Module overview
Offshore infrastructure forms a key part of our global communication, energy generation, material transport and environment monitoring networks. This module examines the general engineering concepts and analytical techniques that are fundamental to design, operate and decommission offshore fixed, floating and seabed infrastructure in a safe, sustainable way. This includes learning about the different types of sites, platforms, and monitoring/decommissioning requirements. The module introduces analytic and numeric methods for predicting the wind, wave and current loads on offshore structures and the engineering design of different systems to ensure their safety and performance under these expected loads. The module suits a range of career pathways linked to our marine, maritime and offshore energy industries.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- The different ways in which offshore systems can affect the environment during installation, operation, during and after decommissioning, and methods to monitor these.
- The pros and cons of different approaches to offshore systems and solutions throughout and beyond the design life cycle of the structure.
- The acquisition of laboratory data; computational statistical analysis of data; and development of informed design arguments in a group setting.
- The principal issues related to the selection of structure type, method of analysis and modelling approach for novel offshore scenarios in shipping, offshore oil & gas production and renewable offshore energy extraction.
- The underpinning concepts and design principles needed for different offshore structures to maintain their position and stability.
- The underpinning principles of fluid-structure interaction and the whole life loading of different offshore structures.
Syllabus
- General overview of offshore operations and environment
- Motivations for having offshore infrastructure & physical scales
- Types of offshore structures
- Hydrostatics and wave/body dynamics laboratory
- Offshore planning and development
- Engineering systems for platform stability and station keeping – structures and foundations
- Stability of seabed infrastructure
- Decommissioning and environmental monitoring
- General FSI framework
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include
- Lectures
- Tutorials and coursework.
- Lecture notes/slides including case study and analysis examples
- Laboratory experiment of offshore related structures in waves
Learning activities include
- Directed reading/independent learning
- Problem solving exercises using worksheets
- Report-writing for the assignments
- Coursework include analytic, numeric, and data analysis tasks
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Revision | 30 |
| Lecture | 24 |
| Follow-up work | 36 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 15 |
| Tutorial | 12 |
| Wider reading or practice | 12 |
| Completion of assessment task | 21 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
General Resources
Resources. Resources and the reading list will be available on blackboard.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
Referral Method - 100% exam.
Summative
Summative assessment description
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Coursework | 10% |
| Examination | 70% |
| Coursework | 10% |
| Laboratory | 10% |
Referral
Referral assessment description
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Examination | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External