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4th Annual OSJ Conference

Strategic and operational


challenges facing OSV owners
17 - 18 February 2010
London

Embracing New Frontiers:


Approaches to Meet the Challenge of
Arctic Conditions
John Gallagher, ABS

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Agenda
 Arctic Opportunities
 OSVs in Arctic Service
 Challenges for OSVs in Arctic
Service
 Requirements for Arctic OSVs
 Approach for Novel Systems
 Concluding Remarks

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Undiscovered Arctic Oil

 Mean undiscovered oil: 90 BBO; 13% of global undiscovered oil


 5 AU with > 70% mean undiscovered oil
 Arctic Alaska, Amerasia Basin, East Greenland Rift Basin, East
Barents Basin, West Greenland – East Canada

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Undiscovered Arctic Gas

 Mean undiscovered gas: 1670 TCFG; 30% of global


undiscovered gas
 3 AU with > 70% mean undiscovered gas
 West Siberian Basin, East Barents Basin, Arctic Alaska

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CARA Findings

 Arctic is mainly gas-prone


~3 x oil
 > 70% mean undiscovered
oil concentrated in 5 AU
 > 70% mean undiscovered
gas concentrated in 3 AU
 Arctic Alaska is outstanding
for oil; 30 BBO
 West Siberian Basin is outstanding for gas;
651 TCFG

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Arctic Oil and Gas - Opportunities

 From the earliest


days OSVs have
been an important
part of oil and gas
operations in the
Arctic
 Demand for OSVs
will grow as activity
in the Arctic
increases in the
coming years

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OSVs in Arctic Service
 In the Arctic OSVs have most of the same
functions as OSVs in open waters
 But in the Arctic OSVs have additional functions
and many more challenges
 Two roles unique to the Arctic and other ice-
covered waters:
 Icebreaking
 Ice management
 These functions are performed
by ice strengthened OSVs
and by dedicated icebreakers

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OSVs in Arctic Service
 Depending on the time of the year OSVs will be
required to break ice
 In heavy ice Arctic OSVs may be called upon to break
ice in a mode indistinguishable from typical icebreakers
except that operations are local
 In lighter pack ice Arctic OSVs the mode of operation is
often ice clearing especially with azimuthing thrusters

Source: I. Reed, Oil Exploration and Production


Offshore Sakhalin Island, Arctic Shipping Conf.,,
St. Petersburg, April 2008

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OSVs in Arctic Service
 Ice management (IM) is a critical element of oil and
gas operations, especially during drilling,
 IM aims to control the ice environment in the
vicinity of the installation by breaking ice to:
 Reduce ice loads on the installation
 Facilitate other operations such as supply, etc.
 For successful ice
management vessels
require:
 Strength & power
 Maneuverability
 Reliability

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OSVs Operating in Ice Covered Waters

Source: Ian C Reed, 4th Annual Shipping Conference, St. Petersburg, 2008

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OSVs in Arctic Service
 One of the key objectives of ice management is to
limit the level of ice load to an acceptable level
 The graphic below indicates how the demands of
ice are controlled using two ice management
vessels (IMV)
Disconnection
Level of ice conditions

2nd IMV

Maximum
allowed ice
load with
safety factor

Time
1st IMV

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OSVs in Arctic Service
 Circular ice management is one of several
strategies used
Requirements for 1st level ice
management dominated by
power especially in heavy ice

Requirements for 2nd


level IM
maneuverability
becomes more
important

 Left: IMV tracks in global coordinates


 Right: IMV tracks in coordinates fixed to
moving ice
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Challenges for OSVs in Arctic Service
Effects of low temperature Low ambient air
on operations of deck temperature effects
machinery systems on engine
performance Visibility

Ice accretion on
deck and equipment

Ulstein P-series design

Ice effects and impact on


selection of propeller and Ice interactions Vessel
with hull structure maneuverability in
rudder designs & hull form
(conventional propulsion) ice

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Challenges for OSVs in Arctic Service
 Operating in ice
 Hull needs to be strengthened to a level depending
on role, area of operation, time of year etc.
 Propulsion system, particularly propellers, need to
be strengthened for the same reasons
 Operating at low temperatures
 Winterization
• Materials – hull & equipment
• Vessel systems & machinery
• Safety systems
 Human element
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Challenges for OSVs in Arctic Service
 Ice Accretion
 Stability
 Access in open areas
 Safety equipment

 Machinery and Electrical Equipment


 Control stations for deck machinery
 Tanks and systems suitable for cargoes onboard
• Heating
• Venting

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Challenges for OSVs in Arctic Service
 Providing emergency power for
 Heating for
• Vital Control Rooms – Navigation, Engine Rooms,
Emergency Generator
• Fire Control Spaces / Fire Fighting Equipment
• Two Common Areas – Galley & Mess, Recreation Room
(Gathering Areas)

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Requirements for Arctic OSVs
- International
 IMO
 SOLAS
 Load Line Convention
 Tonnage Convention
 MARPOL Convention
 Several voluntary requirements including
• IMO Resolution A.863(20) - Code of Safe Practice for the
Carriage of Cargoes and Persons by Offshore Supply
Vessel (OSV Code)
• Resolution A.1024(26) – Guidelines for Ships Operating
in Polar Waters (Adopted 2 Dec 2009)

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Requirements for Arctic OSVs
- Class

 Several Rules exist for ice strengthening of hull


and machinery
 Several other well established Rules exist including
 Finnish-Swedish Ice Class Rules (Baltic Rules)
 ABS Ice Class Rules
 Rules of other Class Societies
 In March 2008 the IACS Polar Rules were
introduced
 Result of development work 1993-2006 to “harmonize”
ice rules

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Requirements for Arctic OSVs
- Hull
 The hull strength requirements in the IACS Polar
Rules are based on scientific principles calibrated
with field experience
 The requirements are based on a single hull-ice
interaction scenario, that of a glancing impact
 Ice thickness, ice
strength (crushing
pressures), hull form,
ship size, ship
speed and location on
hull are taken into
account

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Requirements for Arctic OSVs
- Hull

Polar
Ice Description (based on WMO Sea Ice Nomenclature)
Class

PC 1 Year-round operation in all Polar waters

PC 2 Year-round operation in moderate multi-year ice conditions


Year-round operation in second-year ice which may include
PC 3
multi-year ice inclusions.
Year-round operation in thick first-year ice which may
PC 4
include old ice inclusions
Year-round operation in medium first-year ice which may
PC 5
include old ice inclusions
Summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice which
PC 6
may include old ice inclusions
Summer/autumn operation in thin first-year ice which may
PC 7
include old ice inclusions

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Requirements for Arctic OSVs
- Hull
 For OSV operation the stern will also likely
experience high loads
 Stern geometry is complex for vessels with azimuth
propulsors.
 Stern shoulder area is vulnerable due to high
maneuverability and aggressive operations
 Limited experience on ice loads on pod strut.
 Azimuth thruster foundation should be properly
connected to stern structures.

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Requirements for Arctic OSVs
 Machinery
 IACS Polar Rules does not have minimum power
requirements
 Power requirements can be set on the basis of
• Model-scale tests
• Semi-empirical
 Other aspects that need consideration
• Ice loads on propeller, rudder etc.
• Propeller strength under ice load
• Other components of propulsion system such as
shafting

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Requirements for Arctic OSVs
 Winterization
 Low temperatures and associated
phenomena can impair
performance of most ship systems
 Many of the issues are beyond
Class and additional requirements
are designed to address these
concerns
 Notations are offered if winterization and related
requirements in ABS Guide for Vessels Operating in Low
Temperature Environments are satisfied

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Requirements for Arctic OSVs

 ABS Guide for Vessels Operating in


Low Temperature Environments (LTE
Guide)
 Two documents in one
• Guide –requirements
• Guidance Notes – Appendices
with additional explanations
 Supplementary information
• Weather conditions
• Additional reference materials
• Administration listings
• Meteorological organization
listings

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Requirements for Arctic OSVs
 LTE Guide – a few of the key requirements
 Materials – selection of steels exposed to low
temperatures
 Hull Construction and Equipment
• Protection of personnel working outside
• Ice accumulation and its effects on stability
• Reduce spray and ice accumulation on deck
• Prevent freezing of tanks containing liquids
• Protection of the environment
• Personnel protection

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Requirements for Arctic OSVs
 LTE Guide – a few of the key requirements
 Vessel Systems and Machinery
• Prime Movers – mitigation of low temperature
effects of engine performance & lubrication
• Propulsion and Maneuvering Machinery –
propulsion system
• Deck & Other Machinery – anchoring etc.
• Piping – draining, de-icing
• Fire Safety
• Electrical – emergency considerations

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Requirements for Arctic OSVs
 LTE Guide – a few of the key requirements
 Safety
• Life Saving Appliances
• Heating for survival
• Navigational equipment

Source: NRCC – Institute of Ocean Technology, St. John’s, Canada

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Approach for Novel Systems

 If the OSV, or a system in the OSV, has a


significant degree of novelty traditional methods
cannot be easily applied
 Alternative methods that rely on risk
assessment techniques can be used
 Systematic methods for identifying
the risks and evaluating them are
required
 ABS Guidance Notes on Review
and Approval of Novel Concepts
describes such an approach

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Concluding Remarks
 The Arctic is rich in resources but also contains
many challenges
 OSVs are integral part of any oil and gas operation
in the Arctic
 For Arctic operation OSVs need to be suitably
strengthened and winterized
 Many existing requirements are applicable to
OSVs
 For novel aspects non-traditional approaches
based risk techniques can be very useful
 The LTE Guide addresses many additional issues
not included in ice-class requirements
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www.eagle.org

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