Ronaldo Rosa Rossi

Green Water Loads Determination for FPSO Exposed to Beam Sea Conditions

Considering new offshore frontiers for oil exploration and production, specially the Santos Basin region, FPSOs will be exposed to more severe wave conditions. This scenario requires careful analysis with respect to the green water phenomenon. The complex physics involved in the water-on-deck flow implies on several uncertainties regarding green water loads analysis. Taking into account model tests, CFD simulations and analytical formulations, this paper aims to simplify the green water loads determination, proposing a methodology to estimate these loads considering the water elevation above deck measured from experiments or numerical tools. In order to accomplish this objective, CFD simulations with different solvers were run for a benchmark case, showing that it is a suitable approach for a global result in impact dam break cases. After that, a special boundary condition was calibrated to represent model test results of water propagation in a FPSO deck exposed to beam sea in terms of water elevation. Using this CFD model, the loads on exposed structures was determined and compared against the dam break analytical formulation, which was modified to take into account the gap between each structure and the deck. Finally some vane type protection structures were simulated and their efficiency in partially obstructing the water-on-deck flow was evaluated. As a global result from all these analysis, a more comprehensive strategy for green water loads determination is proposed.© 2014 ASME

Experimental Evaluation of the Dynamic Air Gap of a Large-Volume Semi-Submersible Platform

Definition of air gap is an extremely important issue in the design of floating offshore systems such as semi-submersible or TLP platforms. For these systems, any unnecessary increase in the static value of air gap generally demands the payload to be decreased or leads to a larger buoyant hull, which, in any case, has a negative effect on the project economics. Designers face a difficult challenge since there is no well-established methodology for predicting the air gap demand in the early stages of the design. This is a consequence of the inherent complexity involved in the problem of predicting the free-surface elevation around large structures in steep-waves, such as the largest wave expected during a design storm-sea spectrum. Non-linear diffraction models are usually called for a more consistent evaluation of the wave field under the deck and the wave run-up upon the columns, but even second-order analysis is not free of uncertainties. Therefore, air gap evaluation still relies heavily on experimental analysis. This paper presents some towing-tank results performed for the evaluation of the dynamic air gap of a large-volume semi-submersible platform. Regular wave tests were performed for the small-scale model in both restrained and moored configurations and results were confronted with numerical predictions. Air gap response at different locations of the hull was evaluated under three different sea states and results were compared to some semi-analytical models proposed in literature for preliminary air gap estimation. The role of dynamic coupling provided by a taut-leg mooring system on the air gap results is also discussed based on the experimental results.Copyright

On the Model Scaling of Polyester Mooring Lines for Offshore Applications

With the introduction of the polyester ropes as mooring lines of large systems such as semi-submersibles, the need to simulate these lines in model tests became a necessity. Although the non-linear behavior is clear, depending on the type of cycling, the polyester rope responds in ways that may be considered linear as a steel wire rope. Because of that, the early model tests have been performed using a linear restoring capability, with different restoring coefficients. The use of equivalent springs seemed the proper way. However, with the help of fundamental investigation on the similarity laws, the present work shows that the use of very thin polyester lines in model scaling is feasible and will indeed allow a closer physical representation. By avoid using springs, but using the same material as in full scale, the same non-linear behavior is present during the tests and even the response to random excitation due to random waves is better represented. The paper closely describes the application of these ideas in a model test of a FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading) comparing both the linear springs and new approach with the model scale equivalent polyester line.© 2002 ASME

Otimização de recursos para a operação de instalação de âncoras de equipamentos offshore

In this work is explored a planning methodology for deep water anchor lines deployment in offshore platforms and floating production systems aiming operational resources optimization, by minimizing a multi criteria objective function. As an additional advantage, inherited from the proposed methodology, the planning automation is achieved. The planning automation overcomes the traditional way to do in a trial error basis, where an engineer, using a anchoring software, decides how much of work wire and anchoring line must be paid out from both the floating system and the supply vessel and additionally which horizontal force must be applied to the line trying settle the anchor on a previously defined target in the ocean floor.

TN X SN Fatigue Curves for KS Hook and Chain Using Finite Elements Modelling and Model Test

The new scenario of oil exploration in ultra deep water moves forward to 3000 m, has been putting for the companies that accept this technological challenger significant, border of the techno-scientific knowledge. Therefore, nowadays in this case of ultra deep waters, where the forces above the mooring lines are increase and the use of the new material in Petrobras Floating Production Units, it is necessary the good numerical analyses and experimental test by the mooring line. It appears the need to look for a solution for the problems according to the changes of the polyester rope in the production platform without the bottom extension change and its foundation (fixed point). According to this challenge it was necessary to develop a remote connection and disconnection device. This device is the KS hook and its optimization has been created using the fracture mechanical conception optics and computers tools (FEM and mooring software). There are two conditions to develop this device: one condition is functional and the other is structural. For the functional condition, it’s necessary to create the facilities for handling and installations. For the structural conditions, it is necessary to use the special wrought steel material, treatment for steel characteristic and right geometry. Finite Elements Modeling analyze used the Ansys software, considered the hardness profile material for Minimum Break Load (MBL). The lifetime design is about 25 years for this case and the fatigue analysis considered the residual stress and plasticity for structural device. Previous simulation is especially important in predicting behavior and in the development of new design products before testing. The model was meshed with 3D first order tetrahedral elements solid45. The mesh was sufficiently fine to ensure minimal loss of accuracy in curved geometry. There isn’t a TN fatigue curve (reference API Fatigue curves) for this KS Hook device geometry, in this case become necessary to use the model test to obtain this curve with the extrapolation of the results. The Finite Elements Modeling analyze used with the Material SN Fatigue curve will be used for this validation. Previous simulation is especially important in predicting behavior and in the development of new design products before testing.Copyright

TN X SN Fatigue Curves for KS Hook and Chain Using Finite Element Modelling

For mooring chains of offshore floating production units, API (American Petroleum Institute) recommends the use of its TxN fatigue curve considering the MBL (Minimum Breaking Load) of an ORQ (Oil Rig Quality) chain even if the chain has a higher grade. DNV (Det Norske Veritas) recommends the use of SxN fatigue curve where the stress is taken using the tension over the nominal area of the chain or wire rope. So it is easy to convert this SxN curve to a TxN curve or vice-versa. The geometry of the chain or wire rope and the material are implicit considered. To develop SxN curve for new accessories design it is necessary the using of FEM (Finite Elements Method) to obtain the distribution of stresses and strains and the stress concentration factor and the SxN curves of the material. The analysis of the tension and the stress concentration factor will be used to obtain the slope and intercept parameters of the fatigue curve. This paper will present the study developed for KS hook and how to obtain the fatigue curve for this accessory based on published papers, rules and recent tests.Copyright

A Review of Fatigue Curves for Mooring Lines

For mooring chains of offshore floating production units, API (American Petroleum Institute) recommends the use of its TxN fatigue curve considering the MBL (Minimum Breaking Load) of an ORQ (Oil Rig Quality) chain even if the chain has a higher grade. This curve has been used in mooring system design of offshore floating production units since the draft edition of API Recommended Practice for Design, Analysis and Maintenance of Catenary Mooring for Floating Production Systems in May 89 and several fatigue tests have been done by petroleum industries, chain manufacturers and research centers. Those fatigue tests show that the use of the MBL of an ORQ chain for higher grades is a conservative assumption. This paper will present an overview of the fatigue curves of materials for mooring lines: stud and studless chains, steel wire ropes and polyester fiber ropes. This overview is based on recent tests, rules and published papers.Copyright