Professional Documents
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project execution
Author Names: Timo P.J. Mikkola1), Ingrit Lilleme1), Grzegorz Mazerski1), Tomi Taponen1),
Janusz Zikowski2), Lech Tamborski2) & Przemysaw Dominiczak2).
1)
Abstract
The target of the FPSO structural design is firstly to
guarantee structural integrity. At the same time it needs
to target in minimizing the limitations on the oil and gas
production related functions caused by the structural
design. The structural design concept developed for this
aim is discussed with emphasis on the practical management aspects.
The FPSO steel model is developed within a 3D product
model supporting all the other disciplines as well. The
structural analyses utilize the steel model as a basis for
FEA model development. For the structural design analyses a broad spectrum of programs is available ranging
from initial design tools to the high end state-of-the-art
analysis software. Spectral based procedures are frequently utilized. The load, strength and fatigue analysis
capabilities of the design system are illustrated with
case examples.
The work of the designers is supported by a management framework and procedures adapted for structural
design discipline and the use of state-of-the-art analysis
software.
Keywords
FPSO, FDPSO, EWTU, Offshore Installation, Hull
Steel Structure, Structural Analysis, Hydrodynamic
Analysis, Ultimate Strength, Fatigue, Accidental Loads.
Introduction
Majority of the +150 FPSO units in service and those on
order are ship-shaped either conversions from trading
tankers or new-builds. Novel concepts have been introduced such as the first cylinder-shaped FPSO installed
on Piranema Field, Brazil targeting e.g. for improved
wave induced motions, higher stability reserves and
higher deck load capacity.
The future FPSOs will be heavier for supporting much
larger topside facilities including GTL plants or more
specialized e.g. early production systems (EPS), ex-
Fig. 1:
A)
FPSO
PRODUCT
MODEL
UPDATES
FPSO
PRODUCT
MODEL
DATA
NAVAL
LOADS
DATA
B)
NAVAL
LOADS
A major hull structure failure of an FPSO would directly endanger the safety of the personnel. At the same
time it would result in high economic consequences
through the potential environmental consequences and
lost/deferred production during shutdown. There is
therefore a strong case on safety, environmental and
economic grounds for robust and reliable hull design
where advanced hydrodynamic and structural analysis
takes the most important position.
Regardless of the design concept, an FPSO is always
treated as an Offshore Installation rather than as a
trading tanker in terms of design and reliability. Unlike tankers, FPSOs are intended to operate at a specific
site for a number of years without dry docking; so normal maintenance, inspections, and repair have to be
carried out onsite. The unit shall withstand the site MetOcean conditions covering the operating and the most
severe e.g. 100year conditions for strength and the cumulative design life conditions for fatigue. The site
MetOcean conditions play a major part in the design of
FPSOs hull, mooring, risers and topsides.
The extent and complexity of the design process varies
greatly depending on the actual project details and site
MetOcean severity. The diversity and complexity of an
FPSO structural design task becomes clear from the
class society rules (ABS 2003, 2008; DNV 2002, 2004;
Lloyds Register 2008). They offer only a limited
amount of simplified easy-to-use approaches for structural design. On the contrary the tendency is to promote
the use the state-of-the-art numerical analysis approaches for the structural design.
Designing an FPSO is always a large scale project,
where the design process requires solving many multidisciplinary problems. The structural or any other part
of the design cannot be done in isolation but in a close
and organized interaction with the other disciplines.
This calls for controlled and integrated project execution with disciplined management experience in fast
multidiscipline projects, coordination and information
flow/information management at all levels of the
project. Information management is in crucial position
and we have extremely good experience with our DeltaDoris, a web based easy-to-use document management system.
From the structural discipline timely design development, analyses, problem identification and solving are
expected, at the high and reliable technical level required. The design analyses require utilizing a broad
spectrum of programs ranging from initial design tools
to the high end state-of-the-art analysis software.
CONCEPT
UPDATES
GLOBALFEA
STRUCTURAL
ANALYSIS
B.C.
LOCALDESIGNS
LOCAL FEA
Fig. 2:
Fig. 3:
Fig. 4:
However a seakeeping analysis as described by Mazerski & al. (2010) is required for design load analysis already for the early phase concept development.
The basis for the environmental design loads of an
FPSO are the vessel responses in the site environment.
For the great majority of structural details the 1st order
wave frequency loads dominate and a spectral based
analysis in frequency domain is sufficient. In this case a
panel model (Fig. 5) and the AQWA diffraction/radiation program is utilized for producing various
Response Amplitude Operators (RAO) which are then
processed through the spectral procedures to a number
of design load cases.
Time domain non-linear analysis is necessary for capturing non-linear load effects and low frequency loads.
This may be required for predicting effects like bow
impact, slamming and green water, for example.
a)
b)
Fig. 5:
a) FPSO seakeeping model with pressure contours in head sea. b) Wave loads on FE model.
ln(WBM)
Site
DNV
0
North-Atlantic
8
10
12
14
Sea state period, Tz (s)
3
16
4
ln(ln(1/Q))
Fig. 6:
Fatigue Control
An FPSO hull includes a vast amount of potentially
fatigue critical details. The main fatigue loads are
caused by waves and external forces such as mooring,
riser or topside support loads, for example. The fatigue
design against the external loads can typically be solved
as detail design issues. However the fatigue design
becomes easily a demanding challenge with too high
global nominal stresses from hull girder wave bending
moment (WBM). And this is dictated by decisions made
very early in the project.
The topside supports causing a stress concentration on
the main deck are an example. The local stresses are
further increased by the topside support static and dynamic loads. Meeting the required high fatigue safety
factor requires reasonably low level of the hull girder
wave bending stresses as the use of locally reinforced
scantlings at the main deck i.w.o. the topside supports
proves often ineffective.
Consequently the WBM becomes the main controlling
Fig. 7:
Fatigue Design
The difficulty of fatigue detail design is associated with
the complexity of the numerical procedure combined
Fig. 8:
events may occur (explosion and/or fire). Special protection structures can be designed and installed on deck
to prevent those situations. Their load-carrying capacity
should be checked by computational analysis,
(Figs.9,10).
working within common project management framework and utilizing state of the art modeling and analysis
software. The team utilizes a 3D product model common with other disciplines and a full range of FEA and
sea-keeping programs. The product model allows for
direct interfacing between the structural design and
other disciplines. Direct data transfer from the product
model to the FEA systems improves the efficiency and
model quality. Structural analysis programs and procedures are tuned to the requirements throughout the different project phases.
A management system and adapted working procedures
have been implemented supporting the use of sophisticated numerical analyses within a safety oriented FPSO
design project.
References
Fig. 11:
Conclusions
The FPSO hull structural design concept introduced
consists of an experienced designer and analyst team