ABS Launches Floating Production Life Extension Guide

American Bureau of Shipping has further developed its approach to aging offshore assets with the publication of the Guide for Life Extension of Floating Production Installations.

ABS said that the guidance supported operators looking to extend the operational life of a floating production installation (FPI) by outlining clear Class requirements with a focus on safety.  It is informed by lessons learned from ABS-supported life extension projects and the findings of a series of FPI life extension joint development projects.

Critical issues addressed include pre-life extension data collection, hull corrosion rate, mooring fatigue assessment, rapid corrosion areas, wire rope, tendon, and composite repairs.  ABS said that the Guide is applicable to existing FPIs of all hull forms, including Ship-Type, Column Stabilized, and Tension Leg Platforms.

"The offshore industry is faced with an evolving risk profile, and we are committed to addressing the issues this creates and ensuring the  ABS-classed fleet remains the safest and best-performing fleet in the world. Through our long-standing work in this area with the leading players in the industry, ABS is well placed to assist operators with a safety-focused life extension process,” said Matt Tremblay, ABS Vice  President, Global Offshore.

The Guide is the latest ABS initiative to support the industry with aging assets after bringing together leading companies in the Floating  Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) sector in August 2021 to address the safety challenges produced by a fleet where more than half of the ship type vessels are over 30-years-old and a quarter are over 40-years-old.

The working group, consisting of Chevron, Shell Trading (U.S.) Company,  Petrobras,  MODEC, and SBM as well as The Bahamas Maritime Authority  (BMA), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Registry, and the U.S  Coast Guard 8th District, led by ABS has already seen the creation of  Joint Industry Projects (JIPs) aimed at using technology to tackle a  range of FPSO safety issues. The efforts of this working group will produce outcomes that assist with the evaluation and potential acceptance of life extension, ABS said.

"The Guide for Life Extension of Floating Production Installations" can be downloaded from ABS' website.