ABS Experience on Developing

and Applying FPSO Standards

James Card
Senior VP, Technology
American Bureau of Shipping
Houston, Texas

August 30, 2004

Overview

Role of Class

ABS History with FPSOs

Current ABS Standards Used to Class FPSO

Systems

Other Related Experience with FPSO Systems

Ongoing Developments on the New ABS FPSO

Guide

August 30, 2004

The Role of ABS

Provide classification services to the offshore
energy sector
Design review
Construction monitoring
Operational maintenance

evaluation
Standards development

August 30, 2004

ABS Leadership in the Offshore Industry

1958 First MODU built to Class

1968 First MODU Rules

1975 First classed Floating Production Unit (Occidental,

Conversion of Transworld 58)

1978 First classed FPSO in US water (Exxon, Santa

Ynez)

1997 First classed Spar (Oryx, Neptune)

1998 First classed GOM Floating Storage Unit (Pemex,

TaKuntah)

1998 First classed Tension Leg Platform (British

Borneo, Morpeth)

August 30, 2004

ABS Recent Experience with FPSO

Tanker conversions to FPSO/FSO

New build FPSO including LPG FPSO

Recent Projects Worldwide experience

August 30, 2004

West
WestAfrica,
Africa,e.g.,
e.g.,Sanha,
Sanha,Yoho,
Yoho,
Serpentina
Serpentina

Brazil,
Brazil,e.g.,Brasil,
e.g.,Brasil,Marlim,
Marlim,Fluminense,
Fluminense,
Barracuda
Barracuda(P-43),
(P-43),Caratinga
Caratinga(P-48)
(P-48)

Indonesia,
Indonesia,e.g.,
e.g.,Bunga
BungaKertas
Kertas

Mexico,
Mexico,e.g.,
e.g.,TaKuntah
TaKuntah

ABS MODU Market Share

Exploration
Jack-Ups

Exploration Sub &

Semi-Submersibles

53%

85%

96/181

331/389

73%
DrillShips &
DrillBarges

509/699

65%

79%
23/29

59/91

August 30, 2004

Arctic &
Tender

ABS FPU Market Share

Production
SPAR

Production
Semi-Sub

100%

36%
15/52

15/15

47%
96/204

FPSO

Production
TLP

40%

79%
51/128

15/19

August 30, 2004

ABS Standards Supporting FPSO Systems

Rules for

Building and Classing Mobile Offshore Drilling Units

(MODU), 2001
Building and Classing Steel Vessels, 2004
Building and Classing Offshore Installations, 1997
Building and Classing Single Point Moorings,1996

Guide for

August 30, 2004

Building and Classing Floating Production Installations (FPI)

Guide, April 2004
Survey Based on Reliability-Centered Maintenance,
December 2003
Surveys Using Risk-Based Inspection for the Offshore
Industry, December 2003
Building and Classing Facilities on Offshore Installations,
June 2000
Synthetic Ropes for Offshore Moorings, 1999
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ABS Standards Supporting FPSO Systems (Contd)

Guidance Notes on

Review and Approval of Novel Concepts, June 2003

Risk Assessment Application for the Marine and
Offshore Oil and Gas Industries, June 2000
Reliability-Centered Maintenance, July 2004
SafeHull-Dynamic Loading Approach for FPSO
Systems, December 2001
Spectral-Based Fatigue Analysis for FPSO Systems,
January 2002

Commentaries on

August 30, 2004

The Criteria to Adapt the SafeHull System for FPSO

Applications, May 2004
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ABS SafeHull for FPSOs

Provide evaluation for strength & fatigue
assessment for FPSOs since 2001 by:

Considering actual trading history and site specific

wave environments

Applying ESF (Environmental Severity Factors) to

modify unrestricted service loads

Incorporating loads/reactions from topsides

Determining plate renewal scantlings based on

site environment

August 30, 2004

10

SafeHull FPSO Modules

Phase A

SEAS

3 Hold Model
V2
G1

3 .2
3.063
2.925
2.788
2.65
2.513
2.375
2.237
2 .1
1.963

SafeHull/FPSO

1.825
1.688
1.55

Y
Z

X
O utput Set: E LE MENT P ROPE R TIES
Crit eria : T HICKNESS OR AREA

August 30, 2004

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1.413
1.275
1.138
1.

Phase B

Other Related FPSO Projects Experience

Comparative risk assessment (CRA): work with

Offshore Technology Research Center (OTRC) and MMS to
evaluate system risks for FPSOs compared with existing
GOM deepwater production systems

Comprehensive HSE case preparation: includes a full

spectrum of studies and analysis, such as HAZOP, QRA,
Dropped objects study, fire and explosion analysis, e.g.,
Amerada Hess AH001 floating production vessel

Risk based inspection (RBI) program: provides a

mathematical approach, ranking elements for inspection
using qualitative or quantitative risk assessments.

August 30, 2004

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Ongoing Future Developments

Stand-alone
Guide for Building and Classing Floating
Production, Storage and Offloading
(FPSO) Systems
(2005)

August 30, 2004

13

New ABS FPSO Guide

Guide for
Building and
Classing
FPSO
Systems

August 30, 2004

14

New FPSOs Procedure Highlights

Adopts gross scantling concept which is the

common offshore industry practice

Uses actual loading conditions/patterns that are

prescribed in the Loading Manual

Employs seakeeping analysis including the effect

of mooring, riser, thruster, and topside effects

Retains two parts of the SafeHull methodology,

which are Standard Class Notation of A1 FPSO
or A1 FOI, and optional Class Notation SFP or
SFI

August 30, 2004

15

FPSO Class Notations According to New Guide

Class Notations:
Mandatory

A1-FPSO or A1-FOI, RFL (Expected Remaining Fatigue Life in

years), Elapsed Year in Site of Installation. For example RFL(15),
2019 in Gulf of Mexico
Requires hull girder and main supporting members strength and
fatigue review
Optional

SFP or SFI (Safe Floating Platform or Safe Floating Installation)

Requires strength and fatigue review using FEA verification

Other Applicable Class Notations:

Mandatory

DPS for a Dynamic Positioning System

AMS automatic monitoring systems for a Disconnectable System

Optional

SFA (year) based on ABS Guide on Spectral-Based Fatigue analysis

for FPSO Systems

SH-DLA based on ABS Guidance Notes on SafeHull-Dynamic

Loading Approach for Floating Production, Storage and Offloading
Systems

August 30, 2004

16

New FPSO (Phase I) Analysis Procedure

FPSO Load Conditions
Seakeeping Analysis Model
Vessel DLP RAOs
Nominal Stress RAOs Obtained
by Combining DLP RAOs

100-yr Storm at Site

10-yr Storm on Route

Full Spectral Analysis to Obtain Extreme Value

New FPSO Guide

August 30, 2004

Acceptance Criteria

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New FPSO (Phase II) Analysis Procedure

Loadings Screened from Phase I

Full Scale FE Model

Based on Gross Scantling

Stress Spectrum

Full Spectral Analysis to

Obtain Extreme Value

Strength Check

August 30, 2004

Spectral Fatigue Analysis

Buckling Check

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Fatigue Check

Summary of ABS Experience on Developing

FPSO Standards
From Well-Proven Tanker
Experience

Environmental Severity
Factors Approach

Offshore
Approach
August 30, 2004

19

Thank You!

August 30, 2004

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