MAY

S-631-07
2020

Supplementary Specification
for Stationkeeping
 Supplementary Specification for Stationkeeping

Acknowledgements
This IOGP Specification was prepared by a Joint Industry Project 35,
Standardisation of Offshore Structures Specifications organized
by IOGP with support by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Disclaimer
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information
contained in this publication, neither IOGP nor any of its Members past present or
future warrants its accuracy or will, regardless of its or their negligence, assume
liability for any foreseeable or unforeseeable use made thereof, which liability is
hereby excluded. Consequently, such use is at the recipient’s own risk on the basis
that any use by the recipient constitutes agreement to the terms of this disclaimer.
The recipient is obliged to inform any subsequent recipient of such terms.
This publication is made available for information purposes and solely for the private
use of the user. IOGP will not directly or indirectly endorse, approve or accredit the
content of any course, event or otherwise where this publication will be reproduced.

Copyright notice
The contents of these pages are © International Association of Oil & Gas Producers.
Permission is given to reproduce this report in whole or in part provided (i)
that the copyright of IOGP and (ii) the sources are acknowledged. All other rights are
reserved. Any other use requires the prior written permission of IOGP.
These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of England and Wales. Disputes arising here from shall be exclusively
subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

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Supplementary Specification for Stationkeeping

Supplementary Specification for

Stationkeeping

Revision history

VERSION DATE AMENDMENTS

1 20 May 2020 Issued for Publication

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 Supplementary Specification for Stationkeeping

Contents

Foreword ...................................................................................................................................................... 5
1. Scope ................................................................................................................................................. 6
2. Normative References ........................................................................................................................ 6
3. Supplementary Requirements for Stationkeeping ................................................................................ 6
Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................ 14

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 Supplementary Specification for Stationkeeping

Foreword

A series of Specifications (all parts of S-631) was prepared under a Joint Industry Project 35 (JIP35) by the ‘Offshore
Structures Specifications Task Force’ organised by the International Oil & Gas Producers Association (IOGP) with support
from the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Recent trends in oil and gas projects have demonstrated substantial budget and schedule overruns. The Oil & Gas
Community within the World Economic Forum (WEF) have implemented a Capital Project Complexity (CPC) initiative which
seeks to drive a reduction in upstream project costs with a focus on industry-wide, non-competitive collaboration and
standardisation.

Further to the publication of the IOGP Operators’ Position and Key Messages on Standards (April 2017) and successful
pilot study for IOGP JIP 33 Standardisation of Equipment Specifications for Procurement, the IOGP Offshore Structures
Subcommittee discussed improving efficiency in this discipline by reducing or eliminating variation in requirements between
operating companies and developing common operator requirements for offshore structures. The Offshore Structures
Subcommittee established a Task Force (with administrative support funded by JIP35) to agree on the industry and/or
international standard for each discipline and then develop minimum common requirements to improve efficiency and
quality while reducing variation and cost.

Ten key Oil & Gas Companies from the IOGP membership participated in developing these Specifications, with the objective
to leverage and improve industry level standardisation for projects globally in the oil and gas sector.

The work has developed a minimised set of supplementary requirements for the design and operation of offshore structures
based on a critical review of the ten participating members’ company specifications, building on recognised industry and/or
international standards.

The task covers 11 subdisciplines, each associated with one industry and/or international standard, for application in the
Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries:

1. S-631-01 General requirements for offshore structures 7. S-631-07 Station keeping

2. S-631-02 Arctic offshore structures 8. S-631-08 Seismic
3. S-631-03 Concrete offshore structures 9. S-631-09 Metocean
4. S-631-04 Topsides structures 10. S-631-10 Marine soil investigations
5. S-631-05 Foundations 11. S-631-11 Fixed steel offshore structures
6. S-631-06 Weight management

A twelfth subdiscipline, floating offshore structures, was specified as part of the task but has been deferred due to the
complexity of having a range of classification society rules and the volume of additional company requirements for this
subdiscipline.

The expectation is that the participating and other operating and engineering companies will adopt and reference all parts
of the specification series IOGP S-631 for offshore structures, with the participating companies eliminating the supplemental
requirements from their in-house specifications. Tracking the adoption of the parts of this specification and of the reduction
in company requirements will be managed by the IOGP Offshore Structures Subcommittee.

This series of Specifications has been developed to promote the opportunity to realise benefits from standardisation and
achieve significant cost reductions for upstream project costs. The Offshore Structures Specification Task Force performed
their activities in accordance with IOGP’s Competition Law Guidelines. Terminology used within this Specification is in
accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 and as defined in the parent standard.

This series of Specifications aims to significantly reduce waste, decrease project costs and improve schedule through pre-
competitive collaboration on standardisation. These specifications define the supplementary requirements to recognised
industry and/or international standards which are indispensable for the application of this specification.

Following approval by the IOGP Offshore Structures Subcommittee, IOGP has authorised the publication of this
Specification. Where adopted by the individual operating companies, this Specification aims to supersede existing company
documentation for the purpose of industry-harmonised standardisation.

In the event of a conflict between these Specifications and a relevant local law or regulation, the relevant law or regulation
shall be followed. If these Specifications create a higher obligation, it shall be followed as long as this also achieves full
compliance with the law or regulation.

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 Supplementary Specification for Stationkeeping

1. Scope

This specification provides supplementary requirements and recommendations to ISO 19901-7.

This specification does not specifically apply to mobile mooring systems or to the assessment of existing stationkeeping
systems, however, the principles applied at design can be considered good practice throughout a structures’ operating life.

2. Normative References
The following normative references shall apply:

ISO 19901-7: 2013 Petroleum and natural gas industries — Specific requirements for offshore structures —
Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units

API RP 2SM: 2014 Design, Manufacture, Installation, and Maintenance of Synthetic Fibre Ropes for Offshore
Mooring

3. Supplementary Requirements for Stationkeeping

Requirements, recommendations and guidance for the stationkeeping of offshore structures shall be in accordance with
ISO 19901-7: 2013, and the following amendments to the referenced clauses in ISO 19901-7: 2013.

NOTE 1 The publication of API RP 2SK 4th Edition, expected in 2021, builds upon ISO 19901-7: 2013. Similar language was used for
some of the supplemental requirements herein and in API RP 2SK.

NOTE 2 The term “owner” is defined in ISO 19901-7: 2013 and is used throughout, while noting this term can include the operator. Thus,
the term “owner” is used in this supplementary specification. Clarity of the responsible party is needed in the next revision to ISO 19901-7
to align with ISO 19900:2019 terms and definitions.

5 Overall considerations

5.2 Safety requirements

Add after the last paragraph:

The owner shall specify the floating structure offset limits based on likelihood and consequence of exceedance.

5.3 Planning requirements

Add after the last paragraph:

The designer shall specify whether each mooring system’s component can or cannot be replaced in-service. For
mooring components that can be replaced in-service, the designer shall provide a preliminary procedure describing
the replacement method for these components.

The designer shall account for uncertainties associated with the stationkeeping system at time of hook-up within
the offset limits, i.e. installation tolerances.

NOTE Tolerances typically include anchor locations, anchor chain pull in through soil, uneven seafloor, incorrect chain link in
stopper.

The designer shall incorporate the method for confirming mooring line pretensions at hook-up and associated
uncertainty in such measurements.

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6 Design requirements

6.3 Defining design situations

Delete all details within this clause.

Add:

The owner shall specify design situations for the stationkeeping system in accordance with the requirements of a
regulatory authority where one exists. Aspects to be considered in determining design situations include:
‒ service requirements for the stationkeeping system,
‒ design service life,
‒ hazards (e.g. accidental events) to which the stationkeeping system and the connected floating structure
can be exposed during its design service life,
‒ potential consequences of partial or complete stationkeeping system failure, and
‒ nature and severity of environmental conditions to be expected during the design service life.
‒ Integrity and serviceability of any other operating situations as part of the function of the floating structure
(e.g. offloading vessels, offloading buoys or supply vessel directly connected).

6.4 Design situations

6.4.1 General

Delete the fourth paragraph.

6.4.2 Design situations for ULS

6.4.2.2 Permanent moorings

6.4.2.2.1 General

Add to the end of the second paragraph:

where the following 100-year return period combinations shall be evaluated:

‒ 100-year wind with associated waves and current
‒ 100-year waves with associated wind and current
‒ 100-year current with associated wind and waves

NOTE Combinations can be further subdivided, for example, wave criteria can be further subdivided into wind seas and swell
seas, wind criteria can be further subdivided into gusts and squalls.

Add after last paragraph:

The owner shall approve the final stationkeeping design configuration for permanent installation.

The mooring system design and installation procedure should minimise the time required to install the mooring
system. The storm safe situation is defined as the minimum number of mooring lines that are required to be
connected before the floating structure can survive a site-specific seasonal environmental action (e.g. storm, loop
or eddy current, etc.). The storm safe situation shall be determined by a risk assessment. The risk assessment
should consider the consequences of failure (e.g. nearby facilities, safety of people). Where the consequence of
failure is entirely financial, the owner shall select (1) the return period of the environmental action, (2) the estimated
time required to achieve the storm safe condition, and (3) the safety factor.

Where the consequence of failure is not purely financial, the storm shall not be less severe than a 1-year return
period site and seasonal specific environmental action; the owner shall specify the time required to achieve the

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Supplementary Specification for Stationkeeping

storm safe condition. To ensure no damage to the mooring components, the maximum tension should not be higher
than the component’s proof load.

The environmental return period shall be documented when operation of a floating structure with one mooring
line out of service is acceptable. The environmental criteria shall be based on the impaired system (the original
system with one line out of service) meeting the ULS tension safety factors for the intact (1 line out of service) and
redundancy check (2 lines missing: 1 line out of service and 1 line failed) conditions, using site specific seasonal
environmental return period. To develop a more complete understanding of the performance of the stationkeeping
system, the owner or operator may perform analyses for additional cases.

6.4.2.2.2 Permanent moorings with a short design service life

Delete Clause 6.4.2.2.2.

7 Actions

7.1 General

Add:

Design shall be based on site specific metocean and seismic data provided or approved by the owner.

7.2 Site-specific data requirements

7.2.8 Marine growth

Replace the second sentence with:

For permanent systems, marine growth on the hull and mooring system shall be accounted for in the mooring
analysis. The more conservative case (i.e. either with or without marine growth) shall be identified and used for the
mooring design. The method to be used to define mooring line and riser properties with marine growth shall be
approved by the owner.

7.4 Indirect actions

7.4.4 Wind-induced actions

Delete the word “empirical” in the first sentence.

Add the following as the second sentence of the first paragraph:

Drag coefficients should account for potential variations in angle of inclination of the floating structure.

7.4.5 Current-induced actions

Delete the word “empirical” in the first sentence.

7.4.6 Directional distribution

Delete the requirement:

The floating structure offsets and motions to be used in the stationkeeping system design shall be evaluated for the
most unfavourable combinations of wind directions, wave directions and current directions, consistent with the site-
specific metocean characteristics.

Add:

The floating structure offsets and motions to be used in the stationkeeping system design shall be evaluated for
the most unfavourable collinear and non-collinear combinations of wind directions, wave directions and current
directions, consistent with the site-specific metocean characteristics.

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8 Mooring analysis

8.1 Basic considerations

8.1.2 Mooring analysis conditions

8.1.2.3 Redundancy check condition

Add after the end of the first paragraph:

For mooring lines that include one or more spring buoys, clump weights or loop/weight chains, the loss of buoyancy
of a spring buoy, clump weight or loop/weight chain shall be considered as a potential damaged mooring line
scenario.

8.3 Floating structure response

8.3.1 Analysis methods

Add:

The owner shall approve the mooring analysis software.

8.3.1.1 General

Add:

The owner shall approve model testing plans and procedures.

Contractor shall perform an analysis of yaw moments about the turret, or external mooring point (e.g. mooring
tower or CALM) produced by environmental actions.

8.3.1.3 Time-domain approach

Add:

The analysis shall include a sufficient number of realizations of the design environment (wind and wave seeds) to
reach statistical convergence of the predicted characteristic values of extreme responses.

8.3.4 Riser considerations

Substitute the second last sentence of the first paragraph with:

Mooring design shall account for the riser actions, stiffness and damping.

8.10 Transient analysis of floating structure motions

8.10.1 General

Add after last paragraph:

The methodology of transient analysis shall be approved by the owner.

9 Fatigue analysis

9.1 Basic considerations

Add after last paragraph:

The recommendation given in Annex A.10.4.3.1.3 for fatigue design of anchor piles shall be applied.

For fatigue analysis, the owner shall approve deviation from methodology and parameters developed in Clause 9
or recommendations in Annex A.9.

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Supplementary Specification for Stationkeeping

The level of reporting shall be approved by the owners.

9.2 Fatigue resistance

9.2.1 Wire rope, chain and connecting links

Add:

The fatigue resistance of components not specifically addressed in Clause 9.2 (subsea connectors, H-link, etc.)
shall be calculated using the appropriate SN curve for the base material and appropriate stress concentration
factors (SCFs).

9.2.2 T-N curves

Add after the first paragraph after Table 3:

For chain links that are subjected to more complex loading (e.g. bending, torque, and tension), the fatigue damage
assessment methodology shall be approved by the owner. Complex loading can occur at the chain links close to
the stopper, fairlead, through hawse pipe, on or close to the bending shoe, and at or near to the touchdown point
on the seabed.

NOTE Information about assessing complex loading can be found in “Fatigue of Top Chain of Mooring Lines due to In-plane
and Out-of-plane Bendings” Bureau Veritas Guidance Note NI 604 or “Guidance for Assessing Out-of-Plane Bending Fatigue
on Chain Used In Permanent Mooring Systems” SNAME Offshore Symposium, February 14, 2018.

Substitute the second paragraph after Table 3 with:

To allow for the effects of corrosion and wear of common or connecting links, the reference strength shall be
calculated as that of ORQ common or connecting links with the diameter reduced by half of the lifetime corrosion
and wear allowance.

10 Design criteria

10.4 Anchoring systems

10.4.1 General

Add:

The risk of trenching around the touchdown zone on the mooring and anchor system shall be assessed.

10.4.3 Anchor piles

Add:

Contingency pile locations shall:

1. Be identified in case of pile embedment failure
2. Identify the required clearance from the previous pile location
3. Include the applicable mooring analysis for the contingency locations

Actual pile embedment and orientation shall be reported by the installation contractor and included in the as built
documentation.

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10.6 Corrosion and wear

Replace the last sentence of the second paragraph with:

The owner should provide values for corrosion, abrasion, and wear allowance. In the absence of such values, the
following may be considered:
‒ 0,8 mm per year of the design service life, for those parts of a mooring line in the splash zone or zone of
hard-bottom sea floor contact, and
‒ 0,4 mm per year of the design service life, for the remaining length.

10.7 Clearances

10.7.1 Basic considerations

Add:

Permanent mooring systems with wire segments or polyester ropes in the catenary (suspended in the water column)
shall be designed so that seabed contact due to motion is avoided for the lower end (including connector), in ULS
intact condition.

NOTE: Clearance between the mooring and riser systems is part of the riser design.

10.7.3 Horizontal Distance between installations

Delete the word “Horizontal” in Clause 10.7.3 title.

Delete the word “horizontal” in the first sentence.

11 Mooring hardware

11.1 Mooring line components

11.1.1 General

Delete the recommendation:

Manufacturing of mooring hardware should be subject to an appropriate level of quality assurance.

Add:

The design, manufacturer and quality assurance of mooring hardware shall be in accordance with the specifications
or standards stipulated by the owner.

Synthetic fibre rope should be manufactured to the requirements of API RP 2SM: 2014 and Clause 14.

NOTE Mooring hardware includes any installation aids which become permanent components.

Add after last paragraph:

The owner shall specify any requirements for component qualification testing.

11.2 Winching equipment

Replace the word “Winching” in Clause 11.2 Title with “Hauling”.

Replace the existing paragraphs with:

Hauling equipment (winches, windlasses, chain jacks, etc.) shall meet the provisions specified by the owner.

The capacity, reliability, and redundancy of the hauling system (prime movers, electrical, hydraulic and control
systems, etc.) and maintenance of the equipment shall depend on the criticality of the system.

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Supplementary Specification for Stationkeeping

Mooring lines are subjected to high wear and high stresses at the fairlead and stopper arrangements. Fairleads
and stopper arrangements should be designed to minimise wear and fatigue of mooring line components.

If dual-axis chain support assemblies, two degree of freedom articulated hawse pipe assemblies are supplied, the
hawse pipe length should be sufficient to ensure that the assembly will rotate on the bearings for small angles of
chain movement to reduce interlink wear and/or fatigue damage.

The chain, wire rope, or fibre rope stored in chain lockers or on storage reels shall be assessed for potential
additional damage in these local conditions, e.g. due to accelerated corrosion, ultraviolet light, etc.

11.3 Monitoring equipment

Add:

The robustness, reliability, and redundancy, of monitoring systems and the maintenance of the equipment shall
depend on the criticality of the system. The manner in which the systems can be maintained, replaced, or upgraded
shall be included in the design.

11.3.2 Line payout

Add:

The remaining length of chain inboard of the stopper or length of wire on the drum shall be monitored to ensure
that the line’s terminal end is not lost overboard.

11.3.3 Floating structure position

Replace the first sentence with:

If serviceability requirements impose constraints on the floating structure offset, the structure shall be equipped
with a reliable and redundant system to monitor its position.

Add after first paragraph:

For permanent mooring systems, the monitoring system shall include continuous horizontal position monitoring of
the structure, with a reliable redundant system that includes indication of any movement outside of specified offset
limits.

11.3.4 Floating structure heading

Add prior to the last paragraph:

The monitoring system shall include continuous vessel heading monitoring, with indication of any movement
outside of specified heading limits.

12 In-service inspection, monitoring and maintenance

12.3 Permanent moorings

12.3.2 Structural integrity management system philosophies

12.3.2.5 Implementation

Add:

A post-installation survey shall be performed to confirm that there is no visible damage and that the mooring system
has been installed as intended.

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14 Synthetic fibre rope mooring

14.1 Basic considerations

Replace the third paragraph with:

A jacket shall be used on fibre ropes to protect against external abrasion expected to occur while in-service, during
installation and during recovery.

The designer and installation contractor shall minimise the risk of contact of the fibre rope moorings with other
ropes, wires, umbilicals, etc., as this could result in damage to the fibre rope.

The fibre rope shall have a proven soil particle filter under the jacket suitable for the site conditions.

Replace the fourth paragraph with:

The design and testing of synthetic fibre ropes shall be in accordance with the standard specified by the owner and
should address at least:
‒ rope strength,
‒ tension-elongation properties,
‒ fatigue resistance;
‒ rope protection (jacket and particle ingress protection);
‒ torque properties, as applicable,
‒ rope length over the service life that has impact on the design, and
‒ temperature limits and effects

Add:

The requirements in this Clause shall be supplemented by the requirements in API RP 2SM:2014. Where the
requirements differ between this Clause and API RP 2SM, the more stringent shall be applied.

14.2 Fibre rope mooring analysis

14.2.1 Fibre rope tension-elongation properties

Delete the last paragraph.

Add:

The axial stiffness properties (static and dynamic) as well as the unloaded length of the fibre rope used in the
mooring analysis shall be based on test results for representative loading conditions and operation of the mooring
as per above.

Line length testing and data shall include both recoverable and non-recoverable extension that occurs after
unloading and differences in line length for different design, manufacturing, installation and operating conditions.

Manufacturer brochure data shall only be used for preliminary design work.

14.2.2 Fibre rope line length

Add as the first paragraph:

Method(s) to verify that the rope manufactured line length including the splices meets the projects specified
requirements shall be developed and implemented.

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 Supplementary Specification for Stationkeeping

14.3 Fatigue analysis

14.3.1 Tension-tension fatigue resistance

Add:

The calculated fatigue life of the steel components of the mooring line are sensitive to the load-elongation properties
of the fibre rope components. The non-linear elastic properties of the fibre rope shall be modelled based on the
specific test data for the rope.

NOTE 1 Differences in fibre rope segment lengths due to permanent elongation can result in unequal load sharing for lines
within a group and thus have an impact on the fatigue damage of the fibre and steel components. Fatigue analyses based on
idealised mooring systems can result in a significant under-estimation of the fatigue damage.

NOTE 2 It is important to allow for the uncertainty in fibre rope lengths and stiffness in the fatigue analysis.

14.5 Design criteria

14.5.1 Maximum line tension

Add:

The calculated mooring component tensions are sensitive to the load-elongation properties of the fibre rope
components. The non-linear elastic properties of the fibre rope shall be modelled based on the specific test data
for the rope.

NOTE 1 Differences in fibre rope segment lengths due to permanent elongation can result in unequal load sharing for lines
within a group and thus have an impact on mean and extreme tensions in the fibre and steel segments. Strength analyses based
on idealised mooring systems can result in a significant under-estimation of the extreme tensions.

NOTE 2 It is important to allow for the uncertainty in fibre rope lengths, load sharing, and stiffness in the strength analysis.

14.6 Model testing

Delete the second sentence.

Bibliography

API RP 2SK: 2005 Design and Analysis of Stationkeeping Systems for Floating Structures

END

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