Robustness of an SCR in Gulf of Mexico Hurricane Conditions

Recent hurricanes in Gulf of Mexico, most notably Ivan (2004), Katrina & Rita (2005), Ike (2008), were more severe than the local 100 year extremes in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). As a result API has issued an interim metocean bulletin, API Bulletin 2INT-MET [1]. Concurrently, API also issued API Bulletin 2INT-EX [2] for assessment of existing offshore structures for hurricane conditions. API Bulletin 2INT-EX recommends a robustness check to evaluate floating structure critical components including production and export risers. The robustness check for risers as a minimum should consider the capacity and ductility of the key riser components. This paper investigates the robustness of a steel catenary riser (SCR) suspended from a deepwater tension leg platform (TLP) unit in Central GoM. The robustness assessment is performed for the 1000 year Central GoM hurricane conditions provided in API 2INT-MET. Time domain coupled analysis using the program DeepC is performed to determine the TLP motions and the associated loading on the SCR. SCR strength capacity checks are performed as per the methods outlined in new ISO 13628-12 [3].Copyright © 2010 by ASME