Proceedings

Proceedings ofof OMAE04

OMAE04
23rD International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering
23rd International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering
June 20–25, 2004, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
June 20-25, 2004, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

OMAE2004-51201
OMAE2004-51201

HIGH HOLDING POWER TORPEDO PILE – RESULTS FOR THE FIRST LONG TERM
APPLICATION

Jairo Bastos de Araujo Rogério Diniz Machado Cipriano Jose de Medeiros Junior
Petróleo Brasileiro S. A. Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. Petróleo Brasileiro S. A.
jairoba@petrobras.com.br rogeriodm@petrobras.com.br cipri.AUTONOMO@petrobras.com.br

ABSTRACT In April 2001 the Classification Society Bureau Veritas

Petrobras developed a new kind of anchoring device
known as Torpedo. This is a steel pile of appropriate weight
and shape that is launched in a free fall procedure to be used as
fixed anchoring point by any type of floating unit. There are
two Torpedoes, T-43 and T-98 weighing 43 and 98 metric tons
respectively.
On October 2002 T-43 was tested offshore Brazil in Campos
Basin. The successful results approved and certified by Bureau
Veritas, and the need for a feasible anchoring system for new
Petrobras Units in deep water fields of Campos Basin led to the
development of a Torpedo with High Holding Power.
Petrobras FPSO P-50, a VLCC that is being converted with a
spread-mooring configuration will be installed in Albacora
Leste field in the second semester of 2004. Its mooring analysis
showed that the required holding power for the mooring system
would be very high. Drag embedment anchors option would
require four big Anchor Handling Vessels for anchor tensioning
operations at 1400 m water depth. For this purpose T-98 was
designed and its field tests were completed in April 2003.
This paper discusses T-98 design, building, tests and ABS
certification for FPSO P-50.
INTRODUCTION
T-98 started to be developed by PETROBRAS in
October 2000 as a mooring point alternative to hold high
vertical loads and after positive test results employing T-43
torpedo for drilling rigs.
certified the T-43. However, there was a large scenario for the
application of T-98 in deep water fields under development in
Campos Basin, which indicated that the studies should proceed.
The mooring analysis of the PETROBRAS FPSO P-50 showed
that the required holding power on the anchors had to be very
high. In case of drag embedment anchors were used as mooring
points, the necessary pretension on the anchors would require
03 to 04 anchor handling vessels (AHV) for the operation to be
performed.
It was determined that the immediate client for the result of
tests performed with T-98 would be P-50. Therefore the work
regarding the design of a torpedo that could meet the
requirements of the FPSO was started, as well as the procedures
to obtain an American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) certification.
From then on, the need to build and perform field tests on T-98,
followed-up by ABS, became evident.
THE FPSO P-50 AND ITS MOORING SYSTEM
The unit, a VLCC to be converted into a FPSO, is to
be moored in 1240 m water depth, Albacora Leste Field,
Campos Basin, Brazil, by eighteen points semi-taut leg
mooring system with line make-up consisting of chain and
polyester rope, designed for long term production – 25 years –
in accordance with the criteria specified in API RP-2SK [1].
The seabed presents a shallow angle of slope that is considered
in the analysis not greater than 4.0º, at an azimuth about 82º.
The deepest anchor will be installed in 1385 m of water depth.
Since flexible risers are connected to the unit, the mooring
system configuration was designed not to exceed maximum

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 horizontal offset and rotation around the vertical axis when one
line is broken. These limits are to comply the riser specification
and PETROBRAS operational practice that states 10.0% and
15.0% of the water depth for the intact and damaged conditions
respectively.
shows the visual results from the analysis with torpedo in a
vertical position and final out put results is a curve load vs. drag
as per Fig. 4.

The heading of the unit is 208 degrees related to the true north.
The main particulars of the platform to be converted are given
in table 1.

Table1: Main particulars of the ship hull.

Length overall (m) 337.06
Length between perpendiculars (m) 320.00
Beam (m) 54.50
Depth (m) 27.00

Each mooring line consists of a mix of studless chain and

polyester rope. The characteristics of each mooring line are
given on table 2, where MBL means minimum breaking load.

Table 2: Characteristics of the mooring lines (from

bottom to the top).
Diam. Length MBL
Segment Material Figure 1: Schematic drawing of the T-98.
(mm) (m) (KN)
1 114 R4 chain 470 12420
2 225 Polyester 500 13734
3 114 R4 chain 5 12420
4 225 Polyester 500 13734
5 114 R4 chain 5 12420
6 225 Polyester 500 13734
7 120 R4 chain 150 13573

DESIGN AND TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

The project and building design of two torpedoes T-98
type, as showed on Fig. 1, were developed with the following
main characteristics:
• Total mass of 98 metric ton.
• Dimensions of 1.07 m diameter X 17 m long. Figure 2: Soil and the torpedo model divided in
• Four wings with 0.9 m X 10 m long. finite elements.

Using the results from the P-50 Mooring Analysis Technical

Report [2], the most critical load on the mooring system for the
intact condition is 6088 KN on the line No. 13 upper segment.

The pile top expected penetration rate of 16 m was obtained

from the program PROJETIL [3], which was based on the
analytic model presented by True [4].

The program DIGIN [5] was used to obtain the maximum load
on the pile top. The result computed was 5100 KN with 43.6o
on the horizontal plane.

Using the load values and its inclination on the torpedo top,
considered jointly with the soil data at Albacora Field site, T-98
behavior in the soil was obtained from the program
AEEPEC3D developed by Costa [6] based on a modeling three- Figure 3: Soil behavior for a Load of 9930 KN
dimensional applying finite elements method. Figure 2 shows applied 43.6o on the Torpedo.
the soil and the torpedo model divided in finite elements, Fig. 3

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Figure 4: T-98 Holding Capacity for 04 tilts and 03
different load directions.
BUILDING AND SCHEDULE
Based on T-98 building design a bidding procedure was
opened with the main conditions to supply being the following:
• The contractor was to be responsible for the supply
pile pipe and ballast.
• The steel employed to produce the pile had to be
ASTM A 572 Gr. 50 or SAC 50.
• Both piles were to be delivered on an AHV to be
supplied by PETROBRAS.
Building started in December 2001 applying the ABS guides
among API-RP 2A [7] rule for building process of the two T-98
torpedo piles. Figure 5 and Fig. 6 show two fabrication stages.
The piles were completed on February 2002, as per Fig. 7, to be
subsequently weighed with load cells an average value of 961
KN having been determined.
Figure 5: Photo of the T-98 body sections welding.
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Figure 6: Photo of the T-98 final adjustments.
Figure 7: Photo of the T-98 torpedoes been
delivered.
FIELD TESTS
On April 2002 both piles were loaded aboard the AHV to start
field tests. An executive procedure [8] for field tests was
developed and the T-98 tests started on April 2002 and were
completed on May 2002. The main purpose of such tests was to
obtain the following information and documents:
• Feasibility of handling the torpedo aboard an
AHV.
• Feasibility of deploying the torpedo with two
AHVs.
• Maximum expected embedment.
• Torpedo certification by ABS.
It was not possible to obtain the required Torpedo embedment
on the first phase test; so a second phase became evident to
complement the necessary T-98 data. The subsequent
campaigns occurred on February and April 2003 when the
required T-98 embedment was obtained.
The following vessels and materials were employed for the
tests:
• 02 AHVs, named in this paper AHV1 and AHV2.
• 01 Survey vessel with a remote operate vehicle
(ROV).
3 Copyright © 2004 by ASME
 • 02 T-98 torpedoes and miscellaneous marine
equipment.
• Monitoring equipment for the torpedo free fall
deploying operation. Figure 8 shows the equipment
been recovered from its special compartment located
in the torpedo body.
• Pick up buoys and marine equipment.

DEPLOYING AND PULL OUT PROCEDURES FOR THE

TORPEDO
The two AHVs available were employed to deploy the
T-98 - AHV1 with the torpedo and AHV2 with the auxiliary
deploying line, which would simulate a mooring line of the P-
50 - as follows:
• Positioning of AHV1 on the drop point coordinates
Figure 9: Photo showing the over boarding
upon arrival at the location.
operation of the torpedo.
• Execute the over boarding operation of the torpedo as
per Figure 9.
• AHV1 deploys the first chain segment connected to
the torpedo.
• AHV1 makes connection of the AHV2 work line
trough a triplate
• The torpedo deploying is now restarted through the
synchronized paying out AHV1 and AHV2 lines until
the torpedo height shoot.
• Check the torpedo position with the ROV and its
height in relation to the seabed, as well as the triplate
condition.
• Prepare the shooting sight aboard AHV1 and make the
necessary adjustments, mainly regarding the length of
the AHV2 line, so that it is slowly lowered and
contacts the mud line. Figure 10 shows that specific
phase.
• Launch the torpedo and measure penetration rate with
the aid of ROV and through the markings previously
made on the bottom chain.

Figure 10: The work lines layout of the AHVs just

before shooting operation.

Figure 8: Monitoring equipment been recovered.
Because the two work lines are connected to the torpedo, the
pulling out load was determined by combining the AHV1 and
AHV2 pulling out forces as showed on Fig. 11. However, the
AHV1 pulled vertically and the load value was obtained
directly on the winch, and the AHV2 pulled angularly, with
previously determined work line configuration and bollard pull.

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 The polyester used as work line segment decreases the torpedo
speed, and consequently its penetration, when compared with
wire cable or chain segments.

Sometimes the wire cable was damaged after the torpedo shoot
operation and when used like work line.

A special tool was developed recently to release the torpedo. It

increase the torpedo speed because there is no work line
connected on it during his fall and consequently avoids the two
disadvantages mentioned above due to work line use.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to thank Petrobras for sponsoring
this work and for giving permission to publish this paper.

Figure 11: The work lines layout of the AHVs for REFERENCES
pull out operation. [1] API RP 2SK – “Recommended Practice for Design and
Analysis of Station keeping Systems for Floating Structures”,
second edition, December 1996.

FIELD TEST RESULTS [2] Palazzo, F. G., 2003, “FPSO Unit P-50 Mooring Analysis”,
The main results are shown in table 3. Technical Report I-RL-3010.62-1320-960-PPC-001, Rev. F,
PETROBRAS, Brazil.
Table 3: Summary of tests.
Tip angle 60o 30o 30o [3] Amaral, C. S., and Costa, A. M., 1996, “ Software
PROJETIL - Penetration Evaluation for Piles Deployed by Free
Water depth (m) 1195 1180 940 Fall Method in Clays”, PETROBRAS, Brazil.

[4] True, D. G., 1976, “Undrained Vertical Penetration into

Shooting Height (m) 40 135 97 Ocean Bottom Soils”, Ph.D. thesis, University of California,
Berkeley, California.
Ultimate Speed 16.3 23.0 24.0
(m/s) [5] DNV, 1998, “DIGIN Version 5.3 – Penetration Behavior of
Embedment (m) 9.0 16.0 17.5 Deep Embedment Anchors”,. Norway.

o o o [6] Costa, A. M.,1984, “Uma Aplicação de Métodos

Tilt 3.0 9.0 5.0
Computacionais e Princípios de Mecânica das Rochas no
Projeto e Análise de Escavações Subterrâneas Destinadas à
Mineração Subterrânea”, Ph.D. Thesis, Federal University of
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

CONCLUSIONS [7] API RP 2A - “Recommended Practice for Planning,

The installation procedure adopted for the T-98 torpedo is Designing and Construction Fixed Offshore Platforms”, July /
technically feasible and easily controllable. March 1993.

Shock loads on AHV1, on account of the impact of the T-98 [8] Araujo, J. B., Almeida, J. C., and Rangel, M. O., 2002, “T-
shoots, were acceptable even for work line weight of 980 KN. 98 Handling, Deploying and Pull out Tests”, PETROBRAS
Executive Procedure No. MA-3504.00-6651-962-PSE-008.
The T-98 over boarding and recovery presented no problems.

There is a shoot height limit where the torpedo speed does not
increase anymore.

The tip angle of the torpedo has influence on its embedment.

The 30o angle is more effective than 60o.

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