Reliability of Drag Anchors for Catenary Mooring Systems in Newfoundland Offshore

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Recent significant petroleum discoveries have moved the Newfoundland and Labrador's offshore sector intodeepwater Arctic and harsh environment (i.e., Flemish Pass Basin, 1,100 meters depth). The development offloating production facilities has significantly increased. These floating systems are kept in place under normaland extreme environmental conditions using anchors as a key element of mooring systems. The high number ofmooring system failures involving floating facilities continues to raise concerns in the industry. Failure ofmooring and anchoring systems can impose significant costs and endanger the environment. The environmentalconsequences of such station keeping system failure can be countless and catastrophic. There are largeuncertainties in seabed parameters and environmental loads combined with the inaccessibility for monitoring,inspection, and maintenance of drag anchor in Newfoundland offshore that mandates the reliability assessmentof these elements to minimize their likelihood of failure. The proposed research project will produce aquantitative estimate of drag anchor reliability, providing greater confidence to Canadian oil and gas industry,regulator, and the public in its safe operation. In long run, it will contribute to safe and sustainable resourceextraction in the deepwater region, including offshore Newfoundland and Labrador. The proposal initiates anew research engagement between Memorial University and Technip Canada, an Engineering, Procurement,Construction and Installation (EPCI) Company specialized in offshore structures, subsea pipelines, marinerisers, subsea facilities, and offshore operations.