Modeling the Pressure Distribution and the Changes of Water Level around the Offshore Platforms Exposed to Waves, Using the Numerical Model of Flow 3D

Abstract

The humans’ need to use the oceans for exploration and extraction of oil has led to the development of engineering science in the field of offshore structures. Since it’s important to examine the offshore structures from different aspects and perspectives, we would have to evaluate many different parameters about them. So categorizing these parameters can help to perform their related analysis with more accuracy and more details. Due to the efficient force it exerts on the structure, the pressure distribution around every marine or hydraulic structure has a significant importance, and it even accounts for one of the dominant issues in designing and building of such structures. In the present study, an oil platform located in Phase 15 of South Pars oil fields, located in the Persian Gulf waters, has been analyzed using the FLOW 3D software. The outputs indicate that the pressure of water is distributed almost hydrostatically with the depth, and its maximum reaches 0.6 MPa at the bottom.