Life cycle structural integrity management of offshore structures

Abstract

An overview of structural integrity management of offshore structures in the oil and gas energy sector is presented in this article. Based on relevant experiences with the hazards, accidents and means to control the associated risks are categorised from a technical and physical as well as human and organisational point of view. Structural risk relates to extreme environmental and accidental events, as well as structural degradation and can be controlled by use of adequate design criteria, inspection, repair and maintenance as well as quality assurance and control of the engineering processes. Such measures are briefly outlined, with an emphasis placed upon a quantitative design approach for dealing with a life cycle approach especially relating to crack degradation phenomena. The current status of risk and reliability methodologies to aid decisions in the safety management of novel and mature offshore structures is briefly reviewed.