ENM206 Well Completions &

Subsea Systems
The Offshore Environment and Offshore Loading
Dr Mamdud Hossain
Email: M.Hossain@rgu.ac.uk
Phone: 0044 1224 262351
This lecture focuses on wave modelling

Wave modelling

η λ
The first useful mathematical model was developed by GW Airy in
1845 and is known as: “Linear Wave Theory”.

• It requires 4 initial assumptions:

• Water has uniform density(ρ kgm-3),

• There is no viscosity or surface tension,
• Wave heights are small when compared with the wavelength and
• Motion is irrotational
Linear Wave Theory deals with unidirectional travelling
regular waves

h
y=-h

Wave can be described mathematically

in the form:

η = a sin(kx − ωt )
Wave can be described by three important parameters:

Wavelength, λ:

λ distance between successive

wave crests (or trough)
η
2π
Frequency, ω=
T
where T is the time period of
a wave

Wave elevation ,η, the

instantaneous elevation
(height) of the wave still or
mean water level
Linear wave theory is the simplest and the
most applied wave theory

η = a sin(κx − ωt )

H
a = amplitude of the wave, a =
2
2π
ω = frequency of the wave, ω =
κ = wave number, κ = 2π T
t = instantaneous time λ
x = co-ordinate location at the
wave elevation.
The speed of an individual crest within a linear wave
train is given by

λ ω
c= =
T k
The phase speed of a wave, c (m/s), which is
also known as the crest speed or celerity.
There is another speed/velocity which is important for
linear wave theory:

∂ω
Group Speed c g =
∂κ
Group speed represents the propagation
velocity of the front of a harmonically
oscillating wave train.
Solution of the Laplace equation along with boundary conditions
gives an expression for fluid motion
Quantity Deep water
relationship
Dispersion relationship ω 2 = gκ
Wave profile η = a sin(κx − ωt )
Horizontal Velocity u = ωae κy sin(κx − ωt )
Vertical Velocity v = ωae κy cos(κx − ωt )
Horizontal Acceleration u = −ω 2ae κy cos(κx − ωt )

Vertical acceleration v = ω 2ae κy sin(κx − ωt )

Dynamic pressure P = ρgae κy sin(κx − ωt )
Solution of the Laplace equation along with boundary conditions
gives an expression for fluid motion
Quantity General water depth
relationship

Dispersion relationship ω 2 = gκ tanh(kh) = gk 2 h

η = a sin(κx − ωt )
Wave profile
cosh[k ( y + h)]
u = ωa sin(κx − ωt )
Horizontal Velocity sinh( kh)
sinh[ k ( y + h)]
v = ωa cos(κx − ωt )
Vertical Velocity sinh( kh)
cosh[k ( y + h)]
u = −ω 2 a cos(κx − ωt )
Horizontal Acceleration sinh( kh)
sinh[ k (h + y )]
Vertical acceleration v = ω 2 a sin(κx − ωt )
sin( kh)
cosh[k (h + y )]
Dynamic pressure P = ρga sin(κx − ωt )
cosh(kh)
The figure below shows a time history presentation of wave
parameters
 Consider a model basin with a wave maker in one end that
generates long-crested regular waves with angular frequency ω.
You can assume a wave period of 2 s and a wave amplitude of
0.25 m. The tank length is 100 m.

a) Determine the crest speed of a wave

b) Approximately how long it will take for a wave front to
propagate from the wave marker to the end of the tank?
Assume the water depth is infinite.
Waves are random in nature and can be described statistically

N
η = ∑ ai sin(κ i x − ω i t + ε i )
i =1
Where,

ai = 2∆ωS (ω i )
ω i = i∆ω

S (ω ) Wave
spectrum
Wave spectrum can be estimated from wave measurement
ISSC wave spectrum:
S (ω ) 0.11  ωT1 
−5
  ωT1  
−4

=   exp − 0.44  
H12/ 3 2π  2π    2π  

H1 / 3 is the significant wave height

(mean of the highest one-third
highest waves)

T1 Mean time period

mo
T1 = 2π ∞
mk = ∫ ω k S (ω )dω
m1 Where, 0
 JONSWAP (Joint North Sea Wave Project) type
spectrum for limited fetch (i.e. North Sea)

H12/ 3  944 
S (ω ) = 155 4 5 exp − 4 4 (3.3)Y
T1 ω  T1 ω 
  0.191ωT1 − 1  2 
Where, Y = exp −   
  21/ 2
σ  
5.24
and, 𝝈𝝈 = 𝟎𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎 for ω≤
T1
5.24
𝝈𝝈 = 𝟎𝟎. 𝟎𝟎9 for ω>
T1
Once a spectrum is know, the probability density function for the maximum wave
elevation 𝑨𝑨 can be obtained from the Rayleigh distribution:
A −A
2

P( A) = e 2 m0

m0
 Short term sea state
Significant Wave Height
• Hs is defined as the average height of the largest 1/3 of the
waves in the wave train. Hs is also roughly 1.6 times the mean
wave height, Hm.
 A pipeline exposed to wave and steady current
will experience loading
Environmental data relevant to
subsea pipelines and riser
include: (1) wave height, time
period and directions (2) currents
and direction.
Randomness:
Irregular waves are generated, which can be described by wave heights
and associated wave periods and a spectral distribution function
Installation Scenario: 1 year return period
Lifetime Scenario: 100 year return period
Return period: An estimate of the likelyhood of an event
 A pipeline exposed to wave and steady current
will experience loading
Environmental data relevant to
subsea pipelines and riser
include: (1) wave height, time
period and directions (2) currents
and direction.
Randomness:
Irregular waves are generated, which can be described by wave heights
and associated wave periods and a spectral distribution function
Installation Scenario: 1 year return period
Lifetime Scenario: 100 year return period
Return period: An estimate of the likely hood of an event
Wave Data Processing

𝐻𝐻𝑠𝑠 = 4.0 𝒎𝒎𝟎𝟎 where, 𝒎𝒎𝒐𝒐 is the zeroth

moment of wave power spectrum

𝐻𝐻𝑠𝑠 ≅ 1.6 𝐻𝐻𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚

𝐻𝐻𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 ≅ 1.86𝐻𝐻𝑠𝑠 ≅ 3𝐻𝐻𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚

𝐻𝐻𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 is the most probable largest wave

height given by 𝐻𝐻𝑠𝑠
 Steady Current
𝑧𝑧𝑜𝑜
𝑢𝑢𝑐𝑐 (𝑧𝑧𝑟𝑟 )
𝑢𝑢𝑐𝑐 = 𝐷𝐷 + 1 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙
𝐷𝐷
+1 −1
𝑧𝑧𝑟𝑟 𝑧𝑧𝑜𝑜
𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙
𝑧𝑧𝑜𝑜 + 1

Where, 𝑢𝑢𝑐𝑐 𝑧𝑧𝑟𝑟 = current velocity at

reference measurement height
𝑧𝑧𝑟𝑟 = reference measurement height
(usually 3 m)
Total water particle 𝑧𝑧𝑜𝑜 = bottom roughness parameter
velocity: 𝐷𝐷 = total external diameter of pipe
(including any coating)

𝑢𝑢𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 = 𝑢𝑢𝑤𝑤 + 𝑢𝑢𝑐𝑐

 Hydrodynamic Forces

1
Drag: FD = C D ρDU m U m
2
1
Lift: FL = C L ρDU m2
2
 πD 2  
Inertia: FI = C I ρ  U w
Where,  4 
𝑈𝑈𝑚𝑚 = transverse water velocity (total velocity of wave + current)
𝑈𝑈̇ 𝑤𝑤 = transverse water acceleration
𝜌𝜌 = density of seawater
𝐷𝐷 = total external diameter of pipe

𝐶𝐶𝐷𝐷 = 0.7, 𝐶𝐶𝐼𝐼 = 3.29 and 𝐶𝐶𝐿𝐿 = 0.9.

Hydrodynamic loading on Slender structures

1 𝜋𝜋𝐷𝐷2
𝐹𝐹𝐷𝐷,𝑛𝑛 = 𝜌𝜌𝐶𝐶𝐷𝐷 𝐷𝐷𝑉𝑉𝒏𝒏𝟐𝟐 + 𝜌𝜌 4 𝐶𝐶𝑀𝑀 𝑉𝑉𝑛𝑛̇
2

1 𝜋𝜋𝐷𝐷2
𝐹𝐹𝐷𝐷,𝑡𝑡 = 𝜌𝜌𝐶𝐶𝐷𝐷 𝐷𝐷𝑉𝑉𝑡𝑡𝟐𝟐 + 𝜌𝜌 4 𝐶𝐶𝑀𝑀 𝑉𝑉̇𝑡𝑡
2
1
𝐹𝐹𝐿𝐿 = 𝐶𝐶𝐿𝐿 𝐷𝐷𝑉𝑉𝑛𝑛2
2
 In summary, wave modelling and wave loading have
been described

• Regular wave
• Random wave /wave spectrum
• Wave loading on pipe
• Wave loading on riser/platform legs