Design of Pipe Rack for North Sea FPSO

Customer Challenge

A fitness for purpose assessment had identified that existing pipe rack was not fit for purpose and a new build replacement should be designed, fabricated and installed in its place. This presented a significant risk of delay to the fast track topside design and build program. Challenge was set by client to deliver design in timescale that allowed for fabrication, painting and installation before key project milestone date.



 

Key Skills Exhibited

Experience in FPSO topside structural behaviour was used to develop a design concept that instead of one single continuous structure utilised a design of four independent structures offering longitudinal compliance with vessel global hog/sag behaviour. Allowing the structure to breathe in this way mitigates the need for sliding supports that would require through life inspection and maintenance.

Quasi static structural analysis was used to refine structural arrangement and complete analysis for lift, installation, operational, extreme environmental, flooded/damage & fatigue cases.
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Design was modified at short notice to make use of steel sections that were available with shorter lead time.

Customer Benefit

• Project was turned around quickly which was key to minimising delays to fast track project.
• Flexible, knowledgeable team capable of making quick decisions during build to avoid delays waiting for steel sections.