Life Extension of Existing

Offshore Structures
Need
 Many offshore installations reaching their anticipated design
life.

 High Cost of New Installation.

 Rates of platform decommissioning and new installations are

relatively low.

 Demonstration of continued performance beyond design life.

Design Life
 Assumed Period at the time of design

 Structure to be used for its intended purpose

 With anticipated maintenance

 Without substantial repair

Structural Performance
-Life Extension
Re-qualification & Life Extension
Requalification
 Within the design life

 Change in use

 Structural Modifications

Life Extension
 Continued Operation beyond assumed design life.

 Requalification leads to Life Extension

Structural Integrity Management
Knowledge regarding
 Condition of the structure

 Fatigue & Corrosion

 Response of the structure in aged condition

Requires
 Inspection techniques (damage detection & assessment)

 Structural Analysis Method

Structural Management Cycle ISO 19902
Structural Integrity Considerations

 Affects fatigue limit state

 Cracking & Corrosion problems affects the Reserve strength -> Ultimate
Strength
 Cracking after damage state (accident)
 Subsidence/foundation Problems (Extreme situation)

Competency SIM –ISO 19902 & API RP
 Familiar with relevant information involved in the SIM process
 Familiar with relevant information about the specific platforms under

considerations
 Knowledge in Offshore Structural Engineering
 Knowledge about underwater corrosion process and prevention
 Realization of difference between design and assessment engineering
 Experienced in offshore inspection planning
 Knowledgeable in inspection tools/ techniques
 Perception of general inspection findings in the offshore industry
Structural Evaluation/ Assessment
 Ageing during service changes the physical condition of
structure.

 Assessment of present Structure after serving its purpose for

some past years.

 To demonstrate structure is capable of carrying out its

intended functions in all phases of their life cycle
Structural Evaluation
 Platform age.

 Condition of primary structure.

 Original Design Criteria.

 Reserve Strength / degree of structural redundancy.

 Platform modifications, additions, repairs, strengthening

 Change of use.

 Versions of the design code.

 Option of regular dry docking for inspection, maintenance and
repair is not feasible for MOPU
 Introduces issues associated with ageing and reduced
inspection and maintenance activity
Evaluation
Process
Structural Assessment Initiators

 Changes from the original design

 Damage or deterioration of a primary structural component

 Exceedance of design service life

Data Collection
 Data collection is an important part of an assessment process.

 Further collection of data if significant data are missing

 Feasibility of data should be considered.

 An update of the design basis -part of the assessment of data.

 If data are missing, make assumptions to the safe side.

Data Required
 As built drawings of the structure
 New Information on environmental data
 Permanent and variable actions
 Previous & Future Functional Requirements
 Design & Fabrication Specification
 Inplace behavior (dynamic response)
 Design Assumptions
 Weight Report
 Corrosion Management Plan
Data Required
 Soil Condition

 Information on Modification, Strengthening & Repair

 In service Inspection History

- Marine Growth
- Corrosion
- Cracks
- Deflections
- Impact
Procedures
Ultimate Limit State
- Linear Analysis & Code Check (CC)
- Non linear system strength Analysis & CC
- Structural Reliability Analysis for ultimate limit state
check
Fatigue Limit State
- SN fatigue Analysis
- Fracture mechanics crack growth analysis
- Structural Reliability Analysis for fatigue limit state
Fatigue
Assessment
Fatigue Assessment
 In service history of Structure
- Changes & Modifications to the facility
- Assessment of any reported damages
 Planned future changes to the facility
 Consider the structural analysis models required to obtain a Reliable
assessment.
 Different structural models can be required for different phases, subsidence
stages or modifications.
 Detailed and consistent fatigue analysis of the structure based on best
practice.
Fatigue Assessment
 Compare calculated fatigue lives with in-service inspections results
w.r.t fatigue cracks.
 If fatigue cracks are found in the structure, it should be checked that
this can be expected based on calculated lives.
 If calculated lives are not in agreement with observed fatigue
cracking, look uncertainties in hot spot stress and fatigue capacity.
 Assessment of relevance of SCF and S-N data.
 Perform calibration of data based on assessment of significant
uncertainty parameters in calculated fatigue life.
 Perform revised fatigue assessment and set plan for further in-
service inspection for fatigue cracks that fulfils target safety level or
the intended safety level
Fatigue Assessment
 Inspection interval is dependent on the reliability of the inspection method
 In-service inspection is an integral part of structural integrity management,
 In-service inspection is an ongoing process for ensuring fitness for purpose.
 Use electromagnetic NDT methods, i.e. EC or MPI for

surface crack detection in high consequence welded connections.

 Verify low consequence member’s condition by flooded member detection.
 EC/MPI surface crack detection program is performed without findings, time
to next inspection may be reassessed.
 If significant fatigue cracks are found, Review the inspection intervals for
similar important joints.
Mitigations for Fatigue
 Reduce loading
-Remove members,
-Remove inactive conductors, appurtenances,
-Remove marine growth;
 Reduce stress level by strengthening
-Install new members, clamps;
 Reduce stress concentrations
-Internal grouting a tubular joint;
 Improve fatigue capacity by improvement methods
-Grinding
-Hammer Peening
 Perform controlled in-service inspections
-Detect cracks before they are through wall thickness
Conclusion
 Life extension assessment has been formally recognized by the offshore
industry recently.
 Guidance on life extension is limited but is developing.
 Better awareness of the hazards arising from ageing processes and
preparedness for possibility of accumulating & accelerating structural
damage that might occur in life extension phase.
 Structural components which are susceptible to ageing processes and are
difficult or impossible to inspect, e.g. piles, are a matter of particular
concern for life extension and require special consideration.
Codes ,Standards & RP
Fatigue Life Extension
 ISO 19902,Fixed structures, Section A15 (Fatigue), Cumulative Damage
and Extended Life
 NORSOK N-004, Design of Steel Structures, Section 10.2,Extended
fatigue Life
 DNV RP C203, Fatigue Strength Analysis of Offshore Steel Structures,
Chapter 5,Extended fatigue life
 DNV OSS 101, Special provisions for ageing mobile offshore and self
elevating units
 ABS, Guide for the Fatigue Assessment of Offshore Structures
Codes, Standards & RP
Assessment Codes
 ISO 2394, General principles on reliability for structures, Chapter 8, Assessment of
existing structures
 ISO 13822, Basis for design of structures, Assessment of existing structures
 ISO 19900, Offshore Structures, General Requirements, Section 9- Assessment of
existing structures
 ISO 19902, Fixed structures, Section 25, Assessment of existing structures
 NORSOK N-004, Design of Steel structures, Chapter 10, Reassessment of
Structures
 DNV OSS 101, Special provisions for ageing mobile offshore and self elevating
units
 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 356 & 440
 Applied Technology Council ( ATC) 40 & 55
 API RP 2A
Codes, Standards & RP
Corrosion
 NORSOK , Cathodic Protection, M-503
 DNV , RP, Cathodic Protection Design
Inspection, Maintenance & Survey
 API RP2A
 ISO 19902 section 24, in-service inspection and structural integrity
management
 NORSOK N-005, Condition Monitoring of Load bearing structures
 DNV OSS101, Special Provisions for ageing mobile offshore and self
elevating units