Hebron Offshore Concrete Gravity-Based-Structure: Novel Design and Construction Techniques

摘要

The Hebron platform is the latest major offshore integrated oil drilling and production platform supported by a concrete gravity-based-structure (GBS). It was successfully installed in the Grand Banks (offshore Newfoundland) in June 2017. The design of the platform was challenged by arctic-like and extreme metocean conditions. This paper presents development of extreme loads on the GBS such as 10,000-year iceberg impact and wave loads. It also describes novel design and construction techniques used, which resulted in a capital-efficient platform. From an analysis and design perspective, in addition to linear-elastic finite element analysis typically used in design of offshore concrete GBS, the innovative use of non-linear finite element analysis (NLFEA) technique to calculate internal forces is presented. Such analyses more accurately capture the structural behavior and result in more realistic internal forces. In addition, a new crack-width calculation method accounting for the effect of a significant number of layers of transverse reinforcement was implemented. Also, a novel method to assess the complex interactions between solid ballast, embedded pipes, and concrete structures was applied. From a construction perspective, the use of slipforming panels that are taller than those used in past GBSs and a system to allow slipforming of the shaft wall with a complex geometry and curvature, that is much larger than that employed in the past GBS, are presented. A novel method to minimize the risk of concrete adhering to slipforming panels by cooling the panels with cold water is presented. An innovative method to ensure that high-strength grout completely filled the space underneath one of the largest Topsides footings is discussed. Full-scale constructability tests of various complex GBS components, which provided invaluable information for design, increased execution certainty, and improved construction safety, is presented.