STRUCTURAL BOND STRENGTH JIP GETS UNDERWAY

 

Bureau Veritas is initiating a Structural Bond Strength Joint Industry Project (JIP) that will work on assessing the strength of bonded repairs for offshore units.

FPSO units are permanently moored in oil fields, and dry-docking is only considered in the event of major damage. For a steel structure operating offshore – sometimes for over 20 years – corrosion is a constant threat and maintenance a real challenge. Conventional techniques of crop and renew result in a long cargo hold inerting phase, structural risks, production disruption and potential risks for operators.

Bonded repairs have the potential to overcome most of these problems, but their development has been hindered by a lack of recognized, industrially applicable guidance for qualification. The process is long, costly and incompatible with the industry’s needs.

This JIP’s primary objective is to study the strength and fatigue of composite repairs for corroded steel plates. It will focus on the method and numerical tools needed for qualification in order to produce a generic guidance note. Its secondary objective is to gather data on typical composite repairs and develop the experience of all partners.

The consortium brings together major oil players, naval shipyards, composite manufacturers, bonded repair providers, software providers and specialist laboratories. Our goal is to produce clear and industrially applicable design guidance. The consortium includes experts with key knowledge of offshore bonded repairs and experience in all the necessary domains.

This three-year project, which benefits from the participation of a dedicated PhD student, kicked off in March 2019. JIP progress meetings will be held biannually during FPSO JIP week. The next meeting will be held in October, in Houston, Texas.