New Classification Rules for Offshore Floating Gas Terminals

Abstract Offshore gas terminals are today broadly considered by the industry to respond to the world thirst of energy in a rapid and efficient manner. In order to match these technical developments, Bureau Veritas has completed, in May 2009, the first phase of a rule development project for the classification of floating offshore gas terminals. Combining BV experience with the classification of Liquefied gas carriers and FPSOs, this resulting guidance note provides requirements for structural safety and cargo containment system assessment. These requirements are applicable for LNG FPSOs, FSRU, gas production units or FSOs. For the end of the year 2009, BV will complete this guidance note with specific requirements for subdivision and stability, electrical installations, piping systems, equipment, fire safety and topsides of offshore gas terminals. This paper describes the work and conclusions of the guidance note and focus on two main challenges faced during the work: One one hand, culture differences between shipping, gas and offshore industries. Although modern design techniques are largely using sophisticated numerical calculation tools for both ships and offshore units, there is still a notable cultural difference between the shipping and the offshore industries in the fact that the design of offshore platforms has historically been inclined to be based on first principles and direct risk analysis as opposed to ships, the design of which integrates, to a large extent, the return of experience in service in a more empirical way. On the other hand, the difficulty to build standards for a new technology. Despite the long experience in gas transportation at sea and in offshore units, LNG FPSO projects need to identify the risk induced by transferring new technologies from shipping or from onshore industry to offshore floating gas projects.