MODEL INTRODUCTION TO OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY

Q1
a. Define the following terms: 5 Marks

I. Offshore Safety Case

Answer: Offshore safety case is a Health and safety (HSE) document required by law by offshore
industry operators that their HSE management system is adequate to ensure compliance with statutory
health and safety requirements that all hazards with the potential to cause a major accident have been
identified, their risks evaluated, and measures have been, or will be, taken to control those risks to
ensure that the relevant statutory provisions will be complied with. 1 MARK

II. Muster Station/Point

Answer

A muster point is the designated location point of safety you assemble after an emergency evacuation
for the purpose of roll call. A good muster point fulfills three functions: Safe emergency mustering
requires distance. Evacuees should gather far enough from the emergency's point of origin that they are
not still at risk- 1 MARK

Or
In an offshore location, the area of platform or location where staff and visitors gather during an
emergency for roll call and to await further instructions- 1 MARK

III. Seawater Corrosion

Answer: The chemical reactions (oxidation and reduction) responsible for the corrosion of pipes in
seawater environments- 1 MARK

IV. Tolerable risk

Answer: Risk that has been reduced to a level that can be endured by the organization having regard to
its legal obligations and its HSE policy- 1 MARK

V. Helideck

Answer: The Offshore Helicopter landing area on platforms and barges

b. Outline the issues that led to the Piper Alpha offshore disaster 5 Marks

Any five (5) of the following:

I. Improper Shift handover: At the point of shift handover on the evening of 6th July, 1988,
control room operators on the night shift did not have complete information from the departing
day shift staff as there was no handover note to indicate one of the safety valves had been
removed for maintenance. On Piper Alpha, communications between departments, between
shifts, and between crews was personal, informal and tailored to the job. While bespoke
communications can have some benefits, minimum standards were not set or met.

II. Management of Change issues: The platform was initially designed to process only crude oil, but
it was later redesigned to also accommodate gas production without reassessing the inherent
risks. The offshore safety case requires because a seemingly innocent change in one area can
have unintended ripple effects in another. If such changes are not properly risk assessed, the
results can be as dire.

III. Equipment specification and fit-for-purpose: A full and proper assessment of equipment versus
its intended purpose is crucial in any lab or process environment. In the case of Piper Alpha, the
fire walls fitted between operational modules were known to protect against intense fires, but
were not adequately designed to protect against ferocious explosions.

IV. Improper Permit to work system: Whether working on an oil rig, chemical plant, nuclear site, or
university laboratory, one should be able to prove, when challenged, proof of competency and
clear justification for working at a given place and at any given time. For Piper Alpha, two
separate permits to work (one dealing with a safety valve, the other dealing with its separately
located pump) led to ineffective and incomplete information for two different groups of
workers. Fateful decisions that were made with regards to activating the pump that was not
fitted with an appropriate safety valve thus led to an unintended but altogether catastrophic
accident. The permit to work system on Piper Alpha relied heavily on informal communication.

V. Inadequate Protection: Absence of automatic shutoff valves and dedicated deluge systems for
gas risers

VI. Poor emergency preparedness: Over time, the management failed to conduct evacuation drills
which would have exposed the inadequacies of the emergency management plan and systems.
There was sufficient time for a more effective emergency evacuation. The first explosion killed
most of the personnel with the authority to order an evacuation when it destroyed the control
room, and much of the control systems in the room responsible for sounding platform-wide
alarms had also been lost with its destruction
VII. Inadequate leadership: The management of the platform did not demonstrate adequate
leadership. Personal safety was prioritised over process safety instead of appropriating equal
amount of resources to both

VIII. Absence of Safety culture: There were many warnings that all was not well with safety
management systems on Piper Alpha long before the accident. Less than a year earlier, on 07
September 1987, a contract rigger was killed in an accident on Piper Alpha. The accident
highlighted the inadequacies of both the permit to work and the shift handover procedures. A
golden opportunity to put these rights was missed.

IX. Interconnections: Communications between Piper Alpha, Claymore, Tartan and MCP-01 were
lost from the first explosions. This delayed shut-down on the other platforms, particularly on
Claymore and Tartan which continued to pump crude

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Q2.
a. Outline Offshore hazards by classifications 5 marks

Answer (1 mark each):

I. Physical hazards: Physical hazards are factors or conditions within the offshore environment that
can harm your one health eg slippery floor, cold, heat, noise
II. Chemical hazards: Are toxic substances that have the potentials to harm a person eg irritants,
corrosives etc
III. Mechanical hazards: Mechanical hazards are hazards arising from work equipment’s and tools
eg drilling machine

IV. Fire hazards: a hazardous condition involving combustible, flammable, or explosive material that
can ignite eg hot work activities, flammable chemicals, combustive dusts, electrical equipments
V. Passive hazards: A passive hazard is anything that can result in an active hazard eg overloaded
electrical circuit or platform
VI. Biological hazards: Are biological substances that pose a threat to the health of living organisms,
primarily that of humans eg bacteria, fungi, virus

b. Outline the Hazard Detection Systems in a typical offshore structure 5 marks

Answer (Any 5 with 1 mark each):

•Smoke detection and alarm systems: is an electronic fire-protection device that automatically senses
the presence of smoke, as a key indication of fire, and sounds a warning.
•Heat detection and alarm systems: is a device that's used to detect any substantial increase in
temperature which may indicate a fire is about to break out. If there is a fire in the vicinity of the alarm,
the convected thermal energy from the flame raises the temperature of a heat-sensitive element in the
heat detector. Once this occurs, the element triggers an alarm which then sounds, alerting anyone
within ear-shot of the device

•Gas detection and alarm systems: Gas detection systems are designed to provide an early warning
indication that toxic or combustible gases may be present and sounds the alarm

•H2S detectors: A hydrogen sulfide monitor is designed to detect the presence of H2S in the
atmosphere.

•Hydrocarbon detectors: is a detection system used to check to see if hydrocarbons are leaking into a
tank's retention pond from overflows, valves etc

•Chlorine gas detectors: A chlorine gas detector is a gas meter, detects and monitors the
concentration of chlorine in the air

•Fire / Flame detectors and alarm systems: Flame detectors are designed to identify the presence of
fire. They use ultraviolet and infrared sensors to look for radiation produced by a flame and can be
directly connected to an alarm system or an automatic fire extinguishing system.

•Manual alarm call point (MACs): A manual call point is a device which enables personnel to raise an
alarm in the event of a fire incident by pressing a frangible element to activate the alarm.

c. Enumerate lockout and tagout procedures in offshore structures 5 marks

Answer (5 marks for the 4 steps):

Step 1: Preparation and notification

➢ Before servicing or installing equipment, you must be able to answer the following questions:
• What is the type of energy source on the equipment?
• What are the potential hazards related to the energy source?
• What steps are necessary to control the energy source?
• Who needs to be notified that the equipment will be shut down for service?
• Once these questions have been answered notify all affected employees that a lockout
procedure is about to being (and that the equipment will be) shutdown for service.

Step 2: Shutdown the equipment:

Follow work procedure and/or manufacturer's instruction for shutdown. Beware that some equipment
has special shutdown procedures (e.g. computer-controlled equipment) make sure all energy sources
have been located and shutdown (some machines have more than one power source all must be shut
down).
Step 3: Isolate the equipment

• Equipment should be isolated by:

• Shutting of the main breaker or control switch.
• Closing valves
• Disconnecting process lines
• Pulling plugs

Note: for complex machines or equipment, refer to manufacturer's control diagram

detailing the locations of all isolation points, including breaker panels, switches, valves etc.

Step 4: Attach the lock and tag

• Each authorized employee who is performing maintenance is responsible to inform lockout and
tag out authority for locking and tagging the equipment.
• Each employee whose duties require them to work on equipment must provide with their own
lock and key. If more than one employee is involved in maintenance, multiple locking devices
must be used to allow each maintenance employee to lock and tag. This prevents one employee
from accidentally starting up the equipment while another employee is still working.

Step 5: Release any stored energy

• After locking and tagging equipment, you must make sure that any stored energy on the
equipment is released this is done by :

• Inspecting equipment to make sure all parts have stopped moving. Bleeding electrical
capacitance (stored charge).

• Venting or isolating pressure or hydraulic lines from the work area, leaving vent valves open.

• Draining tanks and valves.

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Q3
a. Explain processes to be followed during Hot Tapping Work 5 Marks

Answer (half mark for each outline):

➢ Procedures shall be prepared for all aspects of the physical work, including items such as:

• -site preparation;
• -pipe preparation;
• -welding;
• -NDT;
• -hydro-testing;
• -drilling/perforation;
 • -reinstatement.
• -access to and around the hot-tap location for personnel and the welding and hot-tapping
equipment, including requirements for scaffolding;
• -roles of dedicated personnel and their responsibilities on site;
• -monitoring of operating conditions (flow rate, pressure, welding temperature) and gas levels;
• -foreseeable hazards and contingency actions;
• -communications on site;
• -warning system and emergency shutdown;
• -means of escape;
• -fire fighting equipment and personnel;
• -safety equipment and services;
• -first-aid facilities.
➢ Emergency procedures shall also be specifically addressed.

b. Outline the safety procedures to be considered when Traveling by Supply Boat 5 Marks

Answer (any 5 with 1 mark each)

I. All persons traveling to platforms, barges or other offshore facilities shall strictly adhere to the
following instructions and other instructions pertaining to the vessel or as may be advised by
the captain

II. Boarding the vessel from the dockside is a relatively easy and safe operation since the vessel is
moored against the jetty in calm waters

III. Boarding may be simply stepping onto the deck of the vessel or by walking up a gangway.
However, if a gangway is not provided the vessel must be moored "Close snubbed" alongside
the dock with no space between ship and jetty where persons may fall in

Iv. There must be a life jacket aboard the vessel for every person sailing on the vessel. All persons must
be shown the location of the life jackets.
V. All persons, on boarding the vessel, should be advised as to safety regulations and instructions for
passengers:
• Emergency procedures
• Location of life rafts

VI. Weather and sea conditions must be such that the boat Captain is able to keep the boat
close to the platform and is happy for the transfer to take place

VII. During the transfer, hands should be kept free. Baggage etc should be handed across
after the transfer is complete
 VIII. A life jacket must always be worn during the transfer and while on the boat landing
platform

IX. Swing ropes must be in good condition. At least 3 swing ropes should be provided

IV. Particular care should be taken to keep feet and legs clear of the platform landing face so as to
avoid being trapped by the boat bumping against the platform

c. List & Explain general questions to be asked on the basic needs during design stage of an offshore
structure- 5 Marks

Answer:

The basic needs are:

I. What is the type of platform? Oil or Gas, is it for process or Wellhead or Quarters etc
II. What is floor area of topsides required?
III. Expected maximum weight of facilities?
IV. What is basic water depth and environmental parameters such as wave and current?
V. Where is it located? Earthquake prone?
VI. What is type of installation? Lift installed or Launch installed?
VII. Any CAPEX constraints?
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Q4.

a. Outline the basic elements of an effective management of change system 5 Marks

ANSWER ( 5 MARKS- half mark for each answer)

• Responsibilities: Tasks and responsibilities are assigned within the process

• Written procedures: Written procedures and produced for each stage of the process

• Initiation of change; The change process is officially initiated

• Review and approval: The change process is reviewed and if all is OK approved.

• Interface with document control system: The head of the change process interfaces with the
written documents and the control system put in place to ascertain suitability.

• Training and physical modification enlightenment is given to all persons involve in the change
process;
 • Pre--startup safety review and approval: Before commencing the change process, all processes
involved are reviewed for safety compliance and approval sought.

• Commission of change: The change process is commissioned

• Close out: Close out of all actions involved

• Training: training is given to all persons involved for the new installed process

• Document Control: Documents relating to the change processed are safely kept in a controlled
manner.

• Assessment: Assessment and re-assessment of the change process if it meets requirements.

• Corrective action: If after assessment the new process does not meet requirements, then
corrective actions are recommended.

• Records: Records must be kept for future references.

b. Outline the Detailed Design stage of the design of an offshore structure 5 Marks

ANSWER (5 MARKS- half mark for each correct answer)

Detailed design of offshore platform will be initiated once the basic design confirms the
economic viability and technical feasibility. In the Detailed design or engineering of an offshore platform
following items of the jacket and deck will be developed in detail.
c. Describe the Offshore Platform 500 M Zone Entry Permit 5 Marks

ANSWER (5 MARKS- half mark for each correct answer)

I. Objectives of the Permit

• The 500-meter Zone permit is intended to ensure:
• Communication links are clearly defined
• Current work or operational conditions of the platform and Vessel are discussed, i.e. isolations,
anchor pattern requirements, sub-sea pipeline location, etc.
• Permission is granted before entering the 500-meter zone.

II. Application of the 500 Meter Permit

• Before vessel enters the 500-meter Zone
• the Vessel Master completes the zone entry permit by:
• Describing the vessel name, vessel type, date, platform, and reasons why to enter.
• Entering the vessel preparation information
• Contacting the platform and requesting permission to enter.
 • As applicable, request for a copy of the Isolation Confirmation Certificate –ICC, in English.
• Testing the communication link in the event of emergencies.
• Fax the Form to the Platform OIM for his approval to enter.

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Q5

a. Outline the Hazards operators encounter during operations involving of Pressure Testing 5 Marks

ANSWER ( 5 Marks- half mark for each correct answer)

b. Describe Concrete Gravity Platforms 5 Marks

ANSWER (5 MARKS- Award full 5 marks if answer is accompanied with a diagram)

Concrete gravity platforms are mostly used in the areas where feasibility of pile installation is
remote. These platforms are very common in areas with strong seabed geological conditions
either with rock outcrop or sandy formation.

Some part of North Sea oilfields and Australian coast, these kinds of platforms are located.
The concrete gravity platform by its name derive its horizontal stability against environmental forces by
means of its weight. These structures are basically concrete shells assembled in circular array with stem
columns projecting to above water to support the deck and facilities.
Concrete gravity platforms have been constructed in water depths as much as 350m.
 Concrete Gravity Platform

c. Outline the Basic Design stage of an offshore structure 5 Marks

ANSWER (5 MARKS- 2 marks for overview and half mark for each point)

Overview
At this stage of the project, the data collected during the FEED stage will be further verified
to make sure the authenticity and reliability of such data for further use. A detailed weight
estimates of all items involved in the project will be carried out. The process and mechanical
requirements will be further defined and identified. A Design Basis (DB) will be developed
for the proposed facility containing following information.

• Process information containing type of well fluid (oil or gas) and its characteristics, safety
requirements and kind of process technology to be adopted.
• Mechanical requirement such as type of facility and basic equipment required for the process,
and material handling and safety
• Electrical requirement such power generation equipment, lighting and switch gears etc

• Instrumentation requirement such as basic control system, feedback requirement etc.

• Piping information such as pressures, pipe sizes required etc.
• Meta-Ocean information such as water depth, wave, current, wind and tidal information at the
site.
 • Structural requirement such as materials proposed or available for use in the country, design
method to be adopted, codes and specifications to be used etc.
• Installation information such as type of barge, lifting crane, loadout-method, piling hammer etc.

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Q6

a. List and Explain 5 safety standards relating to the offshore industry 5 Marks

ANSWER 5 MARKS- (1 Mark for each answer with explanations)

• SOLAS: Safety of Life at Sea

• Offshore installations (Safety case) regulations 2005(SCR)
• Prevention of Fire and Explosion and Emergency Response regulation 1995 (PFEER)
• Offshore installations and wells (Design and Construction) regulation 1996 (DCR)
• Offshore Installations and pipeline work (Management and Administration) Regulations 1995
(MAR)
• The lifting operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1999 (LOLER)
• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA)
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR)
• •The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998

b. List and Explain Offshore Platforms by functional classification 5 Marks

ANSWER- 5 MARKS- 1 mark for each answer with explanations

I. Wellhead platform - primarily meant for drilling and supporting wellhead equipment. It
supports very few equipment such as wellhead control panel and piping. Occasionally it also
supports helicopter landing structure for emergency evacuation.

II. Process Platform - primary meant for production facilities (oil or gas) and it may support in
addition to equipment for production, such as power generation, utilities and living quarters.

III. Riser Platform - This is another kind of structure specially built to support all the incoming and
outgoing risers on a planned complex. This will also be connected to the main platform by
bridge.

IV. Living Quarters Platform - Sometimes due to safety requirements, the living quarters will be
supported on a separate structure away from the wellhead and process platforms. These
types of platform will be located at least 50m away from the neighboring process platforms
and will be connected by a bridge.
 V. Flare Support Platform- The flare boom structure to is meant to flare the excess gas from well
reservoirs may be supported on a separate structure either a tripod or four-legged jacket for
safety reasons. This is to avoid excessive heat on wellhead and process equipment on the
neighboring platforms. Usually this will be located away by a distance to be calculated based
on the heat output during flaring.

c. Describe FEED Stage of the design of offshore structure 5 Marks

ANSWER: 5 MARKS

The first step in initiating an offshore project is a FEED or concept selection. This stage of project will
involve following steps in all disciplines such as Process, Mechanical, Electrical and Instrumentation in
addition to Structural Engineering.

• Collection Process Data and identifying process needs and equipment

• Preliminary equipment sizing and area requirements

• Weight estimation based on past projects

• Identification of Structural configurations

• Preliminary estimation of structural weight

• Identification of installation methods

• Estimation of CAPEX within (+/- 40%) .

The above activities will define the project to a basic understanding and will provide enough insight into
carrying out further engineering activities.

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Q.7
a. Outline Facility Dead Loads 5 Marks

ANSWER- 5 MARKS

The structure built either for drilling or wellhead type platform or for process type platform supports
various equipment and facilities. These are fixed type items and not structural components. They do not
have any stiffness to offer in the global integrity of the structure and shall not be modeled. The weight
of such items shall be calculated and applied at the appropriate locations according the plan of the
structure.

These items include:

• Mechanical equipment
• Electrical equipment
 • Piping connecting each equipment
• Electrical Cable trays
• Instrumentation items

b. Outline the Geometrical Classification of offshore structures 5 marks

ANSWER – 5 MARKS

The structural configuration of fixed template type structures varies extensively from location to
location depending on the requirement and environmental conditions such as water depth, wave and
current loads etc. Based on geometry, jackets can be classified in to following categories:

I. Tripod - basically to support minimum facility such as few wellhead and riser or to support a
bridge between two major platforms or to support a flare boom.

II. 4 Legged- typically for wellhead platforms

III. 6 or 8 Legged - mainly for process complex

c. Outline the Hazard Detection Systems in a typical offshore structure 5 marks

ANSWER- 5 MARKS- half mark for each answer provided

• Smoke detection and alarm systems

• Heat detection and alarm systems

• Gas detection and alarm systems

• H2S detectors

• Hydrocarbon detectors

• Chlorine gas detectors

• Fire / Flame detectors and alarm systems

• Manual alarm call point (MACs)

• Noise detector system

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