Floatover is a new installation method of modules, which has become more and more common in recent years. Generally, installing integrated topside onto a jacket uses a single barge. However, it can also use a catamaran or a couple of installation barges, which has several crucial advantages. This paper investigated floatover installation process on a jacket with numerical and experimental analysis. Numerical analysis in both frequency and time domain were carried out for typical configurations during floatover operation. The challenges of numerical simulation are multi-body hydrodynamics and viscous damping chose. The calculation tools are WAMIT for frequency domain analysis, which can calculate the first and second order wave loads and global motions of multi-body, and SIMO for time domain analysis, which involves viscous damping, multi-body hydrodynamic interaction, and simulation of impact force. Corresponding model tests were also performed in the Deepwater Offshore Basin in the State Key Lab of Ocean Engineering in Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Comparison between numerical and experimental results shows that the response amplitude operator and time series agree quite well. In this installation configuration, the barges and topside have favorable hydrodynamic behaviors in considered sea state, and the loads of equipments are allowable. It can be concluded this two barges floatover concept is feasible.

Keywords:
calculation, simulation, houston, model test, proceedings, th offshore symposium, engineering, upstream oil & gas, floatover installation, naval architect
Subjects:
Offshore Facilities and Subsea Systems, Installation equipment and techniques
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2012. The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
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