Preparation of the Safety Case for Mobil's Beryl B platform indicated that 2 nonstructural fire walls required to be converted to blast walls able to withstand overpressures from hydrocarbon explosions. Mobil have adopted a novel and innovative reinforcement using high strength, high modulus carbon fibers. The background to the project IS described, together With the selection of the solution, the properties of the composite materials and the derivation of the application process.
Following the Piper disaster and the consequent enquiry by Lord Cullen (1994), Mobil North Sea Limited began preparing the Safety Case for their Beryl Bravo oil production platform m the Northern North Sea Various studies were undertaken for the safety case and it was concluded that two original fire walls on the platform should be strengthened to be able to withstand a blast from a gas explosion. Several concepts were examined to select the best way to strengthen the walls, the chosen method being to reinforce the flanges of vertical beams with a high strength, high modulus carbon fiber matrix together With modifying the end supports of the beams This paper describes the development of the project, including an outline of the various concepts considered, material testing and selection, process development and trials A large scale blast test and the offshore implementation are covered, while a separate paper by Groenenboom et al (1995) describes the associated computer analysis and validation
The Beryl Bravo platform IS located m the UK sector of the Northern North Sea and includes drilling, process, compression, utility and Accommodation facilities. It IS operated by MNSL on behalf of co-ventures Amerada Hess Limited, BG North Sea Holdings Ltd, Enterprise all Ltd and OMV (UK) Ltd The platform composes a semi-integrated and structurally open topsides structure on a conventional 8 legged steel jacket.
