MOPU B an existing Mobile Offshore Production Unit, with an expired classification with ABS is being refurbished and reclassified to deploy at a new location for Production.
On conversion the vessel was to be classed by ABS as Offshore Production Installation, as compared to the previous notation of Self elevating Unit, for Hydrocarbon Production.
FEED Studies
FEED studies were carried out towards establishing the feasibility of the new class notation and presented to the owners considering all the implications due to the applicability of new installation rules and subsequent rule changes to the MODU rules used for the original classification and the study findings were as follows:
- Leg Strength was found to be not satisfactory
- Leg storm holding capacity was found to be not satisfactory
- Preload tank capacity of the unit was also found to be not satisfactory to cater the revised preload requirements
It was concluded and presented to the Owners that the mentioned reclassification is not possible without extensive modification to the units and the Owners decided to refurbish and reinstate the previous classification of MOPU rather than re-classing as Offshore Installation.
