An Overview of classifications and incidents/accidents in offshore structures: Oil and gas

Abstract

Offshore platforms are considered among the most significant structures in the world that humans have ever built, having to function in a wide range of extremely challenging environments and have a major impact on the economy and industrial progress of countries. It is extremely important to properly plan, design, construct, transport and install such offshore structures. In the absence of commitment to this, the consequences could be severe in both economic and environmental terms. An overview of offshore structures is presented in this paper, and its purpose is to offer a consistent vision for the various types of offshore structures to be used for the extraction of oil and gas. In addition, the paper focuses on the expected accidents that may occur during and after construction. Accidents do not only cover the difficult environment where these structures are to be built, but they also cover the impact of climate change on these structures. The approach considered in this paper involves a systematic literature review that deals with reviewing different studies done on the similar research topic. The results found in this study determined that the type of offshore structure to be built or fixed at a particular location in water, depends mainly on the water depth and also on the past and present environmental records. Nonetheless, the outcomes of this study are still general; thus, further studies have to be completed in order to acquire more advanced knowledge in this particular field.