The impact of this lightweight Interlocking Deck Floor System will - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The impact of this lightweight Interlocking Deck Floor System will allow operators the opportunity to extend the laydown areas on their existing assets and will provide more working space for the economic development of Marginal Fields

Tony Zaccarini and Dr Patrick O’Brien

The Elevator Pitch

Wavebeam technology will allow an operator to temporarily or permanently extend the physical laydown area of your existing assets. This would provide much needed additional space for Small Pools, Plug and Abandonment, Well Intervention campaigns, TAR applications and Fracking operations Individually, Wavebeam could also be used as a spreader beam to support heavy equipment on ageing assets and to support existing corroded beams prior to decommissioning

Existing Infrastructure Existing Infrastructure Potential New Asset

It would be far more cost effective to extend the physical area of existing assets rather than construct new facilities

OIL OIL Marginal Fields Long Tiebacks

“The Table Effect” Wavebeam could substantially increase the laydown areas on offshore assets and provide an effective solution for marginal field development in a cost effective and efficient manner

Develop existing hydrocarbon accumulations which are considered to be too marginal by fully utilising existing infrastructure to its maximum ability With insufficient capacity or remaining Operating life, Wavebeam could be deployed quickly to facilitate effective recovery of marginal fields The product impact to customers

The dimensions of a standard Wavebeam would be 300 mm wide x 400 mm deep 5 mm steel flange welded on top and bottom of wave and pipes 5 mm Internal wave welded along the entire length of beam 5 mm thick x 80 mm diameter steel pipe supports welded to the inner bends along the entire length

• f the internal wave

Top of beam

Welds

Circa 40% lighter Than a standard steel beam

Wavebeam Wavebeam Lite

Further development of standard Wavebeam could include holes as an additional weight saving

• ption

As the steel is thiner in Wavebeam Lite, it would be solid with no holes cut out along the wave 5mm for commercial applications 3mm interior applications Gun barrel hole configuration

Steel pipes are welled to the inside curve of the wave and to the upper and lower flanges, adding further compression support to the steel beam. Note :- At the point where the pipes meet the wave, the thickness at the intersection increases from 5 mm to 10 mm. This further supports the loading capacity on the edges. As the wave and pipes alternately deviate from one side of the beam to the other, there is less likelihood of it buckling under extreme pressures.

After many months of search and development, a project undertaken by University of Strathclyde is about to be concluded

The Key Measures

Have produced various nonlinear finite element analysis of Wavebeam vs Industry Standard Beams and given a clear understanding of the main buckling modes of failures set against the background of many benchmarked academic research

• papers. This has provided a clear understanding of the critical

pitch and amplitude parameters which enables Wavebeam to efficiently resist loads while remaining lightweight. Circa 40% lighter Than a standard steel beam

The Critical Design Factors in Wavebeam being a successful design include the thickness of steel which is used in the various elements including flanges, wave and cylinders Other factors such as the angle of wave deviation, circumference of cylinders and position and width of flanges relative to the depth of beam, all play a critical role in Wavebeam being an effective product

This illustration depicts the basic Wavebeam concept

A basic patent has been applied for and extensive research will ensure that the Critical Design Factors

• f this successful design will continue to be developed

An extensive Literature Review was carried out by the University of Strathclyde prior to the Wavebeam model being developed and tested

Sample analyses of Strathclyde results Case 2: 4-Point Bending

Sample analyses of Strathclyde results Case 3: Web buckling

Sample analyses of Strathclyde results Case 4: LTB EigenVale Analysis

By incorporating Wavebeams into modular sized interlocking deck floor box sections, 40ft (12.18m) x 8ft (2.44m) with the same area as shipping containers, they could be transported, delivered and assembled with relative ease. We are currently looking into the design of these deck floor sections with the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) University of Strathclyde, in association with Cadherent, a Structural Engineering Design company based in Aberdeen The deck floors of these sealed box section units would be supplied and fitted in sections. A top the deck floor would be completely covered in a lightweight composite grillage to protect the landing area from damage

Wavebeam Interlocking Deck Floor System delivered by Articulated Transport

Sealed box sections manufactured from 5mm plate steel to encapsulate Wavebeams

The Lightweight beam for Heavyweight applications

View showing the position of beams inside the two box sections which are locked together at the centre

Wavebeam the future development of the Oil and Gas industry

Box section 1 Box section 2 Box sections locked together at this point

Box section1 with the beam spacing being along the top edge and the following beams in Box section 2 being laid down in the same orientation which would create equal spacing over the entire area *The last Box section 3, would contain 3 beams

Two internal beams per box section Additional stiffer plates Two internal beams per box section

The Lightweight beam for Heavyweight applications

The finished engineering drawings of a typical support platform fabrication layout. A Wavebeam extension containing all views and detailed parts list for manufacture will be commissioned following the conclusion of the Strathclyde research

Example Drawings

For customers, the value added will be the ability extract more oil by fully utilising existing assets, and the development of marginal fields at a fraction of the capex cost associated with building new offshore infrastructure

The majority of small pools are located within potential tieback and/or the extended reach of drilling distances to existing infrastructure. Take full advantage of what is already in place, as this is a radical new cost effective approach to marginal field development… …the alternative is a new asset The product impact and strategic fit for customers

Wavebeam will bring substantial long term benefits to the offshore industry, not only for marginal fields, but also for other area such as TAR applications, Well Intervention, Fracking operations and Plug and Abandonment, and Decommissioning,

Even if the lifespan of a lightweight Wavebeam platform

• nly had a shelf life of 10 years before being replaced,

it would still be a fraction of the cost of developing a new asset. The marginal fields you wish to develop, might not even last 10 years … …the alternative is a new asset

The average cost of a manned floating deck is around £50,000/day, the average cost of a supply vessel is around £20k/day

Two 16 x 16m Wavebeam platforms would have a greater physical laydown area than a standard supply vessel

Substantially increase the physical laydown area of existing assets

Make use of the free overhanging deck space suitable for many applications Marginal Fields Development TAR applications Decommissioning Well Intervention Fracking operations Plug and Abandonment

As an alternative, a permanent Wavebeam Interlocking Deck Floor System could be integrated into existing assets, or specifically incorporated into new build platforms As this offers the largest laydown space, more Wavebeams may need to be incorporated throughout the main structure

Wavebeam Interlocking Deck Floor System

If platform topsides were made considerably lighter, the industry could substantially lower field life cost through improved

decommissioning options

as a result of reduced asset weight

Use Wavebeam as deck spreader beams during decommissioning, and weight distribution on lightweight grillage applications or corroded deck areas Use Wavebeam for repairs on ageing assets with integrity issues, or for undertaking essential platform repairs where the structural integrity would be compromised

For the future development of the Oil and Gas industry

The Lightweight beam for Heavyweight applications