Technology developed in collaboration with the company BR2W allows monitoring loads to which mooring systems on oil platforms are subjected
One of the mechanisms responsible for anchoring oil platforms at great depths are moorings, which are characterized by large chains, with links that can reach 70 cm in length, and long enough to touch the seabed. The moorings provide stability to the platforms, allowing them to remain in the same location, despite being exposed to movement caused by sea currents. Due to its importance, it is necessary to constantly monitor the loads to which the moorings are subjected, in order to avoid breaking the links.
At Unicamp, a research group led by professor Milton Dias, from Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (FEM), in collaboration with the company BR2W, developed a solution aimed precisely at monitoring these loads. “Currently existing methods for this type of control are very expensive. Those with affordable prices are imprecise. We developed a monitoring methodology that is easy to apply and provides an interesting level of precision, especially considering its advantages”, explains the professor.
The technology developed at the Structure and Machine Dynamics Laboratory (LDEM) involves a method for determining the axial load applied to the ties by measuring the vibrational response of these systems. The technology consists of a signal acquisition and processing mechanism that records the vibration in the mooring, so that its natural frequencies are estimated. Knowing the relationship between these natural frequencies and the axial load to which the mooring is subjected, it is possible to determine the load acting on the mooring.
Data processing is carried out using artificial intelligence algorithms and can be carried out remotely, which, according to the researcher, is also an advantage, as it eliminates the need for specialized personnel to acquire and analyze the data on site – which is always a problem due to the difficulty of access on deepwater platforms and the limited accommodation space available in these facilities – it allows continuous monitoring of loads on the moorings and, as a consequence, enables the rapid identification of possible damage to the equipment or the occurrence of excessive loads applied to the moorings, highlights Dias.
Due to the international market potential of this technology, an application for international protection was made via the PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty), which operates simultaneously in several countries. The licensing agreement with the company BR2W was signed in 2020.
Read article in full published on the Unicamp Innovation Agency website.
