Monitoring program for the first steel catenary riser installed in a moored floating platform in deep water

An extensive monitoring program is being conducted with the installation and operation of the first steel catenary riser from a moored floating platform in deep water (910 m). The monitoring program is supplying data from real scale measurements to validate computer models used in the design of floating production platforms, of deep water mooring systems and of rigid catenary risers. Monitored parameters are environmental (wind, directional waves, current profiles), platform and riser receptacle positions and motions, riser motions (for vortex induced vibrations), and riser top and touch down point loads (tension and moments). Subsea equipment are installed and retrieved by a remote operated vehicle and are controlled from surface by acoustic data telemetry. Subsea measured data is transmitted to the surface acoustically.