Bureau Veritas has
launched new rules for
FPSOs which embody extensive recent experience with large floating
structures and enhanced spectral fatigue analysis.
BV's Rules for the Hull Structure of Production, Storage, and Offloading
Surface Units are the most up to date distillation of experience with a wide
range of ship and box-shaped FPSOs. They take into account that the units
have to remain onsite without dry-docking for twenty-five years, with
specific loads, and place new emphasis on reinforcing focal points where
cracking has appeared on existing FPSOs.
Marie-Françoise Renard, offshore leader for the marine division of Bureau
Veritas, says, "We have been called in by several major operators of FPSOs
to perform structural assessments of both converted and new built FPSOs,
built to a number of different class society standards. The assessments show
damage even in mild environments, especially to converted units. Using our
powerful VeriSTAR tools we have been able to offer solutions to the lifetime
maintenance of these structures, and we can now draw together the experience
in this unique package of rules."