Present and future development of offshore structures in over 100 m water depth

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · Mar. Sci. Commun.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6283171

Sjoerdsma, G W

In 1967 the 100 m water depth was reached for a permanently installed steel piled platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Since then over 300 platforms have been installed in that area of which only 9 in deeper water than 100 m. In 1976 the first platform will be installed in over 200 m water depth offshore California and for 1977 a 300 m water depth structure is planned in the Gulf of Mexico. With the development of floating drilling techniques in exploration, the capability of drilling in deep water has shown a widening gap with the capability to produce from permanent structures. The need for deeper water offshore structures depends on the finding of large oil and gas accumulation in those water depths. The largest proven offshore oil reserves are in the Persian Gulf where water depths are generally less than 100 m. In the North Sea, areas deeper than 100 m, cover 20% of the Continental shelf and in this area the largest oil fields are found. The oil industry has now 29% acreage in areas deeper than 200 m out of the total offshore acreage. The development of steel piled platforms for deeper water has been dependent on the development of offshore installation techniques. The development of concrete gravity structures has been triggered by a combination of rough environmental conditions and hard sea bottoms. For deeper water development, a cross-over point can be expected when floating and buoyant structures (tension leg platform) of which the cost is less water depth dependent, become more attractive than bottom supported piled or gravity structures. This cross-over point can be reached in 300 m water depth for mild sea conditions and around 200 m for rougher climates. The largest boost for deep water development would be the finding of a major oil field in 500 m water depth.

• Research Organization: Shell Internationale Petroleum Maatschappij B.V., The Hague, Netherlands
• OSTI ID: 6283171
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Mar. Sci. Commun.; (United States) Journal Volume: 5:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
42 ENGINEERING
420206 -- Engineering-- Mining & Drilling Equipment & Facilities-- (1980-1989)
ATLANTIC OCEAN
CARIBBEAN SEA
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DEPTH
DESIGN
DIMENSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GULF OF MEXICO
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
NATURAL GAS
OFFSHORE PLATFORMS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PACIFIC OCEAN
PETROLEUM
PLANNING
SEAS
SEAWATER
SURFACE WATERS
WATER