Design considerations of drag anchors in cohesive soil for floating facilities in the South China sea

Abstract

Deep-sea drag anchor technology is an efficient solution for mooring offshore floating facilities. It has been widely adopted for temporary oil & gas engineering vessels in China. This paper presents a design strategy of drag anchors in cohesive soils for offshore floating facilities in the South China Sea. The design considerations and challenges encountered in practice are outlined, and technical solutions for the anchor design from the installation, through severe annual typhoons, to the end of design life are presented. The primary aims of the paper are to provide design specification of the drag anchor, considering geotechnical and metocean characteristics in the South China Sea, in a line with the international design guidelines, as well as to highlight its promising application in both conventional and renewable sectors in the South China Sea.