Project to upright the Alexander L. Kielland

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · Offshore Technol. Conf.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.4043/4027-MS· OSTI ID:5693196

Clinton, J S; Clarkson, J A; Cook, S J; Walker, S

The Alexander L. Kielland is a drilling rig of Pentagone type. It was being used as an accommodation unit when it capsized in the North Sea in 1980 as a result of a structural failure. The physical size and geometry of the rig made the prospective uprighting a novel undertaking. The method devised was based on the simple concept of rotating the rig underwater with the minimum amount of net positive buoyancy that was consistent with safety. Adopting such a method required a detailed knowledge of the response of the rig to the applied loads, and the structural stresses involved. A computer program was developed to simulate the motion of the rig and comprehensive computing capability was deployed on site to carry out analytical investigations and to work interactively with the monitoring system that had been designed for the project.

• Research Organization: Struct Dyn Ltd
• OSTI ID: 5693196
• Report Number(s): CONF-8105157-
• Journal Information: Offshore Technol. Conf.; (United States), Journal Name: Offshore Technol. Conf.; (United States) Vol. 2; ISSN OSTCB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
42 ENGINEERING
423000 -- Engineering-- Marine Engineering-- (1980-)
ATLANTIC OCEAN
BUOYS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
DATA ANALYSIS
DRILLING RIGS
ENERGY
EQUIPMENT
FLOW REGULATORS
GLOBAL ANALYSIS
INSPECTION
INSTALLATION
MATHEMATICS
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MONITORING
NORTH SEA
OPERATION
PIPES
POSITIONING
POTENTIAL ENERGY
RECOVERY
SCALE MODELS
SEAS
SIMULATION
STRUCTURAL MODELS
SURFACE WATERS
TESTING
VALVES