Espirito Santo FPSO Tandem

Offloading Tests.

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Deepwater FPSO for Brazil under Hans Cozijn &
Charlotte Saltner

scrutiny in MARIN’s Offshore Basin

J.L.Cozijn@marin.nl

Model tests were recently carried depth that can be modelled in the Offshore Basin. This was tackled using
an equivalent (“truncated”) mooring and riser system. This equivalent
out in MARIN’s Offshore Basin for a mooring system was designed so that the behaviour of the full-depth
mooring systems was represented as accurately as possible.
turret-moored deepwater FPSO, to be
The model tests covered several different aspects related to the design of
installed offshore Brazil. Here is an up-
the FPSO, its mooring systems and risers. The scope of the work for the
date of this challenging project. model test programme included so-called soft-spring mooring tests, which
were carried out to accurately determine the FPSO motion RAOs. Special
attention was paid to the FPSO roll motions.

C
arried out on behalf of Single Buoy
Moorings in Monaco, the model tests In addition, mooring tests in environmental conditions for combined
concerned the Espirito Santo FPSO for current, swell, wind seas and wind were carried out. Here the objective
Shell, which is in a water depth of 1,780 m. The was to assess the FPSO displacements and mooring loads. And because
vessel will be moored using a semi-taut mooring of the intended use of polyester mooring lines, different stiffness values
system with polyester lines. were modelled during the model tests, representing the static and storm
stiffness.
For the model test programme the local water
depth at the field exceeded the maximum water An assessment was also made of the relative wave motions along the length
of the vessel and the possible shipping of green water. Furthermore,
tandem offloading tests were carried out. In these tests a shuttle tanker was
Espirito Santo FPSO Model in the Work Shop.
included which was moored to the FPSO stern by means of a bow hawser.
The tandem offloading tests were carried out to assess the overall system
behaviour during offloading and to investigate the bow hawser loading
and possible fish-tailing of the shuttle tanker. As well as the model tests,
wind tunnel tests were carried out to determine the wind and current loads
on the FPSO.
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