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Expert Insights on Advancing Offshore Structural Engineering

Todd Danielson, editorial director of Informed Infrastructure, sat down with Geoff McDonald, senior product manager for offshore structural engineering products; and Seth Guthrie, P.E., S.E., director of product management for structural engineering, to discuss advancements in offshore structural products. They explored the uses of ADINA, SACS, and MOSES, and how they work together to provide engineers with the most robust structural engineering experience. Danielson, McDonald, and Guthrie also covered changes in civil engineering, the shift toward performance-based design, and mistakes engineers make and how they can be prevented. https://youtu.be/fA48LgVd-9o Offshore Structural Software SACS has been used for over 50 years in the offshore oil and gas industry. Its primary function is to model, analyze, and design fixed structures in offshore environments. MOSES, hydrodynamic analysis software, is used for analyzing floating structures and their interactions with water. These applications are typically used by structural engineers, offshore engineers, and naval architects. ADINA is finite element analysis (FEA) software that has historically been used by civil engineers for dam and bridge design. ADINA’s modeling capabilities are particularly powerful because it can simulate the interactions of structures with seismic waves, fluids, and friction. It is a powerful solver for implicit and explicit nonlinear dynamic

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Success Story | Transporting of 3×330 Class Barge Loaded with Jacket Onboard Semi-Submersible Vessel

Project Building and transporting heavy platform jackets is a complex process under normal conditions. However, Sapura Energy Berhad had just one year to build three jackets in Malaysia and transport them to Al Shaheed Field, Quatar’s largest offshore oil field. Managed by North Oil Company (NOC), this field includes 33 platforms spread across nine areas. To enhance production capacity, NOC initiated the USD 60 million Al Shaheen Phase 2 project, which involved installing seven new wellhead platforms (WHPs) in two batches. Sapura Energy Berhad, as the engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning (EPCIC) contractor, was responsible for delivering three WHP jackets, encompassing design, fabrication, transportation, and installation. The project faced a significant challenge: delivering the WHP jackets within a tight 12-month timeframe. All structures were to be fabricated in Malaysia, and traditional towing methods would require at least 40 days to reach Qatar, leaving only 10.5 months for design and construction. Sapura Energy Berhad was challenged with finding the best way to transport the jackets on time and within budget. Facts Reduced transportation time by over 50%, ensuring the project stayed on schedule. Lowered transportation costs by using a single semi-submersible heavy-lift vessel instead of multiple tugs. Ensured the safe

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New aerodynamic model revolutionizes wind turbine design and operation

Researchers at MIT have unveiled a groundbreaking aerodynamic theory for rotors that promises to transform the design and operation of wind turbines and wind farms. Published in the journal Nature Communications via an open-access paper by MIT postdoc Jaime Liew, doctoral student Kirby Heck and Michael Howland, the Esther and Harold E. Edgerton assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, this new model offers a more accurate way to determine the forces, flow velocities, and power of a rotor, whether it is extracting energy from the wind or applying energy as a propeller. The traditional momentum theory, developed in the late 19th century, has long been used to predict the performance of rotors. However, it has significant limitations, especially at higher rotation speeds and different blade angles. In 2019, Stanford University conducted studies showing that turbine wakes can result in a 40% loss of efficiency in downstream generators. The new model, developed at MIT, addresses these shortcomings and provides a more precise calculation of the Betz limit, showing that it is possible to extract slightly more power than previously thought. One of the most exciting aspects of this new model is its immediate applicability. Wind farm operators constantly adjust turbine parameters, such

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Navigating Depths: The Importance of Offshore-specific Structural Design Software

Offshore engineering projects exist in some of the most extreme environments in the world. Their success is a testament to the innovation of offshore structural engineers. Specialized and advanced software is critical to delivering the most reliable and accurate designs. While conventional structural design software serves admirably on land, offshore projects required a more tailored approach. Here are the top three reasons why offshore-specific structural design and analysis software is vital for the success of each offshore project.  Unique Challenges of Offshore Structures Offshore structures face numerous challenges that distinguish them from their onshore counterparts. Engineers must consider material corrosion due to salt water, hydrostatic pressure from the ocean depths, extreme weather events, and shifting soil when designing fixed platforms, piles, and FPSOs. Depending on geography, the remote locations of offshore structures add additional logistical challenges for installation and maintenance. Offshore-specific software, such as SACS, is equipped to address these unique challenges, offering specialized features that conventional structural software may lack. Complexity of Environmental Factors Offshore structures are subjected to harsh environmental forces that threaten the structural integrity and lifespan of each floating or fixed platform. Wind, waves, and currents produce large lateral forces on an offshore structure which can

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Success Story | Fujian Changle Zone C Offshore Wind Farm

Located in open sea off the Changle shoreline, Zone C of the Changle Offshore Wind Farm consists of 62 wind turbines, with a total installed capacity of 500 megawatts. The project site presented extreme environmental factors and complicated geological conditions. Fujian Yongfu conducted a feasibility study evaluating the structural integrity and cost-effectiveness of using a suction pile foundation and conduit frame for the turbines. They realized that their traditional soil simulation and strength assessment methods were not applicable to these pile structures and would result in a significant cost increase.

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