CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology

Offshore Structures 8551

Lecture Plan & Assessment Dr Andrew Grime Arup

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Gravity base offshore structures

Characteristics & Types of GBSs Key Issues in GBS Selection Steel & Concrete GBSs GBS Development Design Construction Oils Storage Systems Installation Summary The Future

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Characteristics of GBSs

Use the mass of the topsides, substructure and trapped soil in skirts (or solid ballast) to resist uplift. Can be concrete or steel: Traditionally concrete. Steel examples becoming more common, particularly for self-installing platforms Well-suited to one or more of the following: Storage (oil, condensate, LNG, LPG) / no pipelines. Large topsides particularly concrete GBSs. Remote locations for mobilisation of installation equipment. Relatively weak soils. Removable / relocatable (must be designed in). Ice load resistance.

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Types of GBSs

Concrete: 1st Generation Condeep type Mid 70s to mid 90s 2nd Generation dry-built CGSs (Concrete Gravity Substructures) Late 80s onwards Steel: Suited to self-installing platforms - becoming more common Arup ACE Talisman MOAB Technip TPG500

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Key Drivers for Selecting a Substructure Type CAPEX: Total installed substructure cost: Onshore fabrication Transport to site Substructure installation Follow-on works piles for jackets solid ballast & / or scour protection for GBSs (if required) Total installed topsides cost: Onshore fabrication Transport to site Topsides installation HUC OPEX: Seldom a key driver for fixed substructures.

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Key Drivers for Selecting a Substructure Type

Function of offshore facility Is infield storage needed ? or New (or existing) pipelines instead ? Physical drivers: Water depth Soils Metocean (both operational and for installation) Size of topsides Offshore industry capacity: Currently becoming an issue Fabricators Marine contractors Schedule drivers usually, but not always, its needed ASAP

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Steel GBSs - Self-installing / Relocatable Platforms

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Typical ACE Installation

Entire facility installed as one unit Removal is a reverse of the installation sequence

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Steel GBSs Other Examples

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Concrete GBS Key Elements

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology GBS Development Phase 1 70s & 80s

GBSs answered the development needs of the Northern North Sea in the 1970s. Gulf of Mexico technology OK for Southern North Sea (started in 60s): Piled jackets Subsea pipelines GoM technology insufficient in northern North Sea: Piles No subsea hammers Large fields = heavy topsides High loads = long piles = long time Limited offshore floating crane capacity Adverse seastates Cost of subsea pipelines Deep waters Adverse installation seastates

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology GBS Development Phase 1 70s & 80s

Phase 1 GBSs solved these issues: Very large concrete substructures Innovative wet dock construction (Norwegian fjords or Scottish sea lochs) Most successful example, the Norwegian Condeep Last Condeep, Troll, installed in 96 ~20 such GBSs built, ~75% Condeeps Condeeps provided: Fast offshore installation (gravity base = no piles) Well suited to harsh metocean (installation & operation) Good topsides solution: Ability to carry large topsides Deck-mating in inshore sheltered waters Limited offshore HUC On-board oil storage in base caisson: Limiting need for subsea pipelines

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Condeep Type GBSs

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Condeep Construction and Installation

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Condeep Construction and Installation

Became progressively more complex to design & build: Bigger, deeper Based on shells structures Very efficient for high hydrostatic loads on elements Particularly for base caisson But this is hardest part to design & build Marrying shell elements increased design & construction complexity Needed progressively higher tech concrete up to 85MPa cube

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Meanwhile Other Technologies Improve Piled jackets (in the 80s) Improved installation barges Pile hammers larger, & subsea Heavy lift crane vessels for topsides installation Floating platforms - particularly FPSOs (in the 90s) FPSOs seen as the ideal solution Cheap ship hulls Apparently simple topsides Good answer for deep waters Simple infield storage Reusable Many FPSOs did not achieve initial promise (substantial cost & schedule overruns) but

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Meanwhile Other Technologies Improve but Majority of these problems now solved Subsea pipelines (on-going) Improved installation technologies More extensive (& virtually permanent) networks So infield storage requirement diminished

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology GBS Development Phase 2 89 & onwards
Condeeps Constrained by places to build Wet dock construction expensive No Condeep type substructures currently planned worldwide Phase 2 the dry-built CGS: Built entirely in the dry Ravenspurn North - the 1st Made concrete competitive again 10 built so far Advantages of concrete GBSs retained Storage Large topsides Good for remote locations Good for relatively weak soils Removable / relocatable Ice load resistance

Ravenspurn North, 1989

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Gravity base offshore structures
Built entirely in the dry Most skilled civil contractors can build them. Well suited to countries without large offshore fabricators: Eg Australia & some SE Asia Focus on simple construction & installation: Flat slabs & straight walls easier than cylinders & domes. Lower concrete strengths (50 60MPa cube). All outfitting also in the dry. Much simpler ballasting systems. Well suited to offshore deck floatovers. More applicable to shallower waters Flat elements become inefficient with high hydrostatic heads But efficient designs for 160m water depths have been developed.

Wandoo B 1996

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Gravity base offshore structures

CGS and CONDEEP comparison

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CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Design requirements

Stable under transportation and installation. Carries topsides weight. Resists hydrostatic pressure at installation & operation. Transmits environmental loading to the underlying soils. Accommodates oil temperature differences in operation. Abandonable or Removable.

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology CGS Codes of Practice & Guidance Notes

Det norske Veritas - Rules for the Classification of Fixed Offshore Installations ISO 19903:2006 - Petroleum and natural gas industries -- Fixed concrete offshore structures BS8110 - British Standard for the Structural Use of Concrete NS3473 - Norwegian Standard for Concrete Structures

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CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Foundation criteria

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Foundation design issues Surficial soils critical unlike piles different SI data & testing needed. Generally governed by sliding, overturning or bearing capacity failure. Skirts used to transfer loads to competent strata but they have to penetrate to it too. Sandy soils: weight x angle of shear resistance. Silt and clay soils: base area x the shear strength. Skirts also contribute. Soil strength degredation in storms - build up of porewater pressure. Scour protection needed if competent strata is shallow. Settlements generally higher than with piles Potential for liquefaction under extreme seismic

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CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology CGS Construction

Dock or casting basin facility required. Only one casting basin in Australia at Bunbury. Several European docks exist. Potential sites in SE Asia. Medium to large projects can economically cover the cost of casting basin construction. Designing for easy construction IS KEY!

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology CGS Construction

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CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology CGS Construction

Suspended roof slab construction needs an economic method of decking out to fix reinforcement: Steel beams on metal decking is one solution (sacrificial). No on-site welding is involved. Use relatively low average reinforcement density (300 350kg / m3) for CGS as a whole. Higher densities uneconomic, & excessively slow to build.

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology CGS Construction

Slipforming is the most common construction method. Form rises continually on hardened concrete. Very successful method, if correctly done. Elements must be detailed correctly. Must get concrete mix right too: Strength & durability. Workability. Varied setting times for slipforming.

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CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology CGS Outfitting Usually critical path & time consuming. Keep steel to concrete interface simple. Modularise when possible, maximising off-site fabrication. Minimise number of connection points to the concrete. Maximise work at low level. Provide good temporary man access, & weather protection. Minimise work in shafts. Dont do civil & mechanical work in the same area at the same time.

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology CGS Outfitting Oil & condensate can be stored in CGSs. Three systems available: Closed wet Open wet Dry (for condensate) Simplicity is the key on modern systems. Cast-in pipework ensures durability & robust, leak-tight pipework systems.

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CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Oil storage systems

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Floatover Deck Installation

Malampaya shown 12,000te deck Naturally suits CGS layout & foundations. Deck floatovers good solution to minimise HUC. Wandoo was first open ocean application. Economic where large heavy lift crane vessels not available. Only relatively small ocean going crane vessels currently operate in the Asia Pacific (circa 2,000te max. offshore lift).

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CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Future uses for CGS

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Future uses for CGS

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CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Gravity base offshore structures - Advantages

No crane vessel needed Fast offshore installation Good for weakish soils Good for heavy topsides Oil storage in base Ideal for deck floatover Durability / low maintenance Fatigue resistant

Robust re ship impact Appurtenance protection Low skill labour to build Local content Fast HUC New generation CGSs straightforward to remove Good option if fabricators are busy

CIVL 4171 Platform, Pipeline & Subsea Technology Gravity base offshore structures - Disadvantages

Best suited to remote offshore sites Construction requires casting basin and deep channel for tow. Less suited to well developed oil province with large numbers of existing pipelines (storage not required) Likely to be less economic than than traditional piled jackets if Advantages issues not key.

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