Structural Integrity Assessment of Aging Fixed Steel Offshore Jacket Platforms: A Persian Gulf Case Study

Abstract

The existing knowledge on the structural integrity assessment of offshore platforms may benefit from case studies on the life extension evaluations of aging structures. This paper presents a case study for the structural integrity assessment of an existing 8 legged aging drilling platform located in the Persian Gulf. The platform is now 42 years old and the objective of the study is to check its fit for purpose for a life extension of 25 years beyond 2012. The structural model is based on the best estimates of the existing conditions of the platform. A number of analysis approach such as i) assessment based on the previous exposures, ii) linear (elastic), iii) equivalent linear (or the linear global analysis with local overload considerations), and iv) non-linear analysis methods have been used to estimate the structural integrity of the platform. The paper provides further background, clarifications and proposed updates to API-RP 2A-Section 17. The paper is divided into three parts. Section 1 is a discussion on the background of the previous assessment study and perspective view on why the case study platform needs to be assessed. Section 2 and Section 3 include the finding of the code-noncompliance points of the platform based on the recommendations of API RP 2A-2007. Section 4 presents the remedy actions recommended for the fit for purpose of the platform.