TWI's oil and gas industry experts provide analysis and support during the design, construction and maintenance of steel jacket structures - helping to ensure these frames resist the risks of fatigue, vibration and corrosion posed by the harsh offshore and deepwater environment.
Jacket structures are three-dimensional space frames made up of large tubular steel members. Typically, the jacket takes the loadings from the topside and the sea environment, and is anchored to the seabed using steel piles. In this configuration, the jacket is fabricated from steel pipes welded together, often using complex intersections called nodes.
It is vital that each jacket structure is designed appropriately for each operating location, because water depth and local conditions vary from place to place, even across relatively small distances.
There are various risks inherent in these structures:
- The whole structure is subject to various forms of fatigue loading, including vortex-induced vibration (VIV), and corrosion is an ongoing risk
- The piles must be able to resist tension because the hydrodynamic forces that act on the structure have a tendency to cause overturning
- Nodes must be carefully designed and fabricated, and regular inspection is essential, because corrosion protection
TWI's multi-disciplinary team has in-depth knowledge and experience of the potential risks and can help Member companies by providing up-to-date guidance and confidential research.
For more information, please email contactus@twi.co.uk.