Residual Curvature Riser (RCR): A Novel Concept

Abstract

Residual Curvature Riser (RCR) is proposed as a cost-effective alternative to enable steel catenary risers in harsh environments. It is a known solution used in flowlines to control upheaval and lateral buckling and is now studied to be applied in risers. The idea is to use a similar solution along the riser catenary, to protect the touchdown zone, a region that is commonly subjected to large curvature, from the Floating Production Unit (FPU) motions. This paper describes the technical qualification program developed so far, focused on the study of the behaviour of residual curvature in free hanging catenaries to understand its applications and limitations. It also presents and discusses the main results and draws key conclusions.