Ensuring safe and reliable operation throughout the life cycle

The operation of Mobile Offshore Units (MOUs) for the exploration and production of offshore oil and gas reserves poses tough challenges with regard to documentation of acceptable safety standards. MOUs include semi-submersibles, jack-ups, drill ships, FPSOs, TLPs, SPARs and other types of deep draft floaters. Requirements are set both by shelf state authorities based on local rules and regulations as well as flag state authorities based on common requirements from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

Other stakeholders such as financial institutions, shareholders, insurers and society at large have similar focus on safety and reliability of such units. Accidents are not tolerated in the modern society. DNV helps clients to ensure an adequate safety and reliability through offshore classification, thus providing assurance that requirements laid down in applicable rules and regulations are met during all phases of the asset’s design, construction and operation.

Basis for classification is DNV’s own rules, which have been developed over decades. These rules combine the most advanced theoretical evaluations with our longstanding experience with ships and offshore units operating in the marine environment. They also incorporate relevant internationally recognised industry standards for specific safety issues.

Our approach
DNV Offshore Classification establishes basic rule requirements based on theory and experience for Mobile Offshore Units, and later verifies that the required safety standards are designed and built in, observed and maintained through the offshore unit’s life cycle.

Activities typically include:

• Setting rules based on the latest development in technology, societal trends and deliberations with relevant statutory bodies worldwide
• Early engagement with designer, yard and owner to ensure that safety standards can be met
• Identification of safety-critical aspects and full review of how these are met through comprehensive review of proposed design
• Certification of safety-critical components and systems, both for marine and industrial use onboard
• Construction survey through the complete fabrication period including review and close follow-up of the yards internal control and management system
• Inspections and tests during commissioning
• Regular surveys during operation at prescribed intervals meeting internationally agreed standards.

Benefits
By choosing DNV Offshore Classification the client is ensured:

• Availability to DNV’s acknowledged peak competence on marine structures
• Application of modern safety principles and latest advances in design and dimensioning principles
• Acknowledged and recognised third-party review of plans and drawings
• Adequate certification of safety critical components and systems meeting international and regional standards
• Construction survey and close follow-up throughout construction and commissioning phases
• Availability to DNV’s worldwide net of surveyors and surveys meeting all regulatory requirements in-service
• All the above forming accepted basis for approval by shelf and flag state authorities;
• Technical and operational feedback through dedicated experience feedback channels.