Offshore Platform Technology

Dan Dolan

MMI Engineering
Oakland California
 Offshore Platform Technology

ƒ Current offshore wind power platforms

ƒ The application of offshore oil and gas
technology to offshore wind
ƒ Current efforts on the development of
design standards for offshore wind
 Definitions

Tower

Support
Waterline Structure
Substructure
Mudline

Foundation
 Current Practice - Monopiles
ƒ Most widely used
ƒ Very simple design
ƒ Installations up to 16 ft
diameter
ƒ Driven or drilled into place
ƒ Lateral load capacity is
limited
ƒ Performs best in shallow
water
– Sites in 65 ft water depths
Horns Rev
Current Practice – Gravity Base Structures
ƒ Fewer existing applications
ƒ Steel or concrete
ƒ Provides some additional
installation options
ƒ Seabed preparation is
required
ƒ Scour can be a problem
ƒ Overturning is resisted
through weight
ƒ Performs best in shallow
water Nysted
- Sites in 30 ft water depth
 Current Practice – Jackets
ƒ Fewest existing
applications
ƒ Multiple, smaller piles
ƒ More complex design
and fabrication
ƒ Strong and stiff
ƒ Can be used in
deeper water sites

Beatrice
 Current Distribution
Offshore Wind Farm Installations

10
Number

0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Water Depth (m)
 Concept Selection
Bottom
Floating
Founded

Gravity Base
Tension Leg Centenary
/Mat Pile Founded
Platform Moored
Foundations

Multiple Pile
Self Floating Lift Installed Monopiles Spars Calm Buoys
Systems

Braced Compliant
Concrete Steel Jackets
Caissons Towers
 Floating Concepts
ƒ Many hull shape and mooring
alternatives
ƒ Applicable to deep water sites
ƒ Extends reach well beyond
bottom founded concepts
– Eliminates view-shed issues
ƒ Potentially lower CAPEX cost
ƒ Sea keeping and rotor sensitivity
to motion are key issues

Ref Drijftwind
 Range of Concept Applicability

Jackets Floating
Systems
Cost

Monopiles

Transition
Depths

Water Depth
Feasibility of Offshore Wind in the US
ƒ Offshore wind is a proven technology
– Viable options exist today to develop offshore
resources
ƒ Major cost reductions will likely come from EPC
competition
– Innovative construction equipment and techniques
– “Batch” fabrication and construction
– Concept refinement will have less impact
ƒ New concepts will expand the reach of offshore
development
Offshore Oil and Gas
Experience
 Technologies/Experience
ƒ Over 6,000 platforms
installed to date worldwide
– Fixed and floating
– Monopiles and complex
jackets
– Rigid and compliant
ƒ Environmental conditions
– Hurricane, wind, earthquake,
ice, mudslide
ƒ 25,000+ piles installed
Are all oil and gas platforms large?

Is this
relevant?
Minimal Platforms
 Gulf of Mexico Installations
Current
~4000 Installations
500

450
Caissons
400 Jackets
(per 20 ft increm ent in W .D.)

Compliant Towers
350 Spars
TLPs
300
Num ber

250

200

150

100

50

0
10 100 1000 10000
Water depth (ft)
 Watch out for the tails

Factor of
Load Safety Resistance
Frequency

Value

Design for 50 year or 100 year storm?

Storm Overload Examples

Main Pass 209A after Katrina

Storm Overload Examples

Mars TLP after Katrina

Storm Overload Examples

Hurricane Rita Damage

Storm Overload Examples

Typhoon TLP after Rita

 What does O&G tell us?
ƒ There is no one answer
– There are central tendencies but variations are
significant
ƒ There are many options for “low cost” minimal
structures
ƒ Simple solutions are typically more cost effective
(less risky) that complex alternatives
ƒ Major cost efficiencies will come from EPIC
competition
– Innovative construction methods and equipment
Code Benchmark Joint Industry
Project
 JIP STUDY
ƒ Objective
– Compare API and IEC standards for OWTG in US waters
ƒ Direct comparison
– Performance requirements (50 vs 100 year storm)
– Design methodologies
ƒ Reliability assessment
– Inherent levels
– Regional variability
– Variability with concept type
ƒ Assess cost impact for different performance
requirements
 Sponsors
Minerals Management Service
National Renewable Energy Laboratories
EPRI
Southern Company
GE Wind Energy
Clipper Wind
UPC Wind
BP
FPL Energy
Long Island Power Authority
ABS
DNV
Germanischer Lloyd
Questions?