Structural Integrity of Offshore Wind Turbines Oversight of Design, Fabrication, and Installation - Special Report 305 (2011) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
5 Role of Third-Party Oversight and Certified Verification Agents
5 Role of Third-Party Oversight and Certified Verification Agents
Pages 96-108
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 96... ...
for offshore wind energy facilities. BACKGROUND Nearly all incorporated cities and communities along with many states and counties have adopted building codes for facilities and high-consequence public infrastructure, and they have ordinances requiring compliance of design with the applicable building code and construction in accordance with the design.
|
From page 97... ...
Well over 200 years ago, the shipping industry began an oversight process driven by insurance brokers. A number of third-party companies that became known as classification societies developed guidelines covering design conditions, inspection scopes, and provisions for periodic inspection of vessels, which provided the insurance brokers a baseline reliability reference.
|
From page 98... ...
Subsequently, USGS developed and implemented a process, known as the CVA program, that is still part of the facility oil and gas permitting and approval process overseen by BOEMRE. The charge to the NRC panel covered fixed offshore platforms.
|
From page 99... ...
. The verification plan submitted by the operator should set forth the following: • Environmental criteria to be used; • Design criteria and procedures to be used; • Fabrication procedures to be used; • Installation procedures to be used; • Operating procedures to be used, including postinstallation inspec tion and maintenance procedures; • Techniques and procedures to be used in verification (tests, inspec tion procedures, etc.)
|
From page 100... ...
and various notices to lessees. The program initially covered structural aspects of fixed platforms and has been expanded to cover structural and station-keeping aspects of permanent floating production facilities and production risers for the floating facilities.
|
From page 101... ...
When it was implemented, however, the program excluded routine facilities from the CVA scope and included only • Platforms with natural periods greater than 3 seconds, • Platforms installed in water depths exceeding 400 ft, • Platforms installed in areas of unstable bottom conditions, • Platforms having configurations and designs that have not previously been used or proven for use in the area, and • Platforms installed in seismically active areas. The first platforms to undergo the full CVA program addressing design, fabrication, and installation were installed off the coast of California in 1981, a seismically active area.
|
From page 102... ...
Through 2009, 103 fixed platforms and 41 floating facilities have come under the CVA program.1 Details of the CVA program, including general requirements for platforms and details of the Platform Approval Program and the Platform Verification Program, can be found in Sections 250.900 through 250.918 of 30 CFR 250 Subpart I.2 CURRENT BOEMRE REGULATORY PROPOSALS FOR OFFSHORE WIND TURBINES AND USE OF CVAs The regulations codified at 30 CFR 285, current as of September 30, 2010, contain requirements for CVA responsibility and scope parallel to those for the offshore oil and gas industry, which have been in effect for 30 years and are described in 30 CFR 250 Subpart I All the attention for CVA activity is focused on the structural and foundation aspects of the facilities.
|
From page 103... ...
• A design, manufacturing, or installation flaw in any of the elements of an offshore wind facility will likely affect a significant percentage of a wind farm, not merely the one facility. • The control elements including gearing, software and hardware systems, sensors, and power supply may be critical in the ability of a blade, nacelle, and support system to maintain integrity in severe weather conditions.
|
From page 104... ...
CVAs AND GOAL-BASED STANDARDS The use of goal-based standards is increasing, especially in areas where practice is not mature or there is great variability in design conditions. Offshore wind is a young industry with insufficient prescriptive standards and little operating experience with the environment affecting
|
From page 105... ...
a If design basis requires active blade and yaw control to limit loading conditions. b Implied but not explicitly stated.
|
From page 106... ...
and in areas with little or no historical operating experience. Similarly, in the past 20 years, wind energy facilities in Europe have spread from land to offshore environments.
|
From page 107... ...
Recommendations 1. The responsibility for proposing a comprehensive set of national and international standards, rules, industry guidelines, and recommended practices (referred to here as a "package of Guidelines")
|
From page 108... ...
1977. Verification of Fixed Offshore Oil and Gas Platforms: An Analysis of Need, Scope, and Alternative Verification Systems.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.