SPE Projects, Facilities & Construction
Volume 6, Number 4, December 2011, pp. 211-224

SPE-139944-PA

On Interaction Buckling in Platform Conductors

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DOI  More information 10.2118/139944-PA http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/139944-PA

Citation

  • Adams, A.J. 2011. On Interaction Buckling in Platform Conductors. SPE Proj Fac & Const  6 (4): 211-224. SPE-139944-PA. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/139944-PA.

Discipline Categories

  • 4.5.4 Risers

Keywords

  • Conductors, Platforms, Jack-ups, Baur and Stahl, Buckling

Summary

For more than 30 years, the design of platform and jackup conductors has been based on Stahl and Baur's famous hypothesis that internal string loads do not contribute to buckling (Stahl and Baur 1983). It is a vital result, allowing significant weight and cost savings. However, no derivation was ever given, and the result has remained a folk theorem: widely used, but never proved. The industry has, therefore, been at risk should the result prove to be a severe approximation, or to have unduly restrictive assumptions and/or limitations. This paper provides a rigorous proof of the hypothesis. It shows that it is an approximation, though an acceptable one, and gives a thorough exposition of its meaning, assumptions, and limitations. Finally, it derives the exact counterpart of Stahl and Baurs' result. The improved result gives minor weight and cost savings.

© 2011. Society of Petroleum Engineers

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History

  • Original manuscript received: 26 April 2011
  • Meeting paper published: 1 March 2011
  • Manuscript approved: 12 July 2011
  • Published online: 12 December 2011
  • Version of record: 16 December 2011