Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190101296
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$386,552.00
Summary
Unlocking lab-to-field scaling in design for floating offshore structures. This project aims to develop rigorous, physics-based models to accurately predict hydrodynamics of floating offshore structures at different scales. The project will address the issue between laboratory-to-field scaling, a fundamental problem in fluid dynamics. This outcome will be achieved through the integration of numerical technology, with physical modelling and field data acquisition. The outputs from this project wi ....Unlocking lab-to-field scaling in design for floating offshore structures. This project aims to develop rigorous, physics-based models to accurately predict hydrodynamics of floating offshore structures at different scales. The project will address the issue between laboratory-to-field scaling, a fundamental problem in fluid dynamics. This outcome will be achieved through the integration of numerical technology, with physical modelling and field data acquisition. The outputs from this project will reduce risks and improve operability of existing offshore structures, and lead to more efficient design for potential floating offshore projects. This will benefit the whole community of floating offshore structures and cement Australia’s place as a pioneer in offshore industry and emerging renewable energy sector.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH140100012
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,997,672.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Offshore Floating Facilities. ARC Research Hub for Offshore Floating Facilities. This research hub aims to address the critical engineering challenges associated with Australia’s next generation of offshore oil and gas projects. These projects, in remote deep-water locations, will require innovative floating facilities. Using world-leading expertise in metocean, hydrodynamic, geotechnical and reliability engineering, the hub aims to develop the new technologies and analysis ....ARC Research Hub for Offshore Floating Facilities. ARC Research Hub for Offshore Floating Facilities. This research hub aims to address the critical engineering challenges associated with Australia’s next generation of offshore oil and gas projects. These projects, in remote deep-water locations, will require innovative floating facilities. Using world-leading expertise in metocean, hydrodynamic, geotechnical and reliability engineering, the hub aims to develop the new technologies and analysis methods that are required to make projects safe, efficient and cost-effective. This research will include wave and current forecasting, vessel motion and offloading analysis, riser and mooring longevity and novel anchoring and subsea foundations. This is expected to lead to safer, more economical projects and should develop Western Australia’s role as an oil and gas centre of excellence.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200101478
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$422,998.00
Summary
Design Waves: a new basis for safer and more efficient offshore systems. This project will overcome a fundamental issue at the heart of ocean engineering design, impacting our oil, gas and renewables industries. Ocean waves are random, yet the best design tools for wave-structure interaction (model testing and computational fluid dynamics) require short, precisely-defined wave sequences. This project will establish a paradigm shift, bridging this gap via a new unified Design Wave methodology dev ....Design Waves: a new basis for safer and more efficient offshore systems. This project will overcome a fundamental issue at the heart of ocean engineering design, impacting our oil, gas and renewables industries. Ocean waves are random, yet the best design tools for wave-structure interaction (model testing and computational fluid dynamics) require short, precisely-defined wave sequences. This project will establish a paradigm shift, bridging this gap via a new unified Design Wave methodology developed for a diverse set of offshore systems, each with different criticalities. The new methodology will fuse advanced techniques in fluid mechanics, statistics and applied maths. The outcomes will create reductions in uncertainty and improvements in design and safety for facilities such as wind farms and gas platforms.Read moreRead less
Deterioration of structural integrity of ageing ships and marine platforms. Deterioration of structural integrity of ageing ships and marine platforms. This project will research the deterioration of structural integrity and remaining life of marine assets such as ships and offshore energy facilities, by integrating structural response analysis methods with aged-structure assessment techniques. Maritime assets exposed to ocean conditions suffer from time dependent phenomena, which reduce structu ....Deterioration of structural integrity of ageing ships and marine platforms. Deterioration of structural integrity of ageing ships and marine platforms. This project will research the deterioration of structural integrity and remaining life of marine assets such as ships and offshore energy facilities, by integrating structural response analysis methods with aged-structure assessment techniques. Maritime assets exposed to ocean conditions suffer from time dependent phenomena, which reduce structural capability, affect safety and could have catastrophic environmental and economic consequences. Making assets available and affordably safe is a problem for operators. The key to prolonging asset life is in understanding the interrelationships over time between the asset’s structural condition and its use. Anticipated outcomes are superior safety, expected lifetime and economic benefits of maritime assets.Read moreRead less
Ship response under corrosion, fatigue and complex sea-state environments. This project will improve understanding of the gradual deterioration of ships and maritime structures subject to metal corrosion, fatigue and extreme sea-state conditions. Increasingly such understanding is necessary for optimal asset management decisions. These include the potential economic, personnel and other risks involved for ship owners and operators, including the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The project will use ....Ship response under corrosion, fatigue and complex sea-state environments. This project will improve understanding of the gradual deterioration of ships and maritime structures subject to metal corrosion, fatigue and extreme sea-state conditions. Increasingly such understanding is necessary for optimal asset management decisions. These include the potential economic, personnel and other risks involved for ship owners and operators, including the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The project will use numerical simulation. It will tackle the Fluid-Structure Interaction problem of ships in waves by integrating Finite Element structural response analysis with cutting-edge Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics methods. The outcomes will provide new insight into remaining asset life and for exploring optimal maintenance strategiesRead moreRead less
The Spectral Evolution of Ocean Swell. This project aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the processes responsible for the evolution of ocean swell. It will generate new knowledge in the field by using a combination of newly available satellite data and buoys strategically located along two propagation paths across the Pacific. The expected outcomes will be a unique data set and significant advances in our ability to accurately predict ocean swell. Swell prediction remains one of the ....The Spectral Evolution of Ocean Swell. This project aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the processes responsible for the evolution of ocean swell. It will generate new knowledge in the field by using a combination of newly available satellite data and buoys strategically located along two propagation paths across the Pacific. The expected outcomes will be a unique data set and significant advances in our ability to accurately predict ocean swell. Swell prediction remains one of the major short-comings of ocean wave prediction models. As swell conditions dominate ocean wave climate for 75% of the time, accurate prediction is critical for coastal protection, understanding air-sea interaction and maintaining ship and port operations.Read moreRead less
Crusty Seabeds: From (Bio-)Genesis To Reliable Offshore Design. The project aims to make deep water oil and gas developments safer and cheaper by understanding better the unique seabed ‘crust’ conditions that occur in Australian waters. By studying the biogenic, structural and mechanical properties of deepwater crusts in more detail than can be done in ‘live’ oil and gas projects, this project expects to make a step change in the understanding of these seabed crusts. Expected outcomes of this pr ....Crusty Seabeds: From (Bio-)Genesis To Reliable Offshore Design. The project aims to make deep water oil and gas developments safer and cheaper by understanding better the unique seabed ‘crust’ conditions that occur in Australian waters. By studying the biogenic, structural and mechanical properties of deepwater crusts in more detail than can be done in ‘live’ oil and gas projects, this project expects to make a step change in the understanding of these seabed crusts. Expected outcomes of this project include developing new seabed investigation and design approaches for these soils. This should provide significant benefits, by facilitating the design and installation of low-risk, yet low cost seabed infrastructure (e.g. pipelines, risers, shallow foundations etc.) in these problematical seabed typesRead moreRead less
Predicting scour and scour-induced settlement of subsea infrastructure. This project aims to develop improved predictions and understanding of the potential and extent of scour and scour-induced settlement of subsea infrastructure on mobile seabeds. This is expected to enable scour and settlement to be accounted for directly in engineering stability and serviceability design, overturning current practice which ignores both effects on the basis of using scour protection and costly maintenance and ....Predicting scour and scour-induced settlement of subsea infrastructure. This project aims to develop improved predictions and understanding of the potential and extent of scour and scour-induced settlement of subsea infrastructure on mobile seabeds. This is expected to enable scour and settlement to be accounted for directly in engineering stability and serviceability design, overturning current practice which ignores both effects on the basis of using scour protection and costly maintenance and remediation. Development of accurate predictions is expected to be achieved through physical model testing, numerical modelling and analysis of field data. Predictions should improve subsea reliability and lead to omission of scour protection in some situations, increasing international competitiveness of our offshore oil and gas industry.Read moreRead less
Microbiological and abiotic marine corrosion of steel in particulate media. This project aims to study the complex interfacial physicochemical interaction between structural steel and inert particles in marine environments, including microbial growth influences. It will use field-testing and electrochemical laboratory experiments to understand the short- and long-term corrosion processes. It will develop mathematical models to predict likely corrosion loss and pitting, based on physicochemical c ....Microbiological and abiotic marine corrosion of steel in particulate media. This project aims to study the complex interfacial physicochemical interaction between structural steel and inert particles in marine environments, including microbial growth influences. It will use field-testing and electrochemical laboratory experiments to understand the short- and long-term corrosion processes. It will develop mathematical models to predict likely corrosion loss and pitting, based on physicochemical corrosion principles. Industry increasingly needs such models to manage major infrastructure not protected against corrosion, including offshore energy systems, coastal structures and buried pipelines. These outcomes are expected to benefit Australian engineering consultants in the offshore energy industry, with potential for large foreign exchange earnings.Read moreRead less
Selective wellbore coatings to control fines damage in coal seam gas wells. This project aims to develop a completely new approach to control solids production in coal seam gas wellbores using a selective phase-inversion polymer coating. The approach will take advantage of the low permeability of mudrocks to form a protective barrier across clay-rich layers while remaining permeable across the gas-producing coal seams. The production of fine solids is a key technical issue affecting the producti ....Selective wellbore coatings to control fines damage in coal seam gas wells. This project aims to develop a completely new approach to control solids production in coal seam gas wellbores using a selective phase-inversion polymer coating. The approach will take advantage of the low permeability of mudrocks to form a protective barrier across clay-rich layers while remaining permeable across the gas-producing coal seams. The production of fine solids is a key technical issue affecting the productivity of coal seam gas wells in Queensland, and leads to 10-15 days’ production downtime a year. The expected outcomes of the project include fundamental understanding of the solids breakage phenomena, a predictive tool to classify potential solids risks in coal seam gas wells, and a novel rock-selective wellbore coating technology to control solids production. The potential economic impacts from the project are lower gas production costs and improved gas supply security.Read moreRead less