Tension leg platform (TLP) has been one of the most favorite deep-water platform concepts for offshore oil and gas field exploration and development. As of now,a total of 24 TLPs have been installed worldwide with 3 more to be installed in the near future and 5 more under design. Most of these installations are in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Water depths for these TLP installations range from 150 m to 1 600 m. It is highly expected that China will have her first TLP designed,fabricated,and installed in the very near future. In order to satisfy the need for a unified hull structural design practice,this paper presents the design philosophy of a conventional TLP hull structure with emphases on critical structural components design and analysis methodologies.
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