API Publishes Three New Hurricane Bulletins

John Bisney | 202.682.8122 | bisneyj@api.org

WASHINGTON – API is today (May 30, 2007) publishing three new interim documents to help the oil and natural gas industry apply the latest understanding of environmental (“metocean”) conditions in and around the Gulf of Mexico to make its offshore facilities more survivable during hurricane season.  The new documents include:

• Bulletin 2INT-MET, Interim Guidance on Hurricane Conditions in the Gulf of Mexico, which provides updated metocean data for four regions of the Gulf, including wind velocities, deepwater wave conditions, current information, and surge and tidal data
  
  
• Bulletin 2INT-DG, Interim Guidance for Design of Offshore Structures for Hurricane Conditions, covering how to apply the updated metocean data during design
  
  
• Bulletin 2INT-EX, Interim Guidance for Assessment of Existing Offshore Structures for Hurricane Conditions, to assist owners/operators and engineers with existing facilities  

Final recommended practices based on these bulletins are expected next year.

Background

During the major 2004 and 2005 hurricanes, higher waves and stronger winds than anticipated were recorded in deeper areas, so the industry has moved away from viewing the Gulf as a uniform body of water.  A central portion is now understood as a gathering spot for warm currents that can strengthen storms, making it more hurricane-prone.  The revised metocean data has prompted API to reassess its applicable recommended practices (RPs). 

API published three interim documents for the 2006 hurricane season covering the operation and construction of both mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs), and fixed and floating production platforms:

• RP 95F, Interim Guidance for Gulf of Mexico MODU Mooring Practice, recommends stronger anchoring to improve stationkeeping, and an assessment to minimize impacts to other facilities (such as pipelines) should mooring fail.  A second edition of RP 95F recently issued also incorporates the updated metocean data.
  
  
• RP 95J, Gulf of Mexico Jack-up Operations for Hurricane Season – Interim Recommendations, recommends locating jack-up rigs on more stable areas of the sea floor.  It also recommends positioning platform decks higher above the sea surface.
  
  
• Bulletin 2TD, Guidelines for Tie-downs on Offshore Production Facilities for Hurricane Season, is aimed at better-securing exposed platform equipment.