Han-Suk Choi

A new method for strake configuration design of Steel Catenary Risers

A number of studies of vortex-induced vibration (VIV) having important effect on the fatigue performance of riser have performed analytically as well as experimentally in the last decade. However, there are few research results on the configuration design of VIV suppression devices such as fairings, strakes, and etc. Therefore, a systematic design procedure of strake configuration (i.e., location and length) using the modal approach for steel catenary riser (SCR) is proposed in this study. The proposed method considers the dominant mode for VIV suppression through modal analysis of bare riser to find appropriate location and various design parameters are introduced to calculate appropriate length of VIV suppression devices. From the numerical example of SCR, it is shown that the required strake length from the optimal location for VIV suppression of SCR is much shorter than that of the conventional method. This is achieved by staggered strake installation at the effective location. Furthermore, no additional calculations or engineering cost are required for the proposed method, because the proposed method follows exact same analysis procedure of the conventional one except using the modal information of bare SCR obtained from initial analysis of bare SCR.

Structural Analysis of Deepwater Steel Catenary Riser using OrcaFlex

The design challenges when attempting to obtain sufficient strength for a deepwater steel catenary riser (SCR) include high stress near the hang-off location, an elevated beam-column buckling load due to the effective compression in the touchdown zone (TDZ), and increased stress and low-cycle fatigue damage in the TDZ. Therefore, a systematic strength analysis is required for the proper design of an SCR. However, deepwater SCR analysis is a new research area. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop an overall analysis procedure for a deepwater SCR. The structural behavior of a deepwater SCR under various enviro nmental loading conditions was investigated, and a sensitivity analysis was conducted with respect to various parameters such as the SCR weight, weight of the internal contents, hang-off angle (HOA), and vertical soil stiffness. Based on a deepwater SCR design example, it was foun d that the maximum stress of an SCR occurred at a hang-off location under parallel loading direction with respect to the riser plane, except for a wave dominant dynamic survival loading condition. Furthermore, the tensile stress governed the total stress of the SCRs, whereas the bending stress governed the total stress at the TDZ. The weight of the SCR and internal contents affected the maximum stress of the SCR more than the H OA and vertical soil stiffness, because the weight of the SCR, including the internal contents, was directly related to its tensile stress.

Trend and Review of Corrosion Resistant Alloy (CRA) for Offshore Pipeline Engineering

Offshore fields are increasingly important for the development of offshore resources due to the growing energy needs. However, an offshore field for oil and gas production has difficult development conditions, e.g., high temperature, high pressure, sweet/sour compositions of fluids, etc. Corrosion is one of the biggest issues for offshore pipeli ne engineering. In this study, a Corrosion Resistant Alloy (CRA) pipe for corrosion prevention was investigated through its global demand and trends, and three types of CRA pipelines were introduced with detailed explanations. The usefulness of CRA was also evaluated in comparison to a carbon steel pipeline in terms of the structural strength, cost, and other factors. Offshore pipeline engineering, including mechanical design and verification of the results through an installation analysis based on numerical software, was performed for the carbon steel type and solid CRA type. The results obtained from this study will be useful data for CRA pipeline designers and researchers.

Parametric Study of Offshore Pipeline Wall Thickness by DNV-OS-F101, 2010

DNV-OS-F101 includes the concept development, design, construction, operation,and abandonment of offshore pipeline systems. The main objective of this offshore standard (OS) is to ensure that pipeline systems are safe during the installation and operational period. The pipeline design philosophy also includes public safety and environmental protection. The mechanical wall thickness design of a pipeline shall follow the design objectives and safety philosophy. This new design code includes a very sophisticated design procedure to ensure a safe pipeline, public safety, and environmental protection. This paper presents the results ofa parametric study for the wall thickness design of offshore pipelines. A design matrix was developed to cover the many design factors of pipeline integrity, public safety, and environmental protection. Sensitivity analyses of the various parameters were carried out to identify the impacts on offshore pipeline design.