Mooring

1. Describe types of mooring systems and their main features. Give example of the locations
where different systems are typically used.
Types of systems
o Active = Winching
High sensitivity
Drillships/semi
Laying barges
Used everywhere
o Passive Spread
Just to keep it within reasonable distance
FPSO
No operation
Usually deep water
Used in GOM and WOA
o Turret moored
Weathervane
Make the ship able to turn with the wind
Disconnectable
Shallow water usually
Used in North sea and Canada
2. Describe dependence of the vessel motion on the environmental forces.
Huge motions needs flexible system
o Forces could snap the mooring and make it drift
Harsh waters such as north sea, the vessels move more.
Roll
Heave
High frequency and low, low has higher forces involved when things happen faster
3. Explain what RAO is. When do 2
nd
order wave and wind components become important?
Explain how the couple analysis is done.
RAO (response, amplitude, operator)
o Describes the reaction of the vessel to external forces
o Based on statistics of how it is likely to behave when operating at sea
o This is described in all 6 degrees of freedom
o It is calculated for all motions and wave headings
2
nd
order wave
o

Tensors/viv

4. Explain what VIV/VIM is and which measures are used by the industry to avoid them.
What it is
o Vortices (virvler) formed when fluid passes around a cylinder
o Resonance occurs when shedding action excites a natural frequency of the
riser
Mitigation
o Strakes
Spirales mounted on the the risers which spins
o Fairings
Long plates mounted on the side of the risers
Increases the drag area, and makes it slower in the water

5. Explain main principal of FEM. State equations which are used in static and dynamic cases
and provide description of the notations used.
Principal of FEM
o Continuum is separated by imaginary lines and surfaces into a number of finite
elements
o They are assumed to be connected at a discrete number of nodal points
situated at their bounderies.
o A set of functions is chosen to define uniquely the state of displacement within
each finite element
o This will also identify strains in terms of nodal displacement
o For each elemt forces can be balanced
Equations
o Static
[K] {a } = { f }
o a is a global vector of unknown displacement
o K is global stiffness matrix
o Dynamic
[M ]{} + [K] {a} = { f}
o M is the density matrix


6. What is shape function? Give example for the simple 1D problem of the bending of the beam.
How can the displacement inside the finite element be calculated using the shape functions
and the displacements of the nodes?
Definition
o Set of functions chosen to define uniquely the state of displacement within each
finite elemt in terms of nodal displacement
Simple 1D problem
o Dividing the beam into parts

7. What are the generalized strains and stresses for the 3D beam used to model the riser?


Flexibles

8. Explain the difference between the solutions obtained in time domain and frequency domain?
Time Time Domain Domain
Random wave synthesised by superposition with random phases
Generate time-history of wave loading and vessel motions
Run time domain analysis for 3 hour storm (54,000 timesteps)
Statistical analysis of output timetraces to calculate fatigue damage

Frequency Domain
Solve equations of motion once for each wave spectrum harmonic (50 harmonics)
Generate response spectrum directly
Calculate fatigue life from properties of response spectrum

9. Describe typical flexible pipe structure and explain functions of the main layers.
Layers
o Carcass
External pressure resistance
o Internal sheath
Internal fluid containment barrier
o Pressure armor
Hoop stress resistance
o Tensile armor
Tensile load resistance
o External sheath
External fluid barrier

10. What is the difference between bonded and unbonded flexible pipes? In which applications
are they typically used?
Bonded means that each layer is attached to each other. This means that unbounded have
flexibility between the layers and they can move relative to each other.
Applications
o Unbonded
High temp high pressure
o Bonded
Low pressure
Dead oil
Water service
Not risers
11. What are the main design parameters for flexible pipes?
Buckling load
Internal pressure
Installation load, crush load by caterpillar
Temperature
Sweet or sour fluid
12. Explain how static and dynamic analysis of the flexible pipes is performed. What are the main
steps?
Static
o Determine initial static geometry
o Loads considered
o Vessel offset
o Pipe properties
o Vessel properties
o ROA
Dynamic
o Wave motions
o Wave induced vessel motions
o Loads
Tension and bending
Curvature
Rang of motions

SCR

13. Describe main steps of SCR system design.
Design for hoop, collapse and combined stresses
Wave induced fatigue design
Vortex induced vibrations design
Strength design and stress check
Vortex induced vessel motion
Hang off angle etc
Ancillary design

14. Describe types of installation used for SCR and when they are used. What are the main
installation challenges?
S lay
J lay
Reel lay
Main challenges
o Deep water High tension loads
o Large diameter, difficult to reel
o Rigging
o Weather fatigue during installation
15. Explain what the interference design is and describe main design drivers.
Check that there is clearance between the SCR and other structures
Design drivers
o Extreme loop currents
o Extreme submerged currents
o Hurricane environment

Hybrid

16. Describe types of hybrid riser systems. What is typical installation procedure of the hybrid
risers?
Typically a vertical pipe with flexible jumper connections
Buoyancy tank for top tension
Riser base
Could have mid water archs
Installation
o Tow out installation
o Upending of tower
o Connection to base
o Jumpers
17. Sketch typical system employing hybrid riser and indicate clearly all system components
emphasizing specifically hybrid riser components. What is the main function of the flexible
jumpers?
















Main function of flexible jumpers
o Provides decoupling effect from vessel motions and hence fatigue is reduced

TTR

18. Which vessels are suitable/not suitable to host TTR? Explain why.
Practicable Low motion vessels
o Spar
o Tension leg platform
o Cell spar
o Trust spar
Not practicable High motion vessels
o Semi-submersible
o FPSO
o Ship shaped

19. How the tensioning of TTR is provided?
Bouyancy cans
Hydro pneumatic tensioners
Direct hang off

20. Describe functions of Keel Joint in TTR system.
Compensate the relative motions between the risers and the hull
Pivot point for riser
Local stiffening

21. Sketch a diagram (flowchart) explaining design and analysis process for TTR system.

22. What are main sources of fatigue for TTR?
1
st
order wave loading and vessel
Show drift vessel motions
Current VIV
Other sources include hull VIM and installation
23. List main TTR components and describe their functions.
Keel joint
Riser joint
Riser system
Jumpers
Umbilicals
Stress joint
Tree Wellhead
Platfomr
Tie back connector
Integrity management

24. What is life cycle approach to integrity management?
25. List main types of integrity measures and give examples for each type.
26. Explain what the vacuum test is and how it is conducted.
27. What is the risk assessment development? Give example of failure drivers.