Full-scale measurements from a large deepwater jack-up platform

Abstract Analysis of full-scale measurements obtained from the instrumented Smedvig West Epsilon jack-up platform operating in the STATOIL Sleipner Vest field in the North Sea is described. This jack-up platform has a skirted spud-can foundation. The following topics are discussed in the paper: • Comparison between measured and calculated natural frequencies and modes of the platform based on modal analysis. • Comparison of measured foundation stiffness with the design stiffness. • Comparison between measured and simulated platform response by application of a nonlinear time domain analysis. Implications with respect to procedures and assumptions employed for design of the platform are addressed. The comparison between measured and simulated response is performed for a moderate sea state with a significant wave height of 9.3 m.