The overall aim of CeSOS is to contribute new knowledge for a sustainable, economic and safe use of the oceans to produce food and energy as well as mineral resources, and provide means for transport. Moreover, hydrocarbons are produced from sub-sea reservoirs.

The research focus will be on generic knowledge that can serve as a basis for the future development of marine technologies, and for other industries engaged in similar activities. The engineering research carried out in CeSOS is inspired by the technology outlook, in a 20-25 years perspective.

• Research Plan - Thematic areas and project themes
• Research Facilities

Future developments

The future developments of the marine industries and infrastructure require new structures and facilities such as vessels with higher speed for transport, deep-water operations and sea-farms in more exposed sites than at present. A thorough understanding of the behaviour of ships and ocean structures and their operation is required to meet the future challenges of the existing and novel marine industries. The Centre will address the behaviour of surface vessels, platforms and facilities in the ocean environment and operations of such structures by improving present-day technologies and envisaging new design concepts and operational procedures in view of future trends and needs.

An important trend is the increasing importance of safety and environmental aspects for all types of ships and ocean structures. Increased focus on “zero” tolerance for oil spills makes even small damages to tankers and offshore structures significant, and emphasises the need for more accurate analyses. Safety of structures and station-keeping systems is an area that requires particular attention, by implementing risk-based rules and regulations, especially for novel types of design. The effects of human factors and automatic control on the system reliability and operational performance have to be addressed in the design of various facilities as well as in the operational planning and execution. Reduction of the consequences of accidents through proper rescue operations, and preventing accidents from escalating are also areas of considerable importance.

Technology Trends

The future needs for new knowledge can be envisaged in view of the technology trends in the main marine industries.

• Ships for transport and other marine operations

In view of increasing size and speed and the emergence of new concepts, for instance relating to container and natural gas transport as well as cruise vessels. Ship operations in areas with various ice conditions are envisaged. For this reason along with the need for transparent, explicit safety requirements, design by “direct analyses” based on “first principles” of hydrodynamic loads and their structural effects and strength, and the potential benefit from automatic control, are necessary. Efficient and reliable operations at sea imply a design of ships and equipment that is dedicated to various types of operations.

• Facilities and marine operations for oil and gas exploration and exploitation

In increasing water depths and in areas with limited infrastructure. For an economic and safe exploitation of these resources, lightweight floating platforms and ship-like vessels are required. Platforms and ships operating in the arctic needs to be designed to resist ice loads or be quickly and safely disconnected and moved away or be replaced by subsea facilities. The combination of deep-water, harsh wave conditions and ocean currents in Norwegian waters makes design and operation of riser and mooring systems particularly challenging. Moreover, advanced marine operations from all-year service vessels or platforms are a prerequisite for laying pipelines or cables, for installing sub-sea equipment as well as inspection, maintenance and repair/replacements of underwater facilities. The demand for efficiency and safety requires high precision in marine operations. To limit the motions of ships or platforms and thereby displacements and stresses in e.g. risers and in pipelines during laying, and to ensure precise lifting operations, dynamic positioning of platforms and vessels will be increasingly used in deeper water. The production of natural gas offshore as well as its transportation e.g. in ships as LNG or CNG or in pipelines, pose particular challenges.

• Facilities for wind and wave energy to achieve a cost effective power production

Wind energy is currently closest to a commercial breakthrough. Yet, challenges remain regarding design of blades, drives, floater and mooring system. A wide variety of wave energy systems have been proposed and they are at a relatively early stage of development. The challenge with wave energy converters is to utilize wave power at relatively low waves and survive the harsh sea states. Optimal design of renewable energy plants offshore requires integrated knowledge about hydrodynamics, mechanical engineering, structural mechanics and electrical engineering as well as automatic control; and is particularly an interesting area for cooperative research within CeSOS as well as with other organisations.

• Facilities and operation for large aquacultural plants in harsh sea states

Novel concepts are envisaged; accompanied by new design standards and operational procedures. The challenges associated with these plants are related to hydrodynamic loading, considering the special features of the net structure and fish and nonlinear stochastic dynamic behaviour of large, interconnected, hydroelastic structures and the interaction between the structure and the mooring system.

Challenges

While challenges in marine technology up to now have been associated with surface transport, fisheries and the petroleum industry, aquacultural production and harvesting of natural bio-resources e.g. in Norwegian waters are envisaged to increase ten-fold in the next two decades. Ship and oil and gas operations in more harsh environments, including the arctic, are expected to increase. Moreover, utilisation of the renewable energy from ocean wind, wave and current is expected to increase.

An important aspect of engineering science is to envisage possible novel devices or processes, and the need to document serviceability and safety. Risk and reliability methodology, with due account of the effect of human factors, as applied to structural design and planning of marine operations, are more explicitly focused upon.