Triangular Tension Leg Platform Research Articles

A unified seakeeping and maneuvering analysis of multiple linked towing system with triangular Bodies

Three-legged triangular tension leg platforms (TLPs), which are a kind of compliant-type floating structure, are drawing attention from industrial society. To reduce the transportation cost, a multiple linked ship towing system that the platform and anchor are linked and wet towed is studied. A unified seakeeping and maneuvering method which can take account of the hydrodynamic interaction between the bodies and utilize the experimental results for tuning the damping coefficients is proposed to model the towing system. In the method, a low-pass filter is applied to separate the slowly and fast motion components for the maneuvering and seakeeping calculations. The maneuvering and seakeeping problems can thus be solved simultaneously with a same time scale. SimMechanics™, which provides multi-body simulation environment for mechanical systems, is applied to implement the numerical model for studying the fully coupled six degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) motion of the towing system. Besides, experiments are carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of the system and the effectiveness of the numerical model. A circular motion in irregular waves is studied at the end and the issues of the system are discussed accordingly.

Effect of Tethers Tension Force on the Behavior of Triangular Tension Leg Platform

Compliant structures like triangular tension leg platforms (TLPs) are proven to be highly cost effective in deep waters. The estimation of hydraulic forces due to waves on structural member of TLP is vital for its economic and safe design. In the current study, a numerical study for a triangular TLP using modified Morison equation was carried out in the time domain with water particle kinematics using Airy’s linear wave theory to investigate the effect of changing the tether tension force on the stiffness matrix of TLP's, the dynamic behavior of TLP's; and on the fatigue stresses in the cables. The effect was investigated for different parameters of the hydrodynamic forces such as wave periods, and wave heights. The numerical study takes into consideration the effect of coupling between various degrees of freedom. The stiffness of the TLP was derived from a combination of hydrostatic restoring forces and restoring forces due to cables. Nonlinear equation was solved using Newmark’s beta integration method. Only uni-directional waves in the surge direction was considered in the analysis.

Influence of Tethers Tension Force on the response of Triangular Tension Leg Platform subjected to hydrodynamic waves

Influence of Tethers Tension Force on the response of Triangular Tension Leg Platform subjected to hydrodynamic waves

Wave induced motion of a triangular tension leg platforms in deep waters

Tension leg platforms (TLP's) are highly nonlinear due to large structural displacements and fluid motion-structure interaction. Therefore, the nonlinear dynamic response of TLP's under hydrodynamic wave loading is necessary to determine their deformations and dynamic characteristics. In this paper, a numerical study using modified Morison Equation was carried out in the time domain to investigate the influence of nonlinearities due to hydrodynamic forces and the coupling effect between all degrees of freedom on the dynamic behavior of a TLP. The stiffness of the TLP was derived from a combination of hydrostatic restoring forces and restoring forces due to cables and the nonlinear equations of motion were solved utilizing Newmark's beta integration scheme. The effect of wave characteristics was considered.

Ringing and springing response of triangular TLPs

Certain class of offshore structures exhibit highly intense nonlinear behavior called springing and ringing. Dynamic response of compliant structures like Tension Leg Platforms (TLP) under impact and non-impact waves responsible for ringing and springing phenomenon is of large interest to marine engineers. This paper develops a mathematical formulation of impact and non-impact waves and discusses the method of analysis of TLPs of triangular geometry under these wave effect; response of square and equivalent triangular TLPs are compared. Heave response in square TLPs show bursts but there are no rapid build-ups; gradual decays are seen in most cases looking like a beat phenomenon while such results are not predominantly noticed in case of equivalent triangular TLPs. Ringing, caused by impact waves in pitch degree-of-freedom and springing, caused by non-impact waves in heave degree-of-freedom in both the platform geometries are undesirable as they pose serious threat to the platform stability. Analytical studies conducted show that equivalent triangular TLPs positioned at different water depth are less sensitive to these undesirable responses thus making it as a safe alternative for deepwater oil explorations.

Offshore triangular tension leg platform earthquake motion analysis under distinctly high sea waves

TLPs are compliant structures designed to withstand moderate loads without damage and severe loads without seriously endangering the occupants. Dynamic behavior of TLPs under distinctly high sea waves in the presence of both horizontal and vertical seismic excitations is examined and method of analysis is discussed. Seismic forces imposed at tether bottom make tether tension unbalanced when the hull is under offset condition. Tether tension varies nonlinearly under vertical seismic excitations generated using Kanai-Tajimi ground acceleration spectrum. Analytical studies conducted on triangular TLPs show that this tension variation is much higher than the regulation values indicating the necessity for examining them for seismic safety. Clearly, the peaks seen in the response of all active degrees-of-freedom occurring near to the average sum frequencies of waves and input ground motion is a significant influence of seismic excitations on TLP tethers under high sea waves. The numerical results obtained also verify/establish the fact that TLPs built in deeper sea locations show significantly lesser response to the combined wave and earthquake loading.

Response Behavior of Triangular Tension Leg Platforms under Regular Waves Using Stokes Nonlinear Wave Theory

Tension leg platforms (TLPs) are compliant-type offshore structures generally used for deepwater oil/gas exploration. Dynamic analysis of three triangular TLP models under regular waves is presented, considering the coupling between various degrees of freedom. The analysis considers various nonlinearities developed due to change in tether tension, change in buoyancy, and hydrodynamic drag force. The hydrodynamic characteristics of the wave loading on the structure are computed using Airy’s wave theory and Stokes’ fifth-order theory. The hydrodynamic coefficients Cd and Cm vary along the water depth. The low frequency drift response and the high frequency springing response are not considered in the present study. The equation of motion has been solved in time domain using Newmark’s integration scheme. Numerical studies are conducted to compare the coupled response of triangular TLPs under regular waves using Airy’s wave theory evaluated with Chakrabarti’s modification and that obtained by using Stokes’ fi...

Influence of wave approach angle on TLP's response

The current study focuses on the response analysis of triangular tension leg platform (TLP) for different wave approach angles varying from 0° through 90° and its influence on the coupled dynamic response of triangular TLPs. Hydrodynamic loading is modeled using Stokes fifth-order nonlinear wave theory along with various other nonlinearities arising caused by change in tether tension and change in buoyancy caused by set down effect. Low frequency surge oscillations and high frequency tension oscillations of tethers are ignored in the analysis. Results show that wave approach angle influences the coupled dynamic response of triangular TLP in all degrees of freedom except heave. Response in roll and sway degrees of freedom are activated which otherwise are not present in TLP's response to unidirectional waves. Pitch and roll responses are highly stochastic in nature indicating high degree of randomness. Variation in surge, sway and heave responses are nonlinear and are not proportional to change in wave height for the same period.

Response behaviour of triangular tension leg platforms under impact loading

Excellent station keeping characteristics and relative insensitivity with increasing water depth make triangular tension leg platforms (TLPs) a proven concept in deep water oil exploration. TLPs are often subjected to less probable forces which arise due to collision of ships, icebergs or any other huge sea creature. Dynamic analysis of two triangular TLP models at water depths 1200 and 527.8 m is performed under regular waves along with impulse load acting at an angle of 45 degrees at the TLP column. Hydrodynamic forces on these TLPs are evaluated using modified Morison equation, based on water particle kinematics arrived at using Stokes’ fifth order wave theory. Based on numerical studies conducted, it is seen that impulse loading acting on corner column of TLP significantly affect its response while that acting on pontoons dose not affect TLPs behaviour.

SEISMIC ANALYSIS OF OFFSHORE TRIANGULAR TENSION LEG PLATFORMS

Oil and gas production from deep-water offshore fields represent a major structural engineering challenge for the industry. The tension leg platform (TLP) is a well-established concept for deep-water oil exploration. It is necessary to design an offshore TLP such that it can respond to moderate environmental loads without damage, and is capable of resisting severe environmental loads without seriously endangering the occupants. Seismic analysis of triangular TLP under moderate regular waves is investigated. The analysis considers nonlinearities due to the change in tether tension and nonlinear hydrodynamic drag forces. The coupled response of TLP under moderate regular sea waves due to change in initial pretension in the tethers caused by seismic forces (vertical direction) is then investigated. Seismic forces are imposed at the bottom of each tether as axial forces. The tether tension becomes unbalanced when the hull is under offset position. The vertical component of seismic force is an important item to take into consideration, because it is directly superposed to pretension of tethers. The change in initial pretension due to the vertical component of the earthquake affects the response of the triangular TLP in degrees-of-freedom experiencing such forces. The tether tension varies nonlinearly when the platform is subjected to seismic forces caused by the El Centro earthquake and artificially generated earthquake using Kanai–Tajimi's power spectrum. The response due to earthquakes varies with the intensity of the input ground motion. The seismic response of the triangular TLP exhibits nonlinear behavior in the presence of waves and it is non-proportionately influenced by the wave period and the wave height.

Influence of hydrodynamic coefficients in the response behavior of triangular TLPs in regular waves

Triangular configuration tension leg platforms (TLPs) are used for deep-water oil/gas exploration. The mechanics of TLP is highly nonlinear due to larger structural displacements and fluid motion–structure interaction. Triangular TLP has major consideration for deep-water application also due to its relative insensitivity with increasing water depth, excellent station keeping characteristics, etc. which makes this as a most cost effective and practical production system for deep waters. This study focuses on the influence of hydrodynamic drag coefficient ( C d) and hydrodynamic inertia coefficient ( C m) on the nonlinear response behavior of triangular TLP models under regular waves. Two typical triangular TLP models vis-à-vis TLP 1 and TLP 2 are taken for the study at 600 and 1200 m water depths, respectively. Hydrodynamic forces on these TLPs are evaluated using modified Morison equation under regular waves. Diffraction effects are neglected. Various nonlinearities arising due to relative velocity term in drag force, change in tether tension due to TLP movement, and set down effect are being considered in the analysis. The dynamic equation of motion has been solved in time-domain by employing Newmark’s β numerical integration technique. Based on the numerical study conducted, it is seen that the response evaluated using varying hydrodynamic coefficients through the water depth is significantly lesser in comparison to the response with constant coefficients in all activated degrees-of-freedom. However, sway, roll, and yaw degrees-of-freedom are not present due to the unidirectional wave loading considered for the study. The influence of hydrodynamic coefficients in wave period of 15 s is more in comparison with that of 10 s, and is nonlinear. The hydrodynamic coefficients also influence the plan dimension of TLP and its site location (geometry). Therefore, it may become essential to estimate the range of C d– C m values to vary through the water depth, based on Reynolds number ( Re) or Keulegan–Carpenter number ( Kc) even before the preliminary design of the TLP geometry.

Dynamic behaviour of square and triangular offshore tension leg platforms under regular wave loads

Among compliant platforms, the tension leg platform (TLP) is a hybrid structure. With respect to the horizontal degrees of freedom, it is compliant and behaves like to a floating structure, whereas with respect to the vertical degrees of freedom, it is stiff and resembles a fixed structure and is not allowed to float freely. The greatest potential for reducing costs of a TLP in the short term is to go through previously applied design approaches, to simplify the design and reduce the conservatism that so far has been incorporated in the TLP design to accommodate for the unproven nature of this type of platform. Dynamic analysis of a triangular model TLP to regular waves is presented, considering the coupling between surge, sway, heave, roll, pitch and yaw degrees of freedom. The analysis considers various nonlinearities produced due to change in the tether tension and nonlinear hydrodynamic drag force. The wave forces on the elements of the pontoon structure are calculated using Airy's wave theory and Morison's equation, ignoring the diffraction effects. The nonlinear equation of motion is solved in the time domain using Newmark's beta integration scheme. Numerical studies are conducted to compare the coupled response of a triangular TLP with that of a square TLP and the effects of different parameters that influence the response are then investigated.