EI LIVE | Ageing and Life Extension of Offshore Structures

This course is aimed at structural engineers and those in related disciplines who wish to increase their knowledge to manage ageing offshore structures and justify their life extension. Personnel from the offshore oil and gas and wind energy sectors, such as operating companies, regulators, consultancies, inspection and verification organisations will benefit from the course for their continued professional development.

Through live presentations and pre-recorded videos, the course provides training on three important areas relevant for ageing structures, namely managing structural integrity, assessment for life extension and demonstration of safety, all within the relevant regulatory frameworks. The topics will include causes and failure rates of ageing structures, competent and efficient inspection, defect and anomaly evaluation, prediction of future ageing and structural states, additional analyses and assessments needed for life extension, repair and mitigation techniques and life extension decision making under uncertainty.

There will be an opportunity for attendees to discuss and share their case studies and experience across the oil, gas and wind energy sectors, which are all facing similar ageing challenges. The course will be given by three senior engineers with extensive consultancy and regulatory experience of ageing and life extension of offshore structures and will be based on their recent book a copy of which will be provided to all course participants as part of the course fee.

Learning objectives:

This course aims to provide attendees with:

• Understanding of the main ageing issues affecting offshore structures in late life
• Knowledge of the key elements in managing the integrity of ageing structures
• Awareness of the basic principles for assessing structures for life extension
• Appreciation of relevant regulatory expectations, codes & standards, good industry practice and available guidance

Learning outcomes:

Following this course attendees will be expected to be able to:

• Recognise the main hazards, uncertainties and threats to structural integrity in later life
• Know the key steps in developing a structural integrity management plan for late-life structures
• Be aware of the methods of analysis to support life extension
• Select inspection and repair methods appropriate for an ageing structure

Course Outline:

• Introduction to ageing and life extension
• Relevant regulations, codes, standards and available guidance 
• Ageing factors: changes and issues for life extension 
• Assessment for life extension - Part 1
• Assessment for life extension - Part 2
• Assessment for life extension - Part 3
• Inspection and monitoring of offshore structures
• Managing structural integrity in the life extension phase