Reliability of Drag Anchors for Catenary Mooring Systems in Newfoundland Offshore

最近的重大石油发现已经将纽芬兰和拉布拉多的海上部门转移到北极深水和恶劣环境（即Flemish Pass盆地，深度1100米）。开发的浮式生产设施显著增加。这些浮动系统使用锚作为系泊系统的关键元素，在正常和极端环境条件下保持到位。大量涉及浮式设施的系泊系统故障继续引起业界的关注。系泊和锚泊系统的故障会造成巨大的损失，并危及环境。这种站保持系统故障的环境后果可能是无数的和灾难性的。海底参数和环境载荷存在很大的不确定性，再加上纽芬兰近海拖曳锚无法进行监测、检查和维护，因此需要对这些因素进行可靠性评估，以尽量减少其失效的可能性。拟议的研究项目将对拖曳锚的可靠性进行定量评估，为加拿大油气行业、监管机构和公众提供更大的信心，确保其安全运行。从长远来看，它将有助于包括纽芬兰和拉布拉多近海在内的深水区域的安全和可持续资源开采。该提案启动了纪念大学与加拿大Technip公司之间的新研究合作，Technip公司是一家专门从事海上结构、海底管道、水手船、海底设施和海上作业的工程、采购、施工和安装（EPCI）公司。

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.