BS EN ISO 19904-1:2019: A Comprehensive Guide to Floating Offshore Structures

In the ever-evolving world of the petroleum and natural gas industries, the need for robust and reliable standards is paramount. The BS EN ISO 19904-1:2019 is a critical standard that addresses the design, construction, and operation of floating offshore structures. This standard is essential for professionals involved in the development and maintenance of ship-shaped, semi-submersible, spar, and shallow-draught cylindrical structures.

Overview of BS EN ISO 19904-1:2019

Released on June 18, 2019, this standard is a comprehensive document that spans 214 pages. It is meticulously crafted to provide detailed guidelines and specifications that ensure the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of floating offshore structures. The standard is identified by the ISBN 978 0 580 84712 7 and is recognized as a pivotal resource in the industry.

Key Features and Benefits

• Comprehensive Coverage: The standard covers a wide range of floating offshore structures, including ship-shaped, semi-submersible, spar, and shallow-draught cylindrical structures. This ensures that all relevant types of structures are addressed, providing a holistic approach to offshore engineering.
• Safety and Reliability: By adhering to the guidelines set forth in this standard, companies can enhance the safety and reliability of their offshore operations. This is crucial in minimizing risks and ensuring the well-being of personnel and the environment.
• International Recognition: As a part of the ISO standards, BS EN ISO 19904-1:2019 is recognized globally, facilitating international collaboration and compliance. This is particularly beneficial for multinational corporations operating in various regions.
• Up-to-Date Information: Released in 2019, the standard incorporates the latest technological advancements and industry practices, ensuring that users have access to the most current information available.

Applications of the Standard

The BS EN ISO 19904-1:2019 standard is applicable to a variety of stakeholders within the petroleum and natural gas industries. These include:

• Design Engineers: Engineers involved in the design of floating offshore structures will find this standard invaluable in ensuring that their designs meet international safety and performance criteria.
• Construction Companies: Companies responsible for the construction of offshore structures can utilize the standard to guide their processes, ensuring that all structures are built to the highest standards.
• Regulatory Bodies: Regulatory agencies can use the standard as a benchmark for evaluating the compliance of offshore structures, ensuring that they meet necessary safety and environmental regulations.
• Oil and Gas Companies: Operators of offshore platforms can rely on the standard to maintain the integrity and efficiency of their structures, ultimately enhancing operational performance.

Why Choose BS EN ISO 19904-1:2019?

Choosing the BS EN ISO 19904-1:2019 standard is a strategic decision for any organization involved in the offshore oil and gas sector. Here are some compelling reasons to adopt this standard:

• Enhanced Safety: Safety is a top priority in offshore operations. This standard provides detailed guidelines that help mitigate risks and protect both personnel and the environment.
• Cost Efficiency: By adhering to standardized practices, companies can reduce the likelihood of costly errors and rework, ultimately saving time and resources.
• Competitive Advantage: Organizations that comply with international standards are often viewed more favorably by clients and partners, enhancing their reputation and competitiveness in the market.
• Future-Proofing: As the industry continues to evolve, having a solid foundation in current standards ensures that companies are well-prepared to adapt to future changes and innovations.

Conclusion

The BS EN ISO 19904-1:2019 standard is an indispensable resource for anyone involved in the design, construction, and operation of floating offshore structures. Its comprehensive guidelines and international recognition make it a cornerstone of best practices in the petroleum and natural gas industries. By adopting this standard, organizations can enhance safety, improve efficiency, and position themselves for success in a competitive global market.

BS EN ISO 19904-1:2019

This standard BS EN ISO 19904-1:2019 Petroleum and natural gas industries. Floating offshore structures is classified in these ICS categories:

• 75.180.10 Exploratory, drilling and extraction equipment

1

This document provides requirements and guidance for the structural design and/or assessment of floating offshore platforms used by the petroleum and natural gas industries to support the following functions:

• —

  production;

• —

  storage and/or offloading;

• —

  drilling and production;

• —

  production, storage and offloading;

• —

  drilling, production, storage and offloading.

NOTE 1

Floating offshore platforms are often referred to using a variety of abbreviations, e.g. FPS, FSU, FPSO (see Clauses 3 and  4), in accordance with their intended mission.

NOTE 2

In this document, the term “floating structure”, sometimes shortened to “structure”, is used as a generic term to indicate the structural systems of any member of the classes of platforms defined above.

NOTE 3

In some cases, floating platforms are designated as “early production platforms”. This term relates merely to an asset development strategy. For the purposes of this document, the term “production” includes “early production”.

This document is not applicable to the structural systems of mobile offshore units (MOUs). These include, among others, the following:

• —

  floating structures intended primarily to perform drilling and/or well intervention operations (often referred to as MODUs), even when used for extended well test operations;

• —

  floating structures used for offshore construction operations (e.g. crane barges or pipelay barges), for temporary or permanent offshore living quarters (floatels), or for transport of equipment or products (e.g. transportation barges, cargo barges), for which structures reference is made to relevant recognized classification society (RCS) rules.

This document is applicable to all possible life-cycle stages of the structures defined above, such as:

• —

  design, construction and installation of new structures, including requirements for inspection, integrity management and future removal,

• —

  structural integrity management covering inspection and assessment of structures in-service, and

• —

  conversion of structures for different use (e.g. a tanker converted to a production platform) or re?use at different locations.

The following types of floating structure are explicitly considered within the context of this document:

1. a)

   ship-shaped structures and barges;

2. b)

   semi-submersibles;

3. c)

   spars;

4. d)

   shallow-draught cylindrical structures.

In addition to the structural types listed above, this document covers other floating platforms intended to perform the above functions, consisting of partially submerged buoyant hulls made up of any combination of plated and space frame components. These other structures can have a great range of variability in geometry and structural forms (e.g. tension leg platforms) and, therefore, can be only partly covered by the requirements of this document. In other cases, specific requirements stated in this document can be found not to apply to all or part of a structure under consideration.

NOTE 4

Requirements for topsides structures are presented in ISO 19901-3 .

In the above cases, conformity with this document requires the design to be based upon its underpinning principles and to achieve a level of safety equivalent, or superior, to the level implicit in it.

NOTE 5

The speed of evolution of offshore technology often far exceeds the pace at which the industry achieves substantial agreement on innovation in structural concepts, structural shapes or forms, structural components and associated analysis and design practices, which are continuously refined and enhanced. On the other hand, International Standards can only capture explicit industry consensus, which requires maturation and acceptance of new ideas. Consequently, advanced structural concepts can, in some cases, only be partly covered by the requirements of this document.

This document is applicable to steel floating structures. The principles documented herein are, however, considered to be generally applicable to structures fabricated in materials other than steel.