scope:

Introduction

General

Converting a mobile drilling unit to a production installation can be a cost effective approach for the development of offshore fields. Two of these types of conversions are covered in these Guidance Notes: column-stabilized drilling units (CSDUs) to column-stabilized production installations, and drillships to ship-type floating production installations (FPIs). The classification requirements involve changing an existing mobile drilling unit to a site specific floating offshore installation. The requirements for the converted unit are based on the site-specific conditions for the operating site where the unit is to be installed and operated through the intended period of operation, and the transit conditions. These Guidance Notes are intended to provide information on the items that need to be considered resulting from the conversion, and give specific criteria that should be applied for classification in accordance with the ABS Rules and Guides. The Guidance Notes are to be used in conjunction with the ABS Rules for Building and Classing Floating Production Installations (FPI Rules) and other applicable ABS Rules and Guides.

Chapter 2 provides the requirements for conversion of column-stabilized drilling units to column-stabilized production installations, and Chapter 3 provides the requirements for conversion of drillships to ship-type floating offshore installations.

It is not the intention of these Guidance Notes to alter the technical criteria of the ABS Rules and Guides referenced herein. The main focus of these Guidance Notes is to aid in the application of these criteria in the conversion process.