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Journal

Infrastructure and Built Environment Infrastruktur dan Lingkungan Binaan


Vol. IV No. 2, December 2008

Reliability Assessment of Aging Offshore Platforms


Ricky L. Tawekal1

ABSTRACT Many platforms in Indonesia have been operated for long time and some of them even already exceeded their initial design life. However, most of those platforms are still economically beneficial to be operated, and hence, the reliability assessment become important step in determining the operation feasibility. Reliability assessment of aging offshore platform can be carried out by using some approximation analysis. Existing standards and procedures recommend assessment of aging offshore platform based on Linear analysis and component checks, Non-linear system strength analysis and component checks, and Structural reliability analysis for the ultimate limit state check. The latest check, could be based on S-N fatigue analysis, Fracture mechanics crack growth analysis, and Structural reliability analysis for the fatigue limit state. In this paper, the reliability assessment of aging platform will be presented and discussed in terms of fatigue spectral analysis. The reliability index resulted from the assessment may then be used for platform inspection and maintenance plan. Key words: jacket offshore structure, reliability analysis, fatigue I. INTRODUCTION Offshore jacket structures have been used in petroleum activity for decades. They are the most commonly adopted structure for shallow and intermediate water depths (say d<150 m). The existing jackets in some area have typically been designed for a life of around 20 years. Improvements in the possible oil recovery from several fields have increased the interest for using these structures well beyond their initial design life. Even if rather large reconstructions, repairs and inspections have to be performed, using existing installations beyond their design life will in many cases be economically preferable. Safety of structures is generally assumed to be obtained by design according to established standards and methods, for an expected design life. If a structure is intended to be used beyond its design life, a thorough control of the structural safety must be executed. In particular this will be important with respect to fatigue and other continuous degradation mechanisms. Rules and regulations may have been slightly altered since the original design. The loading pattern (e.g. due to subsidence) and the environmental load may have changed, and the structure may have deteriorated to an unknown extent during decades in harsh weather.
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It should be noted that design equation in the design standard are based on characteristics value which are defined at some fracture value or bound value. For reliability analysis the limit states are based on actual, accounting for uncertainties, where load and material coefficients are not included in the equation for limit sates function (Det Norske Veritas, 1996a). Offshore structures used today are relatively safe with regards to overload from wave and current loading, provided that the load pattern assumed in design is not significantly altered. Lack of knowledge of the structure (e.g. drawings, steel type, welding procedures, inspection results and details about earlier repairs etc.) may result in a high uncertainty about the structures ability to withstand wave and current loading, compared to the uncertainty at the design stage of the structure.

II. RELIABILITY BASED ON FATIGUE ANALYSIS In engineering design, uncertainties in structural analysis may exist in loading, material properties, geometry and surface condition. These uncertainties must be taken into account carefully to ensure that the design can perform its intended function with desired confidence that failure will be avoided.

Research Groups of Ocean Engineering, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesa No. 10, Bandung 40132, e-mail: ricky@ocean.itb.ac.id Ricky L. Tawekal

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