Introduction to Offshore Platform Global Weight Management Database Program

An Offshore Platform Global Weight Management Database Program (OPGWMDP) has been developed and used to manage and monitor the platform system weights in design, fabrication, installation and operation. It is the first weight management database specialized to support the Spar system engineering design, construction, installation and offshore operation. This database program, which was developed in the Microsoft Access environment, is portable, cost friendly and integrated with graphic user interfaces (GUI). This program not only has the data storage and operational functions like a common database program, but also provides calculation functions specifically developed for offshore platform design and operation, such as horizontal force and moment calculation for mooring or other positioning systems, riser systems, fixed ballast and variable ballast automatic balance calculation, adjustment of displacement and topsides payloads eccentricity and variation. The program can also provide fast data for the platform stability verification under various operational conditions. These functions usually are not included in other similar weight control database programs. This system includes 4 main modules to provide the data input, edit and output functions and several sub-modules to manage different group data. This architecture gives the system a flexible structure which can be easily supplemented with new functions in the future. The specifically designed GUI provides a friendly interface for the user to interact with this system. This weight control database program has been verified with as-built platform data, and is applicable for a variety of offshore platforms, including Spar, semisubmersible, TLP and FPSO.