This essential new publication provides information and guidance on the safe management of the interface between offshore terminals and offtake tankers, focussing on F(P)SO and SPM buoy terminals and conventional and DP tankers. It will be of use to tanker technical operators, terminal operators, tanker-based personnel, terminal-based personnel, offshore project development teams and regulatory officials.
This publication updates and supersedes the following OCIMF publications:
• Offshore Loading Safety Guidelines with Special Relevance to Harsh Weather Zones.
• Tandem Mooring and Offloading Guidelines for Conventional Tankers at F(P)SO Facilities.
• Recommendations for Equipment Employed in the Bow Mooring of Conventional Tankers at Single Point Moorings.
Contents
Purpose and scope
Contents
Glossary
Abbreviations
Bibliography
Section one
Applicable codes and standards
Offshore terminals used for cargo transfer
Offtake tankers
Section two
F(P)SO subsea mooring and cargo transfer philosophy
Definition and application
Operating environments
F(P)SO subsea mooring configurations
F(P)SO location relative to other structures
Basis of Design and cargo transfer philosophy development
Section three
Offshore terminal mooring configuration and equipment
Introduction
Mooring system design
Using simulation of motions and forces to assess likely hawser loads
Single and dual hawser mooring systems
Mooring system equipment
Section four
Offshore terminal cargo transfer configuration and equipment
Configuration
Cargo pumping system
Custody transfer system
Manifold
Hose flushing configurations
Cargo hoses and equipment
Quick release couplings
Cargo hose end fittings
Overpressure and surge protection
Cargo containment
Lifting and other equipment
Terminal interface for offtake tanker surge prevention and overpressure protection
Terminal interface for offtake tanker equipment maintenance and repair
Section five
Offtake tanker mooring and cargo transfer equipment and configuration
All offtake tankers
Offtake tanker technical operator responsibilities
Conventional tankers
Bow loading tankers
Section six
Station keeping
Conventional tankers
Station keeping using tugs
Mooring layout for tug escort and pull-back, and aft mooring deck design
Stern mooring winch configuration
Disconnection of towline
DP systems
Section seven
Personnel transfer facilities
General
Support vessel transfer
Basket transfer
Helicopter transfer
Other information
Section eight
Conventional tanker operations
Introduction
Night operations
Competence of offshore operations personnel
Communication requirements for operations
Terminal operational factors
Conventional tanker approach to terminals
Pre-arrival preparations
Pre-mooring preparations
Mooring operations
Pre-transfer conference
Cargo hose connection
Station keeping management
Cargo handling
Disconnection and unmooring
Manning and watch standing
Environmental limitations for cargo transfer operations
Requirements for support vessels
Mooring and line handling
Cargo hose handling
Tug assistance overview
Offshore terminal: organisation and responsibilities
Section nine
DP bow loading tanker operations
General
Safety critical elements
Operational safety
Training and competence of offshore operations personnel
F(P)SO operational factors
Approach to terminals
Pre-transfer conference
Station keeping operations
Cargo handling
Disconnection and unmooring
Manning and watch standing
Requirements for support vessels
Use of Tanker Assist Vessels at offshore terminals
Offshore terminal: organisation and responsibilities
Section ten
Risk management
General
Offshore cargo transfer operations: general
Hazards and effects management process
Offshore terminal to conventional tanker cargo transfer hazard identification
Risk assessment
Risk control
Mitigated risk assessment
Recovery measures
Primary field risk management methodology: field operator and offtake
tanker technical operator interface
Section eleven
Emergency and contingency planning
Emergency scenarios
Emergency towing and standby vessel specifications
Appendices
Appendix A: Types of offshore terminals
A1 General
A2 Surface F(P)SOs
A3 Surface Single Point Mooring systems
A4 Sub-surface loading systems
A5 Offshore terminals for use in ice
A6 Dynamically Positioned Loading Terminal
Appendix B: Recommendations for DP bow loading tanker training and experience
B1 DP offtake tanker training: general
B2 Offshore loading training
B3 Emergency tow training exercises
Appendix C: Assurance processes for DP bow loading tankers
C1 Purpose
C2 Background
C3 Acceptance of new offshore terminals and new offtake tankers intended to be
regularly used in the field (primary and secondary pool tankers)
C4 Ongoing acceptance of regularly used offtake tankers
(primary or secondary pool tankers)
C5 One-off acceptance of previously unapproved alternative tankers at short notice
Appendix D: Tanker Assist Vessel for DP bow loading operations
D1 Overview
D2 Equipment requirements
D3 Tanker Assist Vessel operations
Appendix E: Examples of conventional tanker–terminal information exchanges
E1 Pre-mooring checklist (Mooring Master and conventional tanker Master exchange)
E2 Pre-cargo transfer conference checklist
E3 Pre-departure checklist
E4 Watchkeeper SPM position reporting guide
Appendix F: DP bow loading operational checklists
F1 Example of DP bow loading tanker and terminal operations checklists
F2 Example offshore terminal checklists
F3 Example DP bow loading tanker checklists
OCIMF was formed in April 1970 in response to the growing public concern about marine pollution, particularly by oil, after the Torrey Canyon incident in 1967. In the early 1970s, a variety of anti-pollution initiatives were starting to emerge nationally, regionally and internationally, but with little coordination. Through OCIMF, the oil industry was able to play a stronger, coordinating role in response to these initiatives, making its professional expertise widely available through cooperation with governments and intergovernmental bodies.
OCIMF was granted consultative status at the IMO in 1971 and continues to present oil industry views at IMO meetings. Since then, its role has broadened to take account the changing maritime activities of its membership. Its remit now covers tankers, barges, offshore support vessels and terminals and its advice extends to issues like shipping in ice and large-scale piracy, which rarely troubled the oil industry when OCIMF was first created in the 1970s.
The current membership of OCIMF comprises 112 companies worldwide.
Today, OCIMF is widely recognised as the voice of the oil industry providing expertise in the safe and environmentally responsible transport and handling of hydrocarbons in ships and terminals and setting standards for continuous improvement. Membership is extensive and includes every oil major in the world along with the majority of National Oil Companies.
OCIMF has much to be proud of. Not only has it contributed to a substantial quantity of regulation at the IMO aimed at improving the safety of tankers and protecting the environment, but it has introduced important new guidance on pressing current issues such as piracy and Arctic shipping. With the process of introducing new Internationally-accepted regulation necessarily slow as it crosses many individual countries and jurisdictions, OCIMF is in the unique position of being able to leverage the expertise of its membership to press ahead with much needed guidance on important industry issues. This provides the means to improve practices in the membership and in the wider industry, and serves as a valuable reference for developing regulation.