A semi-submersible platform for well drilling and hydrocarbon production is exposed to large uplift movements or excessive horizontal displacements. These damage the platform's operation; depending on the climatic conditions that occur in the place of the wave-structure interaction in a certain area of the Gulf of Mexico. It is observed whether the environmental conditions are suitable for drilling operations; checking with the stability analysis in the Maxsurf Stability software and the hydrodynamic analysis in the Maxsurf Motions software.
Mexico is considered one of the privileged countries as it has a territorial sea of 2; 926; 252 km2 and several coastal states that allow the installation of ports and areas of maritime operations. This space is divided by two oceans: the Atlantic and the Pacific. In the case of Atlantic Ocean; the national territory is shared whit the United States and Cuba; called the Gulf of Mexico; which remains an ocean basin given by the continental geography.
However; any offshore structure requires specific adjustments both for its construction and for its operations; and thus; avoid damage that may be caused by wave forces that intervene in the interaction with the structures.
All offshore structures go through a life cycle that includes different phases; from the planning and design phase to reuse and modeling; as well as the study of the exploration; development and production process phases of the field where the structure will be installed as it is very important to guarantee functionality and technical quality.
The characterization of waves is highly valued by the maritime industry as they serve both for design and shipbuilding as well as for hydrocarbon exploration and extraction operations.
The importance of the study of wave characterization for offshore structures is presented because in hydrocarbon exploration and extraction activities it is carried out through marine structures such as self-elevating; semi-submersible and tension platforms; which have different dimensions and they face highly varied meteorological and oceanographic conditions; as well as multiple seafloor conditions.