An Analytical/Numerical Procedure for Structural Analysis of Hybrid Riser Systems

In deep and ultra-deep water petroleum exploitation activities, floating production systems such as semi submersible platforms and FPSO (Floating Production, Storage and Offloading) units have been commonly employed. However, the utilization of flexible risers in ultra-deep waters has been hindered by technical and economical reasons. On the other hand, first order motions from the floating unit due to environmental loads are not favorable to the use of Steel Catenary Risers (SCR) in a free-hanging configuration. This fact has motivated several studies on hybrid riser systems, including the system studied in this work, which is based on a sub-surface buoy with large dimensions, moored to the seabed by tethers. This system employs flexible lines connecting the floating unit to the buoy, in the region where dynamic effects are more relevant due to the floating unit motions, and also SCRs that extend from the buoy to the seabed, in the region where dynamic motions are not so significant. The objective of this work is to describe a solution procedure for the analysis of such a hybrid riser system. This procedure is based on an analytical formulation that is solved numerically. One of the main features of this procedure is the fact that it takes into account the effects of current loads acting on the lines. Current profiles can be considered, with direction and velocities varying with depth, therefore configuring a full three-dimensional solution. This procedure can be employed either as a preliminary static analysis tool, to be used in parametric studies in order to assess the feasibility of candidate configurations of hybrid riser systems, or else for the generation of finite-element meshes for a full time-domain nonlinear dynamic simulation. It is important to start the dynamic simulation from a statically balanced configuration, since the transient effects can be dramatically shortened and the total simulation time can be reduced. The results obtained from this procedure are compared with a discrete solution obtained using a nonlinear finite-element based solver. The strategy considered here is intended to be an approach that will speed up the tasks involved in the design of hybrid risers systems based on the subsurface buoy concept.