Reliability of Drag Anchors for Catenary Mooring Systems in Newfoundland Offshore

最近重大的石油发现已经将纽芬兰和拉布拉多的近海区域移到了北极的深水和恶劣的环境中(即佛兰德山口盆地，深度为1100米)。浮式生产设施的开发明显增加。这些浮动系统是在正常和极端环境条件下使用锚作为系泊系统的关键要素保持在适当位置的。涉及浮式设施的系泊系统故障数量之多，继续引起业界的担忧。系泊和锚定系统的故障可能会带来巨大的成本并危及环境。这样的站点保持系统故障的环境后果可能是不计其数的，而且是灾难性的。海床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拉式锚杆无法进行监测、检查和维护，因此必须对这些部件进行可靠性评估，以最大限度地减少它们发生故障的可能性。拟议的研究项目将对拖拉式锚的可靠性进行量化评估，为加拿大石油和天然气行业、监管机构和公众提供更大的信心，使其安全运行。从长远来看，这将有助于在包括纽芬兰和拉布拉多近海在内的深水区域安全和可持续地开采资源。该提案启动了纪念大学和Technip Canada之间的新一轮研究活动，Technip Canada是一家专门从事海上结构、海底管道、海军陆战队、海底设施和海上作业的工程、采购、建造和安装(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.