The advantages of offshore jacket platforms are as follows: (i) support large de

ck
loads; (ii) possibility of being constructed in sections and transported; (iii)
suitable
for large field and long-term production (supports a large number of wells);
(iv) piles used for foundation result in good stability; and (v) not influenced
by
seafloor scour. Few disadvantages are as follows: (i) cost increases exponential
ly
with increase in water depth; (ii) high initial and maintenance costs; (iii) not
reusable; and (iv) steel structural members are subjected to corrosion, causing
material degradation in due course of service life.
Gravity structures: Their salient advantages include the following:
(i) constructed onshore and transported; (ii) towed to the site of installation;
(iii) quick installation by flooding; and (iv) use of traditional methods and la
bor for
installation
Gravity platforms had serious limitations, namely (i) not suitable for sites of
poor
soil conditions, as this would lead to significant settlement of foundation; (ii
) long construction period which thereby delays the early start of production; a
nd
(iii) natural frequencies falling within the range of significant power of the i
nput
wave spectrum (Boaghe et al. 1998) iv)These platforms are also known to be respo
nsible for seabed scouring due to large
foundations, causing severe environmental impact.
Gravity platforms consist of production risers as well as oil supply and dischar
ge lines, contained
in one of the columns; the corresponding piping system for exchange of water is
installed in another; and drilling takes place through the third column. This pa
rticular
type is referred as CONDEEP (concrete deep-water) structure and was designed and
constructed in Norway.
Steel gravity platforms exist off Nigeria, where the presence of rock
close to seafloor ruled out the possibility of using piles to fix the structures
to the
seabed.