Offshore Breakwaters for LNG and Bulk Terminals: A Design Methodology for Determining Breakwater Layout

Abstract

Abstract Over the last decades LNG and bulk terminals have been constructed in many countries. Many of these terminals have been located in sheltered sites without significant influence of swell and wind seas. As the worldwide gas market continues to grow supplying domestic, industrial and power plant projects, there is a continuous interest in new LNG terminals. With the growing gas demand LNG terminals are planned at exposed sites where the need of a breakwater is important for the ability of the facility to maintain operations and to ensure survivability of the terminal infrastructure. Studies are carried out for LNG terminal concept with the main focus on the need for a breakwater protecting the facility which will have significant impact on the CAPEX (Capital Expenditure). The mooring layout of the FSU/FSRU and LNG carrier whether perpendicular or parallel to the breakwater in addition to the planned operations determine the protection area behind the breakwater. The objective of this study is to establish design curves relating the different environmental and terminal parameters such as wave conditions, berthing facility layout, protection area and breakwater layout. These curves are derived based on the results of numerical simulations for wave transformation process of offshore waves propagating inside the terminal area. More than 700 cases are carried out in this study considering a range of wave periods, breakwater lengths, breakwater type (caisson and rubble mound), facility area dimensions and two incoming waves direction, i.e perpendicular and oblique. The simulations are carried out using the software REFONDE which is based on resolving the mild slope equation for irregular waves. The results of the study are presented in the form of curves and generalized to be used by terminal developers, designers and contractors for general guidance in future projects. Up to the authors’ knowledge, such curves for the design of marine terminals are not available at present. From this overview, a design methodology is developed to determine breakwater layouts during the early planning phase of project considering wave conditions, facility layout and terminal operations.