Experimental Study on the Response Behaviour of SeaStar Mini Tension Leg Platform Against Random Water Waves

Among the compliant platforms, TLP is a vertically moored structure with excess buoyancy, used for deep water oil exploration. In this structure tethers can be tensioned to such an extent that heave, roll and pitch motions of the platform induced by ocean waves are virtually eliminated. SeaStar is new generation of mini tension leg platforms which is similar to a spar and has favorable response features of a TLP. This paper illustrates the results of experimental work performed on a 1/100 scaled model of SeaStar TLP in a wave flume. The study refers to the induced tension in different tendons of the model and the motion response behaviour of the model on different degrees of freedom under several directional impinging random water waves. The results are presented in the frequency domain and the response amplitude operator for each motion of the platform has been calculated.