kutta time stepping are used. The scheme is validated by simulation of steep Stokes waves. The model requires considerable computer resources, but the one-processor version of the model for PC allows us to simulate an evolution of a wave field with thousands degrees of freedom for hundreds of wave periods. The scheme is designed for investigation of the nonlinear two-dimensional surface waves, for generation of extreme waves as well as for the direct calculations of a nonlinear interaction rate. After implementation of the wave breaking parameterization and wind input, the model can be used for the direct simulation of a two-dimensional wave field evolution under the action of wind, nonlinear wave-wave interactions and dissipation. The model can be used for verification of different types of simplified models.

Development of a New Fatigue Testing Machine for High Frequency Fatigue Damage Assessment

A new simple fatigue testing machine, which can carry out fast and low-cost fatigue tests of welded joints subject to wave with high frequency vibration, has been developed. This machine is designed for plate bending type fatigue tests, and wave load is applied by using motors with eccentric mass. Springing vibration is superimposed by attaching an additional vibrator to the test specimen, and whipping vibration is superimposed by an intermittent hammering. Fatigue tests which simulate springing and whipping by a conventional servo-type fatigue testing machines are very expensive and use a large amount of electricity. If one uses these conventional machines, it is difficult to simulate superimposed stress wave forms at high speed, and it takes long hours of testing to examine the high frequency effect. In contrast, it is found that fatigue tests can be carried out in fast, i.e. waves with 10Hz or higher frequency for out-of-plane gusset welded joint specimens with 12mm plate thickness by using the developed machine. The electricity to be used for fatigue tests could be minimal, for example one thousandth of that needed for conventional machines. These results demonstrate the superiority of the developed machine.

Probabilistic Modelling of Extreme Offshore Structural Response due to Random Wave Loading

Offshore structures are exposed to random wave loading in the ocean environment and hence the probability distribution of the extreme values of their response to wave loading is required for their safe and economical design. This paper investigates the suitability of the Gumbel, the Generalized Extreme Value (GEV), and the Generalized Pareto (GP) distributions for modelling of extreme responses by comparing them with empirical distributions derived from extensive Monte Carlo time simulations. It will be shown that none of these distributions can model the extreme values adequately but that a mixed distribution consisting of both GEV and GP distributions seems to be capable of modelling the extreme responses with very good accuracy.