Life extension certification

RINA offers certification services for life extension assessment of fixed offshore platforms aimed to Oil & Gas production.

Notwithstanding hundreds of ageing Oil & Gas fixed offshore platforms around the world, many of them reaching the end of their design life, the fields beneath them may still contain viable reserves. In times of low oil barrel price, there is a squeeze on new investments, especially capital expenditure, right across offshore oil and gas and all this implies a strong focus on finding economical ways to extend the life of these existing platforms.

The issue of life extension creates a need for evaluation methods that will ascertain the duration of residual life of an existing platform, to eventually be utilized in a new installation site. The best way to do this is to use the data collected over the period of previous service and use the performance data of the existing structure as the basis of the model for future life.

Regulatory focus

RINA Life Extension Certificate attests the compliance with applicable Rules and recommendations and covers:

• Jacket extension life certified, provided that IMR plan provisions are implemented on annual basis (surveyed by RINA)
• Deck evaluations by survey/engineering to comply with the target of extension of the operating life of the platform
• Specific reference can be made to RINA “Rules for the classification of fixed offshore platforms”.

Service details

The assessment of the offshore installation and the life extension certification are born to fit in this scenario with the main aim of guaranteeing:

• the asset structure
• the asset facilities
• the safety during operations

by typically covering the following activities:

• 3rd party independent review of engineering assessment with respect to static and dynamic analysis (for seismic analysis and fatigue assessment) of the steel jacket
• Review of the surveys carried out for verification of the actual status of the structure (with reference to corrosion control and fatigue damages)
• Approval of an appropriate Inspection Maintenance & Repair (IMR) plan to cover the foreseen extended life
• Strengthening / mitigation measures, if required.

Why RINA?

RINA provides fixed offshore platforms certification since early Seventies and, so far, life extension certification for many platforms worldwide (Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, offshore West Africa, Caspian Sea, etc.).

Based on that experience, we have developed our own rules which are periodically updated according to the most recent improvements in industry research and standardization. For that purpose, we are well familiar to internationally recognized standards and regulations such as API or ISO, also used as references.