scope:

Introduction

General (1 May 2021)

Floating production installations (FPIs) are facilities designed for site-specific application based on a design life usually defined by the Owner/Operator. A typical default structural design life is 20 years, though there are installations with other specified design lives. For different reasons, Owner/Operators may seek to keep the unit in operation beyond the original design life, either in the same location or at a different site. In these instances, the Owner/Operator is advised to initiate a life extension process with the assistance of the Classification Society. This process includes a reassessment of the structure, mooring, tendon systems, stability, machinery and systems, etc., for the entire installation. This reassessment includes engineering and survey activities as outlined in Section 2 of this document.

These Guidance Notes highlighting the process and methodology for life extension are applicable to floating production installations of all hull forms (i.e., ship-type installations, column stabilized installations, tension leg platforms (TLPs), Spar Installations (Spars) and hybrid designs, etc.) with the Floating Production and Storage System, Floating Production, Storage and Offloading System, Floating Storage and Offloading System and Floating Offshore Installation notations. It is not applicable to mobile offshore drilling units.

These Guidance Notes cover the following life extension scenarios:

i) Life extension for continued services at the same location

● Option 1: Life extension of up to five years for an installation remaining at the same location. This option presents an abbreviated procedure per 2/3.1.

● Option 2: Life extension of over five years for an installation remaining at the same location. This procedure is presented in 2/3.3.

ii) Life extension procedure for continued services at a different area of operation (See 2/3.5)

iii) Life extension procedure for continued services based on historical loading information regularly acquired on board from operational data (See Appendix 3)

The requirements for the Life Extension of an installation that remains at the same site are specified in 1-1-2/5.11.5 of the ABS Rules for Building and Classing Floating Production Installations (FPI Rules). The procedure in these Guidance Notes provides further details regarding the steps to be followed in order to assess an installation for a possible life extension, and also covers those cases where there are changes in the original design parameters or arrangements, for continued operations at the same location.

These Guidance Notes are not intended to serve as a design standard, but rather to highlight the primary activities relating to the life extension procedure for floating production installations.

These Guidance Notes present a methodology that can be applied in the life extension for continued services process. As such, it may be applied to units classed by ABS, not classed by ABS or without class.