Applicability of Dynamic Behaviour Studies on Ocensa’s Offshore Pipeline
Applicability of a simplified pipe-soil interaction model on determining pipeline’s dynamic behaviour, once seabed support is lost due to seabed liquefaction, is evaluated over Oleoducto Central-Ocensa (central oil pipeline). Located in Colombia, South-America, this transportation line has 12.5km of subsea pipeline in the Gulf of Morrosquillo-Caribbean Sea. Crude oil from eastern plains of Colombia, is transported throughout this 42” pipeline, which is stored at the maritime terminal of Coveñas, before being loaded to tankers for exportation.
Pipeline’s loss of support length is function of metocean features such as wave height, length, period, seabed depth, among others. Once the simplified pipe-soil interaction model is applied, calculation of pipeline’s dynamic behaviour in terms of wall stress, for typical Gulf of Morrosquillo’s metocean environment may be possible; as of this, critical conditions for pipeline’s operation are identified, and seabed geotechnical maintenance plans are defined, based on rational methods, in order to minimise harm potential over pipeline’s integrity due to seabed loss of support.