This article introduces the experience in the application of cylindrical steel concrete composite caisson type artificial islands in water depth ranging from shallow to extremely shallow sea of the Bo Hai Bay, China. This kind of structure is suitable for the Chinese ocean environmental conditions and oil and gas fields. This paper emphasizes the design and construction of such structures.
The objective of this paper is primarily to relate the Chinese experience with the design and construction of steel/concrete composite artificial islands for oil and gas production under severe environmental conditions. The shallow and extremely shallow sea areas from the Liao Dong Bay, Bo Hai Bay to the Lai Zhou Bay are rich in oil and gas resources. They have a very good potential for future commercial exploitation and development. The problem in these sea areas is that the natural conditions are very complex. There are many severe environmental factors as waves, storms, sea ice, soft sediment accumulations, sea floor collapse, intense seismic activity, etc.. All of these factors make the offshore engineering work in the areas more difficult. The ocean environmental conditions in these areas may be some of the most complex and unstable in the world. Therefore, the exploitation of these oil and gas fields and the construction of artificial islands in these areas have been focused on both at home and abroad in academic and engineering circles. The Ninth Design & Research Institute (NORI) of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) is a comprehensive design and research institute which has been engaged for a long time in shipbuilding industry, offshore and harbor engineering, other industrial and civil building engineering and electrical and mechanical engineering. In the 70's, it succeeded in designing the longest offshore breakwaters for the Huludao Harbor in China.
