Offshore Pipeline Installation: 3-Dimensional Finite Element Modelling

Abstract

The future offshore pipeline development projects envisage the installation of medium to large diameter pipelines (16″ to 32″ ND) transporting gas from the deep waters to the shallow water areas. The development of these deep water projects is limited by the feasibility/economics of the construction phase using the J-lay or the S-lay technology. In particular, the S-lay feasibility depends on the applicable tension at the tensioner which is a function of water depth, stinger geometry (length and curvature), and installation criteria. In this paper: – The challenges of future deep water offshore pipelines are briefly presented; – The installation criteria at the overbend, stinger tip and sagbend are discussed; – The ABAQUS FE Model, developed to simulate pipeline installation, is presented together with the pre- and post-processing program put in place; – The results of the developed ABAQUS FE Model are given considering two typical examples of deep water pipelines installed in the S-lay mode.

Numerical Investigation into Freak Wave Effects on Deepwater Pipeline Installation

“…These non-linear features could cause some difficulties for analytical approaches and experimental tests to obtain accurate and comprehensive simulations. As a consequence, numerical techniques are preferred for modeling systematical behaviors of offshore pipelines in the S-lay process [13][14][15]. Gong et al [16] and Gong and Xu [17] developed a full FEM on the basis of OrcaFlex to simulate the structural behaviors of pipeline installation and explored the influence of normal sea states on the pipeline responses.…”