Swell description for Bonga offshore Nigeria location

Abstract

The ocean environment offshore West Africa is considered to be mild. However, the generated swell from distant North and South Atlantic during austral winter and summer can reach high wave amplitudes with relatively low wave periods or low wave amplitudes with long wave periods, the later can be a crucial scenario to consider when the assessment of vessel resonance is of importance. Most offshore operations, which include offshore drilling, and installation in West Africa, are carried out from floating systems. The response of these systems and performance are governed by characteristics, such as amplitude and frequency of the wave and swell seas. It is therefore important to fully understand the sea conditions offshore Nigeria. This study covers the description of the swell sea offshore Nigeria using Bonga offshore wave measurements collected from the directional wave-rider (DWR), positioned at the Bonga site off the coast of Nigeria.