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Technology
Assessment & Research (TA&R) Program
| Project Number |
597 |
| Date of Summary |
May 15, 2009 |
| Subject |
Assessment of Superstructure Ice Protection As Applied to Offshore Oil
Operations Safety |
| Performing Activity |
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Cold Regions Research and Engineering
Laboratory (CRREL), Hanover, NH |
| Principal Investigator |
Drs. Charles C. Ryerson and Michael G. Ferrick |
| Contracting Agency |
Minerals Management Service |
| Estimated Completion |
Completed |
| Description |
The objective of this research project is to assess potential methods for
improving safety on drilling and production vessels and platforms operating
in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas and experiencing superstructure icing. The
goals are:
- To identify ice protection technologies currently in use on marine
structures, evaluate their effectiveness for enhancing operational safety
and define critical superstructure icing needs.
- To identify ice protection technologies in use and under development
from other ice mitigation applications including electrical transmission,
transport and aviation with regard to ice detection, icephobic coatings,
anti-icing and de-icing and structural design.
- To evaluate these transfer technologies to determine which can be most
successfully applied to the marine environment and assess their technology
readiness level.
- Assess the potential safety improvements following application of
these transfer technologies to drilling and production operations in the
marine icing environment.
- Identify high priority research needs for development and maturation
of transfer technologies to the marine environment with associated estimates
of relative costs and time to operational use. Where needs exist and no
technologies are available for transfer make recommendations for development
of new technologies for enhances safety and more effective management of
superstructure icing.
Deliverables:
Task 1. Interim Report:
- Define technologies currently being used in the oil industry to
combat icing hazards and evaluate their effectiveness.
- Assess the performance of these technologies for potential
application to superstructure icing needs in the marine environment.
- Results of Task 1 are the first part of the final report.
Task 2. Interim Report:
- Assess the potential of technologies from other disciplines
(identified in Task 1) to address critical superstructure icing problems
and operational safety needs.
- The readiness of each potential technology will be evaluated and
assigned an appropriate Technology Readiness Level (TRL).
- Results of Task 2 are the second part of the final report.
Task 3. Final Report:
- Assess development necessary for specific technologies to
effectively mitigate critical safety needs drilling and production
operations.
- Conclusions ands recommendations for further work.
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| Progress |
The PI has visited platform "Heritage" in the Pacific region to gather data
and knowledge prior to the start of the project. The PI has completed the
literature review on oil rig superstructure icing impacts, needs and current
solutions. MMS has
accepted the final report from Task 1. The PI has completed Task 2 and is
developing the draft final report. The final report for this project has
been accepted by the MMS. This research project is complete. |
| Report |
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AA (666
KB PDF) |
Report AA -Assessment of Superstructure Ice Protection As
Applied to Offshore Oil Operations Safety: Problems, Hazards, Needs and
Potential Transfer Technologies (EDRC/CRREL TR-08-15), Dr. Charles C.
Ryerson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Cold Regions Research and Engineering
Laboratory (CRREL), Hanover, NH, pp. 156, September 2008. Report AB -
Assessment of Superstructure Ice Protection As Applied to Offshore Oil
Operations Safety: Ice Protection Technologies, Safety Enhancements and
Development Needs, (TR-09-4), Dr. Charles C. Ryerson, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL),
Hanover, NH, pp. 342, April 2009. |
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AB (2,548
KB PDF) |
The citation is Assessment of Superstructure Ice Protection As Applied
to Offshore Oil Operations Safety: Ice Protection Technologies, Safety
Enhancements and Development Needs, (TR-09-4), Dr. Charles C. Ryerson, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL),
Hanover, NH, pp. 342, April 2009. |
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