Classification and Statutory

Requirements for FPSO / FSO

v3 .1 – March 15, 2010 1

Learning objective

● It is intended that this module enhance participants

understanding of the design and construction aspects of
FPSO’s from the perspective of class

2
Outline
● FPSO statistics
● Class and Statutory Requirements for FPSO’s
● New Construction
● Conversion
● Structural evaluation for new construction and conversion – ABS FPI
Guide 2009
● Mooring System Options

3
Statistics

4
And the Future . . .

5
Class and Statutory Requirements

6
Terms

● FPSO – floating production, storage and offloading

system
● FPS – floating production (and offloading) system
● FSO – Floating storage and offloading system
● FOI – Floating offshore installation (production facility
not classed)

7
Is FPSO a ship?

● Yes and No
■ Some FPSOs are self-propelled – hence a ship
■ Most FPSOs are non-self-propelled – hence may not be a
ship
● FPSO’s are islands of cornucopia
■ Accommodations for a sizeable crew
■ Substantial power generation and machinery
■ Hydrocarbon production facilities
■ Hydrocarbon storage
■ Hydrocarbon offloading
■ Mooring
■ Risers
■ Subsea facilities
8
Classification of FPSOs

● Why Class?
■ Verify compliance with a minimum standard of structural and
mechanical fitness, and safeguards against known hazards
■ Verify at design, construction and during service life
■ “Minimum Standard” - developed by individual Class
Societies incorporating experience & industry standards
■ Insurance, flagging, etc.

● Do FPSOs need to be classed?

■ Not necessarily – depending on jurisdictional authority and
operators
■ Beneficial, even if not necessary
■ Advisable if jurisdictional requirements not clearly known
■ Mandatory, if flagged

9
Principles of Class for FPSOs

● Classification Covers
■ Hull (New Construction or Conversion)
■ Top Sides and Auxiliary Structure
■ Mooring Systems

● Classification is Assigned & Maintained

■ Engineering review of design to verify compliance with ABS
Rules and/or other recognized standards
■ Surveys during construction or conversion according to the
approved design
■ Periodical surveys throughout the operational life of the FPSO
to ensure that it continues to satisfy the requirements of class

10
What do Class look at?

● Hull – structural strength/fatigue, stability (intact/damaged

■ Meeting class rules and associated guides
● Marine systems and machinery
■ Mechanical fitness, safeguards against machinery, systems and cargo
hazards
● Safety of hydrocarbon production facilities
■ Integrity of pressure containment; safeguards against system hazards;
mitigating measures for inadvertent hydrocarbon release…
● Mooring system – in-place and damaged conditions
■ Design adequacy, construction, installation
● Risers and subsea systems – strength, fatigue, pressure integrity
■ Design adequacy, construction, installation

11
Classification Notations

●  A1 FPSO or  A1 FOI
● Class symbols:
■  signifies built under ABS supervision
■ FPSO
► Class of Main hull, mooring, marine & hydrocarbon facilities
■ FOI
► Class of Main hull, marine system and mooring system
► Only Safety Aspects of Hydrocarbon Production
● Fatigue-life class notations
■ For conversions: RFL(number of years), Year in (Site of
Installation)
► RFL = remaining fatigue life
► For new builds:
► FL(number of years), Year in (Site of Installation)
► FL = fatigue life
► SHCM = Construction Monitoring of stress concentration and
fatigue prone areas

12
Example Class Notations

●  A1 FPSO FRL(18) 2025 in Gulf of Mexico

●  A1 FPSO, DLA, SFA, SHCM, FL(30) (S100) Brazil
Marlim Field, AT(DK+2.0), HAB+, UWILD, COW, IGS

13
ABS Class Rules, Guides & Guidance Notes

● ABS Guides & PI

■ Floating Production Installations, 2009
■ ABS PI Existing Tanker Converting to FPSO, 2003
■ Facilities on Offshore Installation, 2009
■ DLA for FPSO, Dec. 2001, SFA for FPSO, 2002

(revision in 2010 to be released soon)

■ Fatigue Assessment of Offshore Structure, 2003
■ Offshore Buckling Guide, 2004
■ Subsea Pipeline Systems & Risers Guide, 2006
■ Synthetic Ropes for Offshore Moorings, 1999
● ABS Rules
■ MODU Rules, 2006
■ Rule for Offshore Installations, 1997

► AISC WSD, API-RP2A, API-2C

■ Rules for Single Point Moorings, 1996

14
What IMO Regulations are applicable?

● If FPSO is self-propelled, it is a ship, then following

applies:
1. International Conventions for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
2. International Convention on Load Lines (ILLC)
3. International Convention on Tonnage (ITC)
4. International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution at
Sea (MARPOL)
5. IMO MODU Code, if adopted by Flag instead of SOLAS
6. The FPSO must be classed
● If FPSO is non-propelled:
■ If flagged, then as a minimum: 2, 3, 4, 5 apply
■ If not flagged, then technically speaking, none applies

15
To flag or not to flag?

● Subject to requirements of Coastal State at site of

Installation
● Some imperatives:
■ Insurance
■ Port clearance during mobilization
● Some cost impacts:
■ Flag charges
■ Flag may impose crew nationality quota
■ Flag may impose parochial requirements

16
Applicability of Load Line Convention

● Required by all Flags:

■ Assignment of different types of freeboards
■ Condition of assignment must be consistent with the type of
freeboard assigned
■ Stability based on one compartment damage including or
excluding E/R depending on certain type of freeboard
assigned and length of vessel – 150M vs 225M
■ Approved Stability info must be placed onboard
■ Approved loading manual/computer programs – mandatory

17
Applicability of MARPOL

● MARPOL has 6 Annexes intended for prevention of

pollution from:
■ Annex I - oil
■ Annex II - noxious liquid substances
■ Annex III - hazardous substances in packaged form
■ Annex IV - sewage
■ Annex V - garbage
■ Annex VI - emissions (air pollution)
● Annex I, IV, V & VI are applicable depending on whether
Flag is signatory to all of them

18
Applicability of MARPOL
● MARPOL Annex I is applicable to FPSO/FSO in general with some
specific exemptions
■ Double hull – only double side reqd for new builds
■ Bottom damage assumption for stability and outflow of oil when damaged
■ Discharge during enroute
■ Discharge based on ppm rather than litres per nautical mile
■ Without adoption of MEPC Circ 406, entire Reg 13 is not applicable
● MEPC Circ 406 – Guidelines for application of Annex I
■ Not mandatory unless adopted by Flag
■ Superseded by MEPC Res 139 (53) due to change in Regulation
Numbering of Annex I
● Shore based computer program for calculation of residual structural
strength and damaged stability is required by 1 Jan 2007 – New Reg
1/37.4.

19
Applicability of MARPOL

● MARPOL Annex IV – Sewage Pollution Prevention,

requires
■ Administration approved Sewage treatment plant
■ Provision of Standard Discharge Connection for discharge to
reception facilities
● MARPOL Annex V – Garbage Pollution Prevention,
requires
■ Garbage Comminuter or grinder
■ Garbage Management Plan
■ Garbage Record Book

20
Applicability of MARPOL

● MARPOL Annex VI – Air Pollution Prevention,

requires:
■ Prohibit use of Ozone depleting substances/gas
■ NOx Certification of diesel engines > 130KW –
exemptions for emergency use prime movers
■ Limitations on SOx emissions – limits on sulphur
contents of fuels
■ Vapor emission controls for tankers per MSC Circ 585
■ Approved shipboard incinerator per MEPC 76(40)
■ Exemptions: Equipment used solely for exploration and
exploitation of seabed mineral resources

21
Applicability of SOLAS

● Some SOLAS requirements are applicable by default –

even for non-self-propelled units e.g.
■ Cargo tank venting system, cargo tank inert gas system,
hazardous areas, ullaging, cargo piping systems, pump room
arrangements
■ Marine systems: bilge & ballast systems, boiler and steam
systems, fuel oil systems,
■ Passive and active fire safety systems for cargo tanks,
machinery spaces and accommodation
● Non-applicability
■ Propulsion-related Regulations for non-propelled FPSOs
● Applicable or Debatable
■ Radio communications
■ ISM, ISPS

22
Hazards not addressed by SOLAS

● SOLAS is intended for trading vessels and therefore does

not address hazards associated with:
■ Hydrocarbon production systems
■ Mooring system
■ Offloading systems and arrangements
■ Risers, swivels, etc.

23
Applicability of Tonnage

● Calculations and Issuance of Tonnage Certificate:

■ Mandatory for all Flags;
■ Port and many other dues are charged base on this criteria
■ Applicability of many International Conventions also based on
this criteria

24
Flag Administrations’ Approaches
● Panama, Liberia, Bahamas, Marshall Islands, Cayman
Islands – adopt:
■ IMO MODU Code
► MODU Code does not address some important SOLAS tanker
safety reqts. (Note: new edition of MODU Code to be published
soon)
■ Loadline
■ MARPOL
■ Tonnage
■ ILO Requirements

25
MISC FPSO “Bunga Kertas”

● Installed offshore, Malaysia

● Malaysian Flagged
● Classed with ABS
● Topsides not classed
● SOLAS Compliance to meet Flag Reqts
● MARPOL Compliance
● Load-Line Compliance
● May change in future due to DOSH involvement, offshore

26
FPSO, “Modec Venture II”
• Installed offshore, .Australia
• Panamanian Flagged
• Classed with ABS
• Topsides classed
• IMO MODU Code Compliance to meet Flag Reqts
• MARPOL Compliance
• Load-Line Compliance;
• ISPS/ISM Compliance;
• Validation to meet Coastal State Reqts

27
FSO, “Vietsovpetro 01”

● Installed offshore, Vietnam

● Vietnamese Flagged
● Dual classed ABS/VR
● SOLAS Compliance to meet Flag Reqts
● Marpol Compliance
● Loadline Compliance
● Mandatory to class with VR, due to Flagging
● Flag Certifications done by VR

28
FPSO, “Belanak Natuna”:

● Installed offshore, Indonesia

● Panamanian Flagged
● Classed by ABS
● Topsides not classed
● IMO MODU Code Compliance to meet Flag requirements
● MARPOL Compliance
● Load-Line Compliance
● Certification to meet MIGAS requirements by local CA
approved by MIGAS

29
FPSO, “Nan Hai Fa Xian”:
● Installed offshore, PRC
● Liberian Flag
● Classed by ABS
● SOLAS compliance to meet Flag Reqts at that time (old reqts)
● MARPOL Compliance
● Load-Line Compliance
● Certification to meet COOOSO (now called SAWS) reqts.
● 4 Local Certifications must be done by CCS: Oil Pollution, Radio
Communication, Lifesaving Appliance & Signal Aids

30
Coastal State Verification

● China State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS)

● Australia National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority
(NOPSA)
● U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS)
● U.K. Health & Safety Executive (HSE)
● Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD)
● Canadian Petroleum Board
(CNSOPB, CNOPB)
● Directoria de Portos e Costas
(DPC - Brazil)

31
Regulatory Models

1. Self-certification (e.g. U.S. MMS, non CVA)

2. Regulator directly performs required design review and
inspections for certification (e.g. USCG vessel
certification)
3. Third party issues certification on behalf of the regulator
(e.g. ‘Standard marine practice’)
4. Similar to Model 3, but the independent third party is
nominated by the operator and approved by regulator on a
project by project basis (e.g. U.S. MMS-CVA)
5. Safety case (e.g. UK, Australia, etc.)

32
Regulatory Schemes

● May be different for different regulators in the same coastal

state,
● If the FPI is ‘flagged’ the application and interpretation of
technical criteria (IMO Regs) by different flag and coastal
states may not agree
● A scheme may only apply to initial certification, with a
different one for recertification during the operational life of
the FPI

33
FPSO New Construction – ABS Guide

34
New Construction Surveys - Hull

● Construction Surveys to Include:

■ Kick-off meeting
■ Agree on Scope of Surveys
■ Contractual Issues
■ Construction Schedule
■ Required Documentation
■ Survey and Test Plans
■ Agreed Method of Communication
■ Unscheduled Monitoring Surveys

35
New Construction Surveys - Hull
● Construction Surveys Cont.:
■ Construction Procedures
■ Welding Qualification Maps
■ Supporting WPSs & PQRs
■ Welder Qualifications – identification & controls
■ Welding Equipment & Consumables - care &
controls
■ Material Traceability
■ NDT Procedures and Personnel Qualifications
■ NDT Surveillance - Frequency

36
New Construction Surveys - Hull

● Construction Surveys Cont.:

■ Hull Testing Procedures
■ Dimensional Checks
■ Steel Cutting Procedures & Edge Quality
■ Fit-up and Edge Prep
■ Welding Environment
■ Dimensional Checks and Alignment
■ Panel & Block Fabrication
■ Leak & Hydro Testing

37
New Construction Surveys - Machinery

● Installation Surveys:
■ In accordance with design drawings &
manufacturer’s recommendations
■ Arrangements and details
■ Equipment Specification and Rating in
Compliance with Design Specification
■ Proper Foundation & Alignment
■ Adequate Access for Operation &
Maintenance
■ Correct Rotational Direction for Rotating
Equipment
■ Adequate Ventilation

38
New Construction Surveys - Piping

● Piping Construction & Installation:

■ WPS/PQR & Welder Qualification Reviews
■ Material Traceability – System Monitoring
and Audit
■ Material Sizing – Wall Thickness Control
■ Pipe Fitting and Valve Controls
■ Location of Spec Breaks
■ Care in Welding and Filler Material
Handling
■ NDT, Post PWHT

39
New Construction Surveys - Piping

● Piping Construction & Installation Cont.:

■ Piping for H2S Application to Meet NACE MR-
01-75 Requirements
■ Piping Supports and Provisions for Expansion
■ Thermal Insulation, Personnel Safety
■ Protective Devices & Safety Relief Valves
■ Hydrostatic Testing and Reinstatement Breaks
■ Functional Testing

40
New Construction Surveys - Electrical

● Installation:
■ Cable Installation – Type & Sizing – Suitability for
Application
■ Cable Trays, Supports and Minimum Radii
■ Cable Laying for Both Power & Instrumentation Cables
■ Proper Tagging & Identification of Cable Ends
■ Installation of Switchgears & Control Panels, Including
Upstream Protective Devices
■ Entry Seals for Both Weather Exposed and Hazardous
Area Equipment
■ Grounding of Equipment & Cables in Normal and
Hazardous Locations

41
New Construction Surveys - Electrical

● Installation Cont.:
■ Proper Equipment Enclosures for Hazardous Location
Application
■ Protective Devices – Over Current, Low Voltage, Reverse
Current, etc.
■ Calibration & Record Review

42
New Construction Surveys - Electrical
● Testing:
■ High Potential Insulation Tests
■ Insulation Resistance Tests
■ Continuity Tests
■ Over Current Protection Tests
■ Under Voltage Protection Tests
■ Load and Load Sharing Tests
■ Main Generator Load & Parallel Tests
■ Reverse Current Protective Tests
■ Complete Function Tests

43
Conversion

44
Conversion – Selecting a Hull
● Selecting a Candidate Tanker
■ Single Hull
► Availability quite limited due to phase out of
these type of vessels
■ Double Sided – Single Bottom
► Preferred over the double hull
► Also availability is diminishing
■ Double Hull
► Most new tanker candidates are double hull

45
Conversion – Evaluation

● Structural Evaluation of the Existing Hull

■ This can be accomplished using one or
combination of the following alternatives:
► Evaluating the existing vessel’s hull and
scantlings by typical survey process through
visual inspection and gaugings
► Carrying out structural analysis
● Evaluation of the Existing Systems
■ All of the candidate tanker’s existing
systems must be evaluated for condition
and potential refurbishment

46
ABS FPI Guide 2009

47
ABS Guide for Building and Classing Floating
Production Installations 2009
• PART 1 Conditions of Classification
• PART 2 Materials and Welding
• PART 3 Installation Types, Functions, Features and General Requirements
• PART 4 Process and Import/Export System
• PART 5A Ship-Type Installations
1 Design Considerations
2 Conversions to FPI
3 Structural Design Requirements
4 Ship-Type Installations Under 150 meters (492 feet) in length
• PART 5B Other Installation Types
• PART 6 Mooring Systems
• PART 7 Surveys After Installation and Commissioning
• Appendix 1 Comparison of the Numbering System of 2007 Guide vs 2009 Guide

http://www.eagle.org Pub# 82 2009 Version

FPSO Structure Assessment

● General strength and fatigue assessment

■ Environmental effect
■ Global and local
strength assessment
■ Hull girder ultimate strength
■ Fatigue assessment
► High cycle fatigue
► Low cycle fatigue

49
Strength & Fatigue Assessment

 Structural evaluation comprises three main

elements:
 SEAS (Sea Environment Assessment System)
• Factors accounting for different wave environments
during life as a trading tanker, transit and onsite
 ISE (Initial Scantling Evaluation)
• Rule-based strength and fatigue evaluation
 TSA (Total Strength Assessment)
• First principle-based strength
and fatigue evaluation
Procedure
ISE ISE
TANKER Strength Fatigue
Phase
For
TSA Conversion
Fatigue Only
SEAS
(route , site)

ISE ISE
Strength Fatigue

FPSO
Phase
TSA TSA
Strength Fatigue

Hull Interface Hull Interface

Structure Structure
Strength Fatigue
SEAS in ABS Eagle FPSO

SEAS (Sea Environment Assessment System)

Environmental Severity Factors
for Dynamic Loads and Fatigue

Seakeeping Analysis

vs

Site, Route & Transit North Atlantic

Environments Environment

Environmental Effects
52
Considerations in SEAS

Historical Service
route life
Historical site

Load & Stress

RAOs
Transit

SEAS Wave
Intended site Scatter
Diagram

100-year
return Wave
hurricane Wave Wave spreading
spectra headings

53
Initial Scantling Evaluation (ISE)

● Hull girder longitudinal strength and local scantling

requirement
● Re-assessed scantling determination (onsite condition
with hull girder section modulus check for inspection,
repair and transit conditions) – steel renewal assessment
for longitudinal members
● Fatigue assessment – remaining fatigue life evaluation
● Hull girder ultimate strength assessment
● Hull girder shearing strength assessment
● Transverse bulkhead and main supporting members
assessment
● Sloshing assessment
● Double bottom/floor and girder assessment
Total Strength Assessment (TSA)

● Assess adequacy of the structural configuration

and the initially determined scantlings by finite
element analysis
■ Environment
► Transit
► Onsite
■ Loading conditions
► Operation
► Inspection
► Repair

55
Total Strength Assessment

● Structures to be evaluated
■ Hull Structure
► 3-hold model with
Rule defined load cases
or
► Cargo block model with
actual load cases
■ Topside-hull interface
■ Mooring-hull interface

56
Fatigue Assessment

● Remaining fatigue life of FPSO conversion

■ Tanker phase: accumulated fatigue damage during
tanker operation with actual trading routes
■ Transit phase: transit environment
■ FPSO phase:
► High cycle fatigue: operating condition, onsite
environment
► Low cycle fatigue: loading and offloading
Hull Interface Evaluation

● Position Mooring/Hull Interface Modeling

● Hull Mounted Equipment Interface Modeling
● Loading Conditions
● Acceptance Criteria
■ Yielding
■ Buckling
■ Fatigue

58
Mooring systems

59
Alternatives

● Spread Mooring
● Turret
■ External
■ Internal

60
Spread Mooring System

● Uses traditional shipboard mooring equipment

● Turret structure, swivels and bearings are not needed
● Easily accommodates a large number of risers and
umbilicals
● Lack of weathervane capabilities increases environmental
loads, and therefore increases the need for the number of
anchor points used
● Used in applications requiring long service life in any water
depth and on any size vessel
● Virtually all types of anchor leg configurations can be used

61
External Turret

■ Easy for Conversion

■ Best for Weather Vane
■ High Dynamic Mooring
Load

Courtesy of API RP 2SK

62
External Turret (Cont’d)

● Uses turret structure

● Fluid and gas swivels are needed
● Electrical power and control swivels are necessary
● Limited number of risers and umbilicals
● Fixed externally with appropriate reinforcements, to bow or
stern of the vessel.
● Provide an excellent solution for a wide range of FSO/FPSO
applications
● Permits vessel to freely “weather-vane” 360 degrees, allowing
normal operation in moderate to extreme sea conditions

63
External Turret Systems

64
Internal Turret System

● Turret Close to Bow to improve Weather Vaning

● Internal Turret

Courtesy of UT Short Course on FPS

65
Internal Turret System (Cont’d)
● Permanent and disconnectable systems
● Moderate to harsh environments
● Deep water applications
● Provide maximum mooring and fluid transfer capabilities in
remote, deepwater, harsh environment conditions
● Larger internal systems can accommodate up to 100 or more
risers in water depths ranging between 100 to 10,000 feet or
more
● Disconnectable systems allow the vessel to disconnect to avoid
typhoons, hurricanes, icebergs, and other extreme dangerous
conditions
■ Disconnect and reconnect sequence is quick and reliable

66
Top Turret Designers / Suppliers

● APL
● SBM
● Bluewater
● Prosafe
● FMC SOFEC (MODEC)

67
APL - Submerged Turret Loading (STL)

● Connection in sea states up to 5 - 6 meters

● Weather independent offshore loading
● Disconnect regardless of weather conditions (if required)
● Standardized interface between vessel and STL Buoy (any STL vessel
can connect to any STL Buoy)
● Low conversion costs for conventional tankers
● High level of safety
● Minimal risk for oil spills
● The STL system can be used for several
different applications, including:
■ Offshore Loading Terminal (OLT)
■ Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO/FSU)
■ Direct Shuttle Loading (DSL, dual STL Buoys)

Source: APL 68
APL – Submerged Turret Loading (STL)

● An example of the Submerged Turret Loading (STL)

system being utilized in loading directly to a Shuttle
tanker

Source: APL 69
APL - Submerged Turret Production (STP)

● STP Buoy with integrated turret

● Mooring system similar to the STL system
● STP Ship system for handling and locking of STP Buoy
● Multi-path swivel system Basic features of the STP system are:
■ Free passive weather waning of the FPSO (use of thrusters not
required)
■ Flexibility with respect to capacity and number of risers and umbilicals
■ Simple vessel conversion with minimum modification and structural
impact
■ Short conversion time, low conversion costs
■ Standardized STL/STP Buoy geometry allowing any STL/STP vessel
to connect to any buoy
■ Passive rotation of multi-path swivel, i.e. no active drive mechanism is
required
■ Redundant over pressurized seal barrier fluid system with remote
diagnostics for seal monitoring
■ High level of safety The STP technology is suitable for a wide range
of field developments and water depths

Source: APL 70
APL – Single Anchor Loading & Production
SAL SYSTEM
• SAL™ system has shown to be
very competitive.
• SAL system will typically have an
upper operational limit dependent
on water depth and vessel size
and type
Source: APL
SAP SYSTEM
• Developed from the SAL for use as
a FPSO turret/mooring
arrangement
• Main difference from SAL is that
the sea bed swivel has the capacity
to handle multi paths to
accommodate the connection of
several risers and an umbilical as
required in a floating production
operation
• The design of the SAP swivel is
based on the STP swivel
• SAP system is particularly suitable
for locations with more moderate
weather conditions.
71
APL – SYS (SAL Yoke System)

● Designed for long term unattended service. An effective

solution for dis-connectable, moored Floating Production,
Storage and Offloading vessels. (FPSO’s)
● SYS is developed for
water depths ranging
from vessel's min. to
50 m and for mooring
FPSO's up to VLCC
size

Source: APL 72
APL – External Turret System

Source: APL 73
SBM Turret Designs

● In the early eighties, the SBM pioneered the turret

concept, based on the weather vane principle, to
moor tanker-based floating production and storage
systems (FPSO’s/FSO’s).
● Several applications of the Turret have, since then,
been developed

Source: SBM

74
SBM – Internal Turret Design

Source: SBM

75
SBM – External Turret Design

Source: SBM

76
SBM – Disconnectible Systems

Source: SBM

77
Bluewater – Internal Turret Design

● Bluewater’s most frequently supplied turret mooring

system is their internal turret mooring system
● Used in medium and deepwater applications
● Widely used on FPSOs and FSOs operating in harsh
North Sea environments
● Principal components:
■ Turret and spider
■ Anchor arrangement
■ Product transfer system
■ Turret casing
■ Turntable

Source: Bluewater 78
Bluewater – Internal Turret Design

Source: Bluewater 79
Bluewater – External Turret Design

Source: Bluewater 80
Bluewater – Spread Mooring System

Source: Bluewater 81
Prosafe – Turret System Designs

● Prosafe designs its own mooring systems, each is

purpose-built to suit the unique operating conditions of the
field
● Prosafe delivers internal and external turrets incorporating
high-pressure multi-path oil, gas and water swivels
● Prosafe has designed
mooring systems that
include disconnectable
turret moorings and
high pressure swivels

82
Prosafe – Disconnectable Turret Mooring (DTM)

● Candidate Tanker to be installed with the DTM system

Source: Prosafe

83
Prosafe – FPSO Polvo

● The FPSO will be turret moored at a water depth of 100

meters using Prosafe´s own turret/swivel technology
● The FPSO Polvo has a production capacity of 150 000
barrels of fluid per day, and a storage
capacity of 1,600 000 barrels

Source: Prosafe

84
Prosafe – Spread Mooring System

● 8-point all chain

spread mooring
system designed
for 100-year
storm conditions
● A helideck rated
for Super Puma

Source: Prosafe

85
Future of Turret Technology

● Production capacity is limited by the maximum number of

risers that can be accommodated by the prevailing turret
designs, which is approx. 50 risers
● FPSO production capacity, however, has steadily increased
to levels of up to 250,000 barrels per day
● One solution is to expand the size of the turret and
therefore enable it to accommodate greater number of
risers passing through it

Source: FMC SOFEC

86
FMC - Very Large Turret (VLT) Design

● VLT has similar components to existing

turret systems but allows for more than
twice the number of risers
● Frame has inherent flexibility that
permits the turret main deck to conform
to the deflected shape of the vessel
when incurring dynamic loads
● Chain table at bottom of the hull
provides means for securing chain
cables to the turret

Source: FMC SOFEC

87
FMC - Very Large Turret (VLT) Design

● The risers pass through the turret but do

not impart vertical loads on to it
● The mooring system includes three
groups of anchor legs allowing ample
space for the risers
● This design is limited to new
construction and conversion from only
VLCC’s and ULCC’s with a
beam of 50 – 70 meters

Source: FMC SOFEC 88

Disconnectable Mooring

● Operating in Relatively
Mild Environment
● Disconnect When
Environment Reaches
Limit
● Reduce Capital Cost
● Increase Operation
Cost
● Used Often in Areas of
Severe Environment
(S. China Sea,
Typhoon)

Courtesy of APL 89
Disconnectable or Permanent Mooring?
● The design environment for disconnectable moorings is lower
● Disconnectable moorings can be analyzed using either quasi-
static or dynamic method. A fatigue analysis is not required.
● Disconnectable moorings use the mooring hardware that can be
rapidly deployed and retrieved.
● A disconnectable mooring can often be visually inspected during
retrieval or deployment.
● Special issues with GOM MODU operations
■ More than 20 mooring system failures under Ivan, Katrina,
and Rita
■ 2 mooring system failures under Ike
■ Appendix K of API RP 2SK issued in 2008

90
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