General API RP 2A serves as a guide for design and construction of o New Platforms o Relocation of existing platforms used for

r drilling o Assessment of existing Platforms (Fitness for purpose)

PLANNING Planning of the platform mainly depends on following considerations Operational Consideration, Environmental Considerations, Site Investigations, Selecting Design Environmental Conditions, Platform types, Exposure Categories, Platform Reuse, Platform Assessment, Safety Considerations and Regulations. Operational Considerations Platforms are usually categorized as o o o o o o Drilling Platform Producing Storage Materials Handling Living Quarters Combination of these

Following parameters should be known before the design of platforms. Location, Orientation, Water Depth, Access and Auxiliary Systems, Fire Protection, Deck Elevations (Should be designed for wave forces. Note: Air gap should be allowed for the passage of waves larger than the design waves), Well/ Conductors Information, Equipment and Material Layout( Drilling Equipment, Production Equipment other concentric loads),Personnel and Material Handling ( Supply Vessels, Anchorage system, Boat Landings , deck cranes etc.), Spillage and Contamination, Exposure. Environmental Considerations Normal Environmental Conditions & Extreme Conditions Winds Wind is considered on portion of the structure above the water only. Wind loads are classified as o o Gusts that average less than one minute in duration Sustained wind speeds that average one minute or longer in duration.

Standard wind elevation is considered at 10 mts above mean sea level with a specified averaging time of one hour.

Dead Loads 1. Weight of platform structure in air, weight of piles, grout and ballast. 2. Weight of permanently mounted equipments and appurtenant on platform 3. Hydrostatic forces acting on the structure including external pressure and buoyancy. Live Loads Live loads are the loads imposed on the platform during its use and which may change either during a mode of operation or from one mode of operation to another.

Design Load Combinations. 1. Operating Environmental Conditions + Dead loads+ Maximum Live Loads appropriate to normal operations. 2. Operating Environmental Conditions + Dead loads+ Minimum Live Loads appropriate to normal operations. 3. Design Environmental Conditions + Dead Loads + Maximum Live loads appropriate for combining with extreme conditions. 4. Design Environmental Conditions + Dead Loads + Minimum Live loads appropriate for combining with extreme conditions. NOTE: Earthquake load should be imposed on the platform as a separate environmental loading condition.

Wave Loads 1. Wind driven waves are a major source of environmental forces on offshore platforms. 2. The wave loads on a platform are dynamic in nature. For most design water depths these loads are represented by their static equivalents. For deeper water depths separate dynamic analysis needs to be performed. Static Wave Analysis.