A new safety arena—the safety challenges of new floating structure applications*

Abstract

For a long time Australian waters have been known to contain huge stranded gas reserves, and many of these reserves are now planned to be unlocked by recent technological advances.

Recent development of technology and application has seen the emergence of new floating development applications ranging from large scale gas-condensate FPSOs, FLNG, semi-submersibles supporting mega sized gas-condensate topsides, through to dynamically positioned drill ships.

Traditional safety engineering approaches to FPSO design in the past 20 years that apply to oil developments often do not automatically apply to these new floating applications. Inherent safety risks fundamental to the new application and their associated practical solutions need to be understood and worked using a first principles approach. This may often result in the implementation of solutions involving counter intuitive philosophies and safety in design practices.

The safety challenges of new floating applications involve engineers, fabricators, operators and certifying agencies and apply across all phases of project implementation: assessment, selection, definition, execution and operation.

This paper maps out some of the key challenges and risks associated with the new floating structure applications. It also lays out the need for integrated, innovative thinking not only in the early project phases but also in the design processes, fabrication, testing and certification phases.

It also describes the requirement for industry participation in Australia as the ever-increasing pressure to fast track project implementation continues, and the Australian oil and gas industry begins to receive many first of a kind applications.