Offshore Materials

This course will mainly cover offshore oil- and gas systems. The course will give the students an overview of robust material selection for offshore production system and related material problems including drilling, completion of wells, subsea production systems, pipelines, risers, offshore structures and topside process systems. In addition will material challenges related to offshore wind generation systems be presented and discussed. Representatives from the industry and research institutes will provide major contributions to the course and ensure industrial relevance. Particular attention will be paid to material selection, the most relevant failure modes as corrosion, fatigue, fracture and wear and their relation to the integrity of structures, pipelines and process systems. The course will include a combination of theory and practical examples. Both metals, polymers and composites will be included in the course.

Knowledge: The students shall be able to explain all topics covered by the course. This includes general knowledge about offshore production systems and offshore wind generation systems – detailed knowledge about the basis for material selection and necessary requirements to secure a robust material solution – Understand degradation mechanisms and “under which conditions can degradation occur”. General knowledge about test procedures and acceptance criteria for materials. Knowledge about Integrity Management System – what should be included and how to use it during operation.

Skills: To be able to select materials for defined products operating in defined environment and load conditions and to be able to evaluate the risk for degradation of the selected material.

General knowledge: Understand the importance of the integrity of different materials and management system for the offshore industry and how this is threated in practice. Ability to communicate technical problems in an organization and in a project. Be able to solve specified problems related to central topics presented in the course – alone and in a group

The lectures are given in English and will include a theoretical introduction into different materials and possible degradation mechanisms combined with practical examples from installations in operation. One important part of the course is to give detailed information about systems and equipment that is used both for oil- and gas production and offshore wind generation. For some topics the students will be given case studies to solve in groups. The grade will be given based on a written report for a given problem solved by 3 students working together in a group. The problem will be given shortly after start up of the course and the students shall work with this problem in parallel with the lectures during the semester. Students are free to choose Norwegian or English for written assessments.