Conceptual development of an offshore resource centre in support of remote harsh environment operations

Abstract

The design and operational planning of an offshore installation must consider environmental challenges along with additional difficulties that arise due to remoteness. Among the major operational issues, logistics support during routine operations and emergencies is critical. The logistics support from an onshore base to a remote and harsh environment offshore production facility is not sufficiently reliable and quick. In this study, the concept of an intermediate offshore resource centre (ORC) as a potential solution to the logistics problem is presented. The purpose, functional requirements and the conceptual design of an ORC with an illustrative example are discussed. A modular volume-limited ship design concept is adopted here to determine the principal particulars of the ORC in the concept design phase. The required functional elements of the ORC are identified, and then the physical space required for each element is represented graphically as a scaled block with the required volume. The principal dimensions are determined after arranging these functional blocks within a ship-shaped envelope. Finally, the concept design of the vessel system is tested and validated with an analysis of the vessel stability and mooring requirements.