Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 109
6
Qualifications Needed by Certified
Verification Agents
As discussed in Chapter 5, the certified verification agent (CVA) is
responsible for ensuring that the design, fabrication, and installation of
offshore wind turbine facilities are in accordance with accepted and
approved plans and compilations of national and international stan-
dards, rules, industry guidelines, and recommended practices (referred
to here as “packages of Guidelines”). To perform this work, the CVA must
have certain capabilities and experience. This chapter explores qualifica-
tions required of third-party reviewers, evaluates various approaches
to accrediting a CVA, addresses the qualifications necessary for an
offshore wind turbine CVA, and discusses the potential gaps in the
process in the initial years of CVA implementation in the U.S. offshore
wind industry.
SURVEY OF QUALIFICATIONS FOR
OTHER THIRD-PARTY REVIEWS
Third-party reviews and verification activities are undertaken for var-
ious engineered systems, among them offshore oil and gas, marine,
and land-based structural design (including wind turbines). This sec-
tion explores the qualifications necessary for organizations undertak-
ing these verification activities to provide a background for evaluating
what qualifications should be required for the offshore wind turbine
industry. The qualifications described in this section are presented as
examples from other third-party review systems, which have informed
the committee’s deliberations on the recommended qualifications
for CVAs.
109
OCR for page 110
110 Structural Integrity of Offshore Wind Turbines
Qualifications Required of Offshore Oil and Gas CVAs
The verification process for offshore oil and gas facilities is the one most
closely associated with the process envisioned for offshore wind turbines,
because they are both mandated by U.S. Department of the Interior reg-
ulations as published in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and
directed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and
Enforcement (BOEMRE), formerly the Minerals Management Service
(MMS). Title 30 of the CFR addresses minerals resources, and Parts
250.909 through 250.918 describe the Platform Verification Program (30
CFR 250.909–918) (see Chapter 5).
A list of qualifications necessary for the nominated CVA to be approved
by the BOEMRE regional supervisor, such as 10 years or more of experi-
ence with offshore fixed platform design or active involvement in three or
more fixed jacket installations, is not given by 30 CFR 250. However, a
review of the nomination requirements and expected activities of the CVA
provides a sense of the necessary qualifications.
The CVA nomination process for oil and gas facilities is addressed in
30 CFR 250.914. Section (b) lists the information that must be included in
the CVA “qualification statement,” including the following:
• Previous experience with third-party verification;
• Previous experience with design, fabrication, or installation of fixed
or floating offshore structures; similar marine structures; and related
systems and equipment;
• Previous experience with BOEMRE requirements and procedures;
• Technical capabilities for the specific project and staff availability;
• Size and type of the organization;
• Access to necessary technology such as analysis tools and testing
equipment; and
• Level of work to be performed.
The CFR does not include minimum acceptable levels for any of
these qualifications, and the evaluation of a CVA’s qualifications is
subjective and ultimately the responsibility of the regional supervisor.
The following is an overview of what, according to the CFR, is expected
of the CVA for each of the three project phases: design, fabrication, and
installation.
OCR for page 111
Qualifications Needed by Certified Verification Agents 111
Expectations of CVAs for the Design Phase
The primary design phase activity (30 CFR 250.916) is to perform an inde-
pendent review of the design on the basis of “good engineering judgment”
to determine whether the design is suitable and will allow the system to
withstand “environmental and functional load conditions appropriate for
the intended service life at the proposed location.” The CFR indicates spe-
cific areas that must be subjected to the CVA’s independent review for
both fixed and floating offshore structures; among them are loading,
stresses, and foundations. The design CVA must produce a report of
findings that identifies how and by whom the independent review was
conducted.
Expectations of CVAs for the Fabrication Phase
The primary fabrication phase activity (30 CFR 250.917) is to perform an
independent review of the fabrication on the basis of “good engineering
judgment” to determine whether the structure matches the design docu-
ments and plans. Periodic site visits to where the fabrication is taking
place are necessary. The CFR specifies several items that must be verified
by the CVA during this phase for both fixed and floating offshore struc-
tures, including fabricator quality control, material quality, welder qual-
ifications, and nondestructive testing. The fabrication CVA must produce
a report of findings that identifies how and by whom the independent
review was conducted.
Expectations of CVAs for the Installation Phase
The primary installation phase activity (30 CFR 250.918) is to perform an
independent review of the installation on the basis of “good engineering
judgment.” This entails reviewing installation plans and procedures and
witnessing the installation operations from loadout and towing to launch-
ing, uprighting, submergence, and so forth. The CVA is also responsible
for evaluating the equipment used and the record keeping that is done. The
installation CVA must produce a report of findings that identifies how and
by whom the independent review was conducted.
In each phase, the CFR emphasizes the use of “good engineering judg-
ment.” While there is no definition of this term, its use indicates a prefer-
ence for personnel with enough experience to form the basis for exercising
OCR for page 112
112 Structural Integrity of Offshore Wind Turbines
good engineering judgment. Given the range of activities required for each
of the phases, it is clear that to perform the role of a CVA competently,
those involved and certainly the person in charge of the process must have
direct experience with the activities of that phase.
Wind Turbine Project Certification
As described in Chapter 3, project certification is a process used to ensure
that the equipment and supporting structure are adequate for conditions
at the site and meet the site’s requirements. It involves monitoring of
activities during manufacturing, transportation, installation, and com-
missioning. Project certification also considers the life cycle of the facil-
ity and includes provisions for periodic monitoring, inspection, and
maintenance.
The qualifications for a certification agent vary with the regulator in
the area where the wind turbines are to be installed. In some cases, there
is no regulatory requirement for project certification, but the operator
or developer may need certification to obtain financing or for other
reasons. In these cases, certification is generally provided by an orga-
nization, such as Germanischer Lloyd or Det Norske Veritas, that has
developed its own set of guidelines for designing, installing, and main-
taining wind turbine facilities. The organization will certify that the
project has met its guidelines and any local jurisdictional requirements.
Other organizations, such as Bureau Veritas, that have not developed
their own guidelines may also provide certification. In such cases, the
qualification for the certifier is its institutional knowledge of the topic
through development of detailed guidelines and through its work with
the industry.
As described in Chapter 3, where such certification is required, it is
typically provided by an organization that has been accredited to pro-
vide these services. For instance, the German Federal Maritime and
Hydrographic Agency accredits organizations to provide certification
on projects in Germany. Accreditation is based on evaluations of
professional competence, independence, impartiality, and integrity.
Accreditation is generally valid for a period of time, after which the
review process is repeated to ensure that the organization remains in
compliance.
OCR for page 113
Qualifications Needed by Certified Verification Agents 113
Qualifications Required for Performance-Based
Design Peer Review
Standard building codes and industry practice use a prescriptive design
approach that does not always lend itself to the design of atypical or
unusual structures such as high-rise buildings or buildings with unique
architectural features. As noted in Chapter 4, building codes and indus-
try practice generally do allow the use of alternative means and methods,
one of which is performance-based design (PBD). A peer-review process
in support of PBD approaches is used as a means of determining whether
a design meets the intent of basic code requirements, is equivalent in
terms of safety to a code-compliant structure, and meets project-specific
design criteria and performance expectations for the facility.
A peer review is not intended to be a critique of the design concept
developed by the engineer of record. In some cases, such as for structures
in areas of high seismic activity, especially where the design is atypical, the
peer review is mandated by regulators, but it may also be implemented by
the developer to satisfy expectations of insurers or financiers.
One description of this type of peer review comes from the Los Angeles
Tall Building Structural Design Council in its publication 2008 Alternative
Design Criteria. The council proposes that each project convene a seismic
peer-review panel to provide an “independent, objective, technical review
of those aspects of the structural design” related to seismic performance.
Its recommendation is for a panel of at least three members with “recog-
nized expertise in relevant fields” to be selected by the building official of
the jurisdiction. (See http://www.tallbuildings.org.)
Others
Peer-reviewed designs are becoming more common in the assurance of
fire protection of buildings as well. The Society of Fire Protection Engi-
neers (SFPE) has developed guidelines for the peer-review process in fire
protection design (Guidelines for Peer Review in the Fire Protection Design
Process, October 2002). With regard to qualifications, the society empha-
sizes independence and technical expertise. It gives a specific example of
how one can demonstrate technical expertise: the peer reviewer should
have the knowledge to prepare an “acceptable design that is similar in
OCR for page 114
114 Structural Integrity of Offshore Wind Turbines
scope to the design being reviewed.” This definition is attributed to Sec-
tion 1.2.1 of the SFPE Engineering Guide to Fire Protection Analysis and
Design of Buildings.
This document also describes peer reviewers as those who are “qual-
ified by their education, training and experience in the same discipline,
or a closely related field of science, to judge the worthiness of a design or
to assess a design for its likelihood of achieving the intended objectives
and the anticipated outcomes.”
U.S. REGULATIONS FOR OFFSHORE WIND
TURBINE CVA QUALIFICATIONS
Language in the current CFR addresses requirements for offshore wind
turbines. Sections 705 through 714 of 30 CFR 285 are related to CVAs
for offshore renewable energy. Three areas may be covered by the CVA
process: the facility design report, the fabrication and installation report,
and the modification and repair report.
Section 705 describes when a CVA must be used and provides guid-
ance on when BOEMRE may waive the use of a CVA for any or all of
the three phases (design, fabrication, and installation). Section 706
addresses the CVA nomination process. As in the case of offshore oil
and gas facilities, a qualification statement is required that includes the
following:
• Previous experience with third-party verification;
• Previous experience with design, fabrication, repair, or installation of
offshore energy facilities;
• Previous experience with BOEMRE requirements and procedures;
• Technical capabilities for the specific project and staff availability;
• Size and type of the organization;
• Access to necessary technology such as analysis tools and testing
equipment; and
• Level of work to be performed.
Unlike the regulations of 30 CFR 250, the offshore wind turbine regula-
tions require that the verification work be directed by a registered profes-
sional engineer. Each U.S. state implements its own professional engineer
OCR for page 115
Qualifications Needed by Certified Verification Agents 115
registration process to provide a specific minimum level of work experience
and competency, although the experience and competency may not
be directly related to offshore wind facilities. BOEMRE would determine
whether an organization having international engineers with credentials
equivalent to those of a U.S. registered professional engineer would be con-
sidered acceptable for providing CVA services.
The guidance on activities to be performed at each stage of the project
is similar to that provided in Part 250 and summarized in the section on
offshore oil and gas CVA above.
EVALUATION OF ACCREDITATION APPROACHES
Generally, there are two approaches in determining whether a person or
organization is qualified to perform CVA activities: project-specific and
authorized list. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of each approach
with regard to offshore wind turbines are examined below.
Project-Specific Accreditation
This approach is used by BOEMRE for offshore oil and gas CVA selection
and is inherent in the proposed CFR language for offshore wind turbines.
A CVA is nominated by the operator for each project and must be approved
by the BOEMRE regional director.
The regional director is responsible for evaluating the qualifications of
the proposed CVA and determining whether the nominee is suitable. This
can be cumbersome if the regional director does not have sufficient time,
expertise, or staff to devote to these evaluations and could lead to delays in
projects as they await approval or to rubber-stamping of nominees with-
out proper consideration of their qualifications. However, this approach
has the advantage of producing current qualification information from the
potential CVA, and the qualification process is readily auditable for each
project.
No process and no objective criteria are available for use by the regional
director in determining whether a nominee is qualified for a given project
and scope, and there is no way to estimate how long the determination will
take. The process should be clearly defined, and operators should have an
expectation of the time required to approve the nominee.
OCR for page 116
116 Structural Integrity of Offshore Wind Turbines
Authorized CVA List
When the CVA process was introduced to the offshore oil and gas indus-
try, the authorized list approach was used. Preapproved CVA organiza-
tions were identified, and an operator could select one from the list
without further approvals or reviews. This had the advantage of clarity and
timeliness for the operators and freed regulators from reviewing qualifica-
tions for each project that required a CVA.
However, the authorized list must be kept current, since personnel
available at the time of approval may not be available when the projects get
under way. Periodic auditing of the list is required to ensure that it repre-
sents qualified organizations. Furthermore, the list creates a barrier to par-
ticipation for individuals and organizations that are not on the list,
although they may be qualified.
To implement an authorized list effectively there should be
• A regular review of the authorized organizations,
• A process for removal from the list,
• A regular opportunity to add new organizations to the list, and
• An auditing process to ensure that personnel performing CVA duties
are those whose qualifications were cited to get on the list.
An authorized list can be advantageous, although it may be just as bur-
densome for the regulator, given the work required to maintain the list and
ensure that it is used properly.
The committee heard from a former director of the MMS Office of
Structural and Technical Support, who described how the oil and gas CVA
process was implemented. He expressed the opinion that the maintenance
of an approved list was impractical given how personnel moved from com-
pany to company and the inability of MMS to monitor effectively the
expertise of the companies on the list. This led to the abandonment of the
list and the move to project-specific approvals of CVAs.1 The difficulty in
maintaining an approved list would be similar for the offshore wind indus-
try. This difficulty, coupled with the successful use of project-specific
approvals for the oil and gas CVA process, makes project-specific lists the
preferred approach for CVA approval.
1
Presentation by Thomas Laurendine to the committee, August 10, 2010.
OCR for page 117
Qualifications Needed by Certified Verification Agents 117
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is revising its
standard 61400-22 for conformity testing and certification of wind tur-
bines. It has established an advisory committee of certification bodies to
provide advice on, among other things, harmonization of certification
requirements and interpretation of technical requirements. Involvement
of BOEMRE with this committee would be useful as a means of interact-
ing with other regulators facing similar issues and staying informed on
issues relating to wind turbine certification and the accreditation of CVAs.2
OFFSHORE WIND TURBINE CVA QUALIFICATIONS
In addition to being independent and demonstrating good engineering
judgment, a third-party reviewer should have technical expertise related
to the work being reviewed. In evaluating the qualifications of CVA can-
didates for offshore wind turbines, their expected areas of expertise should
be identified. As the preceding sections show, however, they are not usu-
ally identified. The following sections outline the committee’s suggested
expectations for a CVA qualified to perform each of the three review
phases. The expectations are based on the direct experience of the com-
mittee members, reviews of existing guidance documents for offshore
wind turbines, and CFR requirements.
Design CVA
A design CVA should have expertise in the following areas:
1. Identification, specification, and implementation of design limit states.
These are especially important for offshore wind turbine designs given
the variety of load cases that must be considered under the IEC stan-
dards and other relevant guidance and the need to incorporate load
conditions not generally encountered for offshore European facilities,
including hurricanes and earthquakes.
2. Fatigue and strength design approaches, including the effects of cou-
pled wind–wave dynamics. The CVA must be able to understand the
techniques used in the analysis and design process and identify whether
2
Report from MT22. http://wind.nrel.gov/public/TC88/Report%20from%20MT22.pptx.
OCR for page 118
118 Structural Integrity of Offshore Wind Turbines
design assumptions are valid and the conclusions are supported by the
results.
3. Determination of the adequacy of proposed design environmental con-
ditions. A CVA must understand the prevalent environmental condi-
tions affecting the site and be able to assess whether the site-specific
criteria developed for the project have been adequately considered in
the design approach and the final design.
4. Evaluation of foundation design. Within U.S. waters, a variety of soil
types and factors affect foundation design (e.g., scour). The CVA must
be able to identify whether the design approach is suitable for local con-
ditions and verify that long-term effects such as cyclic degradation and
scour have been adequately addressed.
5. Interaction between the foundation and the turbine system. In contrast
to the case for offshore oil and gas permanent structures, the inter-
action between the wind turbine’s above-water structure and the sub-
structure and foundation has a dynamically driven response that must
be considered in the design and understood by the CVA to ensure that
it has been adequately addressed.
6. Determination of the adequacy of the geotechnical assessment. The
quality of soil data can vary greatly depending on who does the investi-
gation, where the borings are taken in relation to the foundation, and
the age of the data and their interpretation. The CVA must understand
these factors and be able to determine whether the soil data are suitable
for the foundation design.
7. Performance of design calculations similar to those provided in the
design reports. This is not a requirement that independent calculations
be performed but that the CVA be able to perform them as necessary.
Fabrication CVA
A fabrication CVA should have expertise in the following areas:
1. Fabricator quality control. The CVA should be familiar with quality
control processes and be able to perform audits of the fabricator’s sys-
tems to determine compliance specific to the project.
2. Material quality evaluation. The CVA should understand material
traceability procedures and be able to determine whether project
OCR for page 119
Qualifications Needed by Certified Verification Agents 119
requirements are suitable and whether the manufacturer is effectively
managing these processes for the project.
3. Welder qualifications. The CVA must have a working knowledge of
welder qualifications and how they relate to the project and be able to
determine whether project qualification requirements are suitable
and are being met by the fabricator.
4. Nondestructive testing. Tests for welds and other fastenings, blades,
and other structural systems are done to help ensure that fabrication
is proceeding according to the design documents. The CVA should be
familiar with the project requirements and how such tests are carried
out and interpreted.
5. Destructive testing (e.g., full-scale blade tests). In some cases, destruc-
tive testing may be called for in project documents to demonstrate
that equipment and systems meet specifications (e.g., blades may be
tested to failure under certain loading conditions). The CVA should
understand the project requirements and how such tests are to be car-
ried out and interpreted.
6. Blade materials and fabrication. Blade fabrication is a specialized
process with unique use of skin materials and substructure to achieve
the desired aerodynamics and strength. The CVA should have expe-
rience with the materials used and the fabrication process so that the
CVA can evaluate the suitability of the blade manufacturing process
and results and determine whether the manufacturer’s quality control
process can be relied on to produce blades to the desired specification.
Installation CVA
An installation CVA should have expertise in the following areas:
1. Evaluation of installation plans and procedures. The CVA must be
familiar with how offshore installation activities are carried out and
be able to review project procedures and plans for correctness and
suitability for site-specific conditions.
2. Witnessing of installation operations including loadout, towing, launch-
ing, uprighting, submergence, and so forth. The CVA must have expe-
rience with offshore installation activities and have knowledge sufficient
to document the activities and identify any anomalous conditions.
OCR for page 120
120 Structural Integrity of Offshore Wind Turbines
3. Marine operations. The CVA should be familiar with marine operations
from loadout to sea fastening and transportation to the site. This will
enable the CVA to document the process and identify any anomalous
conditions encountered.
4. Subsea cabling activities including trenching, burial, and connections.
The transmission cables used to interconnect the turbines within a field
and to connect to shore-based facilities require attention during instal-
lation to ensure that they are properly trenched or buried according to
the design of the system and that connections are properly completed.
The CVA should be familiar with these operations.
5. Offshore construction activities. The CVA must understand how typi-
cal offshore construction activities (e.g., launching, lifting, and erecting
the facility) are carried out and be able to document that they were
implemented successfully and where deviations occurred.
6. Installation equipment. The CVA should have an understanding of the
equipment to be used in the installation process and be able to deter-
mine that it is being used as intended for the project in a safe and reli-
able manner.
In addition, the CVA should be able to define the amount of attendance
required by the CVA at various offshore activities in conjunction with the
installation contractor and BOEMRE. The amount of attendance required
should be based on the complexity of the activity and the contractor’s
experience with similar activities.
Other Aspects of CVA Qualifications
The experiences of some committee members and information provided
to the committee by presenters indicate that having CVAs for the design
phase different from those for the fabrication and installation phases is
acceptable in current offshore oil and gas practice. No restrictions on the
assignment of CVA responsibilities to different organizations for different
phases are imposed by 30 CFR 250. In practice, organizations with exper-
tise in design do not necessarily have expertise in fabrication or installa-
tion activities. Thus, it is expected that different CVAs will be responsible
for different phases unless it can be demonstrated that a single individual
or organization has sufficient expertise as outlined above to direct all or a
combination of the phases.
OCR for page 121
Qualifications Needed by Certified Verification Agents 121
Local environmental, soil, and marine traffic conditions vary greatly
throughout U.S. coastal waters. The variations affect loads that control
tower, foundation, and turbine designs; installation conditions such as
local sea swells; pile-driving requirements; and a variety of other factors.
Expertise with conditions in one location may not be directly applicable
to other locations. In some cases, knowledge unique to a particular loca-
tion (e.g., seismic effects offshore California) may be required. The
expertise of the CVA should be considered in relation to the location of
the project to determine whether that expertise is applicable to local
requirements.
Finally, in the committee’s opinion, a CVA should have a quality assur-
ance plan that addresses the processes used in the CVA activities and the
record-keeping ability necessary to track the project adequately and doc-
ument results. Such plans may, but are not required to, adhere to Inter-
national Organization for Standardization or other standards for quality
assurance, but they should be maintained in such a way that a compliance
audit could be conducted and passed. Adherence to such a plan helps
ensure that data are properly tracked (e.g., nondestructive evaluation test
reports and project interim reports) and that the CVA activities capture
all necessary aspects of the project.
FILLING THE EXPERIENCE GAP
To date, no large-scale offshore wind turbine projects have been designed
for or installed in U.S. waters. As described in Chapter 3, while a number
of projects have been installed in European countries, the local design
conditions (e.g., hurricanes) expected for U.S. facilities have not been
addressed in detail, and potential fabrication and installation obstacles
have not been encountered. Thus, there is a potential gap in experience
that will affect the ability of a CVA to review the activities of designers,
fabricators, and installers effectively, because the CVA will be learning
side-by-side with the principal participants in the projects.
Experience in regulating the offshore wind industry is lacking.
BOEMRE has a long history of regulating the U.S. offshore oil and gas
industry, and its familiarity with operators, designers, fabricators, and
installation contractors is invaluable in evaluating the expertise and
qualifications of potential CVAs. This familiarity does not exist for the
OCR for page 122
122 Structural Integrity of Offshore Wind Turbines
offshore wind industry, and BOEMRE lacks staff with experience in
regulating, designing, installing, or operating such facilities.
The lack of experience within BOEMRE with regard to offshore wind
turbine facilities could inhibit its ability to provide effective regulation.
One of its roles within the CVA process for offshore renewable projects is
to determine whether a CVA is required and whether the proposed CVA
is suitable for the tasks assigned. This role is difficult to accomplish with-
out experienced, dedicated staff. It is vital that BOEMRE act in a timely
fashion to hire staff as described in Chapter 4 in the section “Implementa-
tion: Capacity and Expertise” to fulfill its regulatory role.
The committee believes that the CVA process can produce valuable
information for BOEMRE with regard to the design and installation of
wind turbine projects in the United States. The details provided through
CVA reports during the course of the projects should be carefully reviewed
by BOEMRE and evaluated for information that may lead to better regu-
lation or better guidance documents for the industry. This would not place
additional burdens on the CVA or on developers and contractors, but it
would require BOEMRE to dedicate staff to this task.
BOEMRE may also wish to consider creating a panel of industry
experts to advise it for the duration of the first several projects. Such a
panel could provide BOEMRE with feedback and guidance on the sub-
mitted design documents and the plans for fabrication and installation.
This group of experts would also benefit BOEMRE and the industry as
they implement the first several offshore wind turbine farms in U.S.
waters. The panel would supplement the CVA for the project and would
bridge the experience gap for both the industry and the regulator. It
would also help disseminate lessons learned throughout the industry if
the panel were tasked with documenting its findings and recommenda-
tions at the completion of its mandate. Such a panel would need a range
of expertise similar to that described in the section on offshore wind tur-
bine CVA qualifications. Ideally, the panel would have expertise in design
of offshore wind or oil and gas structures; offshore transportation and
installation, particularly for fixed structures; and structural engineering
and fabrication with a preference for experience specific to offshore wind.
Panelists could come from a variety of backgrounds and could include
developers, designers, representatives from academia, and representatives
OCR for page 123
Qualifications Needed by Certified Verification Agents 123
from regulatory bodies. While establishing a panel that meets all those
requirements may be impractical, the broader the range of expertise, the
more effective the panel will be.
In Chapter 4 in the section “Overview of Projected BOEMRE Role,” the
committee noted that BOEMRE may wish to use such an expert panel to
assist in the initial development of the goal-based standards and then in
the continuous monitoring and evaluation of the standards and regula-
tions. If desired, a single panel could serve all of these purposes.
To eliminate concerns about conflict of interest, controls would be
needed to ensure that those impaneled did not use their appointment as a
means to promote their business or gain leverage for future work as CVAs
or as principals in offshore wind farm work. This is essentially an admin-
istrative detail that BOEMRE would need to address and implement.
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TASK III
Task III of the statement of task calls for the committee review the
expected experience level, technical skills and capabilities, and support
equipment and computer hardware/software needed to be considered a
qualified CVA.
Findings, Task III
Based on a review of the implementation of the CVA process for offshore
oil and gas facilities, the proposed CFR language for an offshore wind
CVA, and how other engineered systems implement third-party reviews,
the following are the committee’s key findings with regard to CVA
qualifications.
1. A qualified CVA must be
a. Independent and objective, with no involvement in the scope of
work being reviewed (i.e., design, fabrication, or installation);
b. Experienced in performing scopes of work similar to that being
reviewed, with detailed knowledge of the codes and standards being
applied; familiarity with the approaches proposed by the developer;
and the technical expertise and engineering judgment to verify
assumptions, conclusions, and results independently; and
OCR for page 124
124 Structural Integrity of Offshore Wind Turbines
c. Directed by a registered professional engineer (or international
equivalent). The intent of this requirement is to establish a baseline
level of experience and qualifications for the CVA lead. It is the opin-
ion of the committee that this goal can be achieved through both U.S.
and non-U.S. professional registrations.
2. A CVA for the design stage must have expertise in
a. Identification, specification, and implementation of design limit
states;
b. Fatigue and strength design approaches, including the effects of
coupled wind–wave dynamics;
c. Determination of the adequacy of proposed design environmental
conditions for the site;
d. Evaluation of foundation design;
e. Evaluation of interaction between the foundation and the turbine
system;
f. Determination of the adequacy of the geotechnical assessment; and
g. Performance of design calculations similar to those provided in the
design reports.
This is not a requirement that independent calculations be performed
but that the CVA be able to perform them as necessary.
3. A CVA for the fabrication stage will need expertise in
a. Fabricator quality control,
b. Material quality evaluation,
c. Welder qualifications,
d. Nondestructive testing,
e. Destructive testing (e.g., full-scale blade tests), and
f. Blade materials and fabrication.
4. A CVA for the installation stage will need expertise in
a. Evaluation of installation plans and procedures;
b. Witnessing of installation operations including loadout, towing,
launching, uprighting, submergence, and so forth;
c. Marine operations;
d. Subsea cabling activities including trenching, burial, and connections;
e. Offshore construction activities; and
f. Installation equipment.
OCR for page 125
Qualifications Needed by Certified Verification Agents 125
5. The CVA for design, for fabrication, and for installation need not be the
same organization or person, and it is unlikely that a single person
would have sufficient expertise to perform effectively as CVA for all
phases.
6. It would be beneficial, though not essential, for a CVA to have experi-
ence in third-party reviews and in interacting with regulatory agencies.
7. Given the variety of controlling environmental loads (e.g., hurricanes,
seismicity, icing) and installation requirements (e.g., mudslide areas,
tidal erosion effects) in U.S. waters, the CVA’s experience should be
related to the installation location.
8. Experience with the use of project-specific CVA approvals in the
offshore oil and gas industry indicates that project-specific approval
of CVAs is better than maintenance of a list of BOEMRE-accepted
CVAs.
Recommendations, Task III
The committee recommends the following with regard to CVA
qualifications:
1. In evaluating potential CVAs, BOEMRE should seek organizations
and individuals that
a. Are independent and objective;
b. Have experience, technical expertise, and engineering judgment suf-
ficient to verify assumptions, conclusions, and results independently;
c. Have experience with the dominant environmental effects for the
project location (e.g., earthquake-resistant design experience for
offshore West Coast locations);
d. Have experience in the areas described in the findings section above
for the CVA tasks (i.e., design, fabrication, and installation) for
which they are nominated;
e. Have clearly defined roles and responsibilities with adequate over-
sight by a registered professional engineer (or international equiva-
lent); and
f. Have an auditable quality plan for the processes and record keeping
involved in the CVA activities.
2. BOEMRE should hire sufficient staff with adequate expertise (as
described in Chapter 4 in the section “Implementation: Capacity and
OCR for page 126
126 Structural Integrity of Offshore Wind Turbines
Expertise”) to oversee the development of wind farms in U.S. waters
by the end of calendar year 2011.
3. BOEMRE should approve CVAs on a project-specific basis as opposed
to maintaining an approved list of qualified CVAs.
4. BOEMRE should actively manage the CVA process for offshore wind
facilities by disseminating lessons learned from the CVA process to
promote good practices to the industry.
5. BOEMRE should consider creating an expert panel to provide feed-
back and guidance for the initial offshore wind development projects
as a means to fill the experience gap for both industry and regulators.
6. BOEMRE should actively participate in the IEC Wind Turbines Cer-
tification Bodies Advisory Committee as a means of staying informed
on issues relating to wind turbine certification and the accreditation
of CVAs.
