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Project Number 605
Date of Summary August 8, 2008
Subject Cooperative Research on Extreme Seas and their Impact to Floating Structures
Performing Activity MARIN Research Institute
Principal Investigator Bas Buchner
Contracting Agency Minerals Management Service
Estimated Completion October 31, 2009
Description

In the offshore and shipping industry, extreme wave events have attracted a lot of attention during the last few years. Hurricanes Ivan, Rita and Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico confirmed the importance of extreme wave design for all types of offshore structures. As the U.S. grows increasingly dependent on the steady supply of energy from federal offshore oil and gas reserves, MMS must remain attentive to new technologies that safeguard O&G facilities, their personnel, and the environment. MMS recently completed research which focused on air gap problems of fixed platforms. Our focus for this new study shifts to floating structures such as TLPs, semis and spars where wave loading and response is much more complex. This Joint Industry Project (JIP) involving participants from around the world is expected to develop models for realistic extreme waves and a design methodology for the loading and response of floating platforms utilized in deepwater areas such as those of the Gulf of Mexico that now constitutes the majority of new OCS development along US borders.

 

The scope of work focuses on five work packages:

 

WP1: Numerical Spectral Wave Modeling of Extreme Sea States: Provide realistic 2D wave spectra in which extreme waves can occur (incl. short crested and crossing seas).

 

WP2: Analysis of field and laboratory wave statistics: Analyze real and basin waves to determine whether extreme waves can be identified (also beyond 2nd order). Also their relation with specific 2D wave spectra (and other conditions) will be investigated.

 

WP3: Deterministic and probabilistic extreme wave modeling: Provide the physical explanations for these waves, their kinematics and their short term statistics (as possible alternative for the Rayleigh distribution and 2nd order distribution).

 

WP4: Wave loading and response: Determine the dynamic loading and response as a result of these extreme waves (both local loading and global response).

 

WP5: Risk and reliability: Provide overall perspective of the risk analysis and design of the platform.
Progress The study was initiated in September with the Kick-off meeting held October 17, 2007. The start of work for this JIP has been delayed due to a majority of the JIP member's desire to modify the work scope, primarily for WP4. JIP members are in the process of finalizing the modification with work and testing expected to proceed in September 2008.

 

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Last Updated: 08/11/2008, 08:06 AM

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