Conversion of existing tanker to North Sea FPSO use
The use of existing tankers as a permanently moored floating storage off loading (FSO) or floating production storage and off loading (FPSO) has been wide spread in the oil industry ever since tankers were used for storage. However, the application of an existing tanker for North Sea FPSO use meeting the stringent demands of the regulatory bodies and the harsh environment of the North Sea has withheld operators from using existing tankers in the North Sea. The acceptance of FPSO technology in the North Sea and the proven ability to moor a tanker with a passive mooring system in a harsh environment has opened the avenue to use existing tankers for use as an FPSO in the North Sea. This is also driven by the search for cost effective solutions for field development plans in order to make marginal fields economically exploitable. The potential reuse of an FPSO on a different location also makes the depreciation period of the FPSO vessel life related instead of field life related. Many issues related to the use of an FPSO in the North Sea are currently subject of papers at various forums. This paper, however, only addresses three crucial areas: (1) the criteria for selection of an existing tanker; (2) the use of a passive mooring system; (3) the fatigue assessment and required modifications. The paper is based on experiences gained during the engineering, design and construction phase of the UISGE GORM, the FPSO, which Bluewater will initially use for Amerada Hess Limited`s Fife Field on the UK continental shelf and confirms that the conversion of a suitable tanker to North Sea FPSO use is a technically flexible and an economically attractive solution.
- OSTI ID:
- 128895
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950501-; TRN: IM9550%%281
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 27. offshore technology conference, Houston, TX (United States), 1-4 May 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of 27. Annual Offshore Technology Conference: 1995 Proceedings. Volume 2: Platform and marine system design; PB: 986 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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