Offshore Plat
745
Part D | 33.1
33. Offshore Platforms
Arisi S.J. Swamidas, Dronnadula V. Reddy
An overview of the state-of-the-art on offshore
platforms is provided, highlighting the various
structural concepts (such as fixed, gravity, and
compliant, floating, and subsea platforms) developed during the past 75 years of active offshore
exploration and exploitation. It starts with a birdseye-view of the various platforms that dot the
ocean space. Some of the advantages and disadvantages that influence the choice of the structural
concepts to be used are discussed. The holistic and
integral structural behavior depends on the environmental influences exerted on the important
components of the platform in terms of permissible stresses, allowable rotations/deformations,
fatigue endurance, vortex-induced-vibration, unobstructed flow of hydrocarbons and overload on
33.1 Relevance............................................ 745
33.2 Types of Offshore Platforms .................. 747
33.2.1 Fixed and Compliant
Offshore Platforms ..................... 748
33.2.2 Floating Offshore Platforms ........ 750
33.2.3 Subsea Systems and Pipelines .... 750
33.3 Future Trends and Developments
in Offshore Platforms ........................... 751
References................................................... 752
the total structural performance; the overview also
mentions some effects of the above on marine
risers, conductors, wells and pipelines. Finally,
possible offshore structural developments that are
likely to take place in future are discussed.
Offshore drilling and storage platforms play an important role in oil and gas developments around the world.
The ever-increasing demand for augmenting our energy
needs by offshore exploration and production activities
across the globe, and especially by the drilling activities occurring at ultra-deep-water depths, is driving
the market. Depending on the water depths at which
the oil and gas reserves are available, different types
of fixed, floating, and subsea platforms are used for
the purpose. In addition, the transportation of oil and
gas through subsea pipelines has facilitated the transfer
of offshore resources to onshore facilities. For ultradeep-water depths, semi-submersibles have the highest
growth rate and are the most preferred rigs deployed
for drilling, in conjunction with other FPSO (floating
production storage and offloading) units. Other floating
platforms, such as drill-ships, also are being utilized at
a decent growth rate for ultra-deep waters, in conjunction with subsea structures. Latin America dominates
the global offshore floating drilling platform market
since it has high offshore potential reserves of oil and
gas in deep and ultra-deep waters. The Asia-Pacific
region has the largest increase in shallow-water exploration and production in the waters of Indonesia,
Malaysia, and Australia, with the highest growth rate
for shallow-water framed and gravity platforms. In spite
of the fracking of shale (onshore and offshore) decreasing the need for new energy sources in USA and
worldwide, dependence on crude oil and natural gas
will continue to increase as the global energy demand
continues to increase worldwide. In order to satisfy
this growing demand for energy, drilling for exploration
and exploitation will continue to move offshore from
deeper to ultra-deep and colder Arctic waters. In addition, improvements in platform technology in the form
of stronger, modular and light-weight construction will
impact the structural innovations of existing offshore
platforms for many years to come.
33.1 Relevance
A number of platforms, installed in the ocean, exploit the available natural resources, as shown in
Fig. 33.1 [33.1]. In addition to the offshore platforms
mentioned above, ship types and modes seen in the
field of ocean transport include containerization, catamarans, hovercraft, floating terminals, and very large
745
Part D | 33.1
33. Offshore Platforms
Arisi S.J. Swamidas, Dronnadula V. Reddy
An overview of the state-of-the-art on offshore
platforms is provided, highlighting the various
structural concepts (such as fixed, gravity, and
compliant, floating, and subsea platforms) developed during the past 75 years of active offshore
exploration and exploitation. It starts with a birdseye-view of the various platforms that dot the
ocean space. Some of the advantages and disadvantages that influence the choice of the structural
concepts to be used are discussed. The holistic and
integral structural behavior depends on the environmental influences exerted on the important
components of the platform in terms of permissible stresses, allowable rotations/deformations,
fatigue endurance, vortex-induced-vibration, unobstructed flow of hydrocarbons and overload on
33.1 Relevance............................................ 745
33.2 Types of Offshore Platforms .................. 747
33.2.1 Fixed and Compliant
Offshore Platforms ..................... 748
33.2.2 Floating Offshore Platforms ........ 750
33.2.3 Subsea Systems and Pipelines .... 750
33.3 Future Trends and Developments
in Offshore Platforms ........................... 751
References................................................... 752
the total structural performance; the overview also
mentions some effects of the above on marine
risers, conductors, wells and pipelines. Finally,
possible offshore structural developments that are
likely to take place in future are discussed.
Offshore drilling and storage platforms play an important role in oil and gas developments around the world.
The ever-increasing demand for augmenting our energy
needs by offshore exploration and production activities
across the globe, and especially by the drilling activities occurring at ultra-deep-water depths, is driving
the market. Depending on the water depths at which
the oil and gas reserves are available, different types
of fixed, floating, and subsea platforms are used for
the purpose. In addition, the transportation of oil and
gas through subsea pipelines has facilitated the transfer
of offshore resources to onshore facilities. For ultradeep-water depths, semi-submersibles have the highest
growth rate and are the most preferred rigs deployed
for drilling, in conjunction with other FPSO (floating
production storage and offloading) units. Other floating
platforms, such as drill-ships, also are being utilized at
a decent growth rate for ultra-deep waters, in conjunction with subsea structures. Latin America dominates
the global offshore floating drilling platform market
since it has high offshore potential reserves of oil and
gas in deep and ultra-deep waters. The Asia-Pacific
region has the largest increase in shallow-water exploration and production in the waters of Indonesia,
Malaysia, and Australia, with the highest growth rate
for shallow-water framed and gravity platforms. In spite
of the fracking of shale (onshore and offshore) decreasing the need for new energy sources in USA and
worldwide, dependence on crude oil and natural gas
will continue to increase as the global energy demand
continues to increase worldwide. In order to satisfy
this growing demand for energy, drilling for exploration
and exploitation will continue to move offshore from
deeper to ultra-deep and colder Arctic waters. In addition, improvements in platform technology in the form
of stronger, modular and light-weight construction will
impact the structural innovations of existing offshore
platforms for many years to come.
33.1 Relevance
A number of platforms, installed in the ocean, exploit the available natural resources, as shown in
Fig. 33.1 [33.1]. In addition to the offshore platforms
mentioned above, ship types and modes seen in the
field of ocean transport include containerization, catamarans, hovercraft, floating terminals, and very large