Project Overview

A client operating an offshore drilling platform required a modular storage solution for risers during drilling operations. The system needed to safely store risers on the platform, then fold out of the way once the risers were lowered subsea, without interfering with existing structural constraints.

The project involved the design of 24 folding riser storage units (12 paired systems), integrating structural, mechanical, and hydraulic engineering disciplines under strict offshore safety and load requirements.

Client Requirements

• Store offshore risers securely in paired configurations

• Accommodate existing platform geometry with minimal modification

• Allow each storage unit to fold after riser deployment

• Ensure safe operation in both storage and folded positions

• Provide a repeatable design adaptable across multiple installation points

Engineering Challenges

• Limited and irregular available space on the offshore structure

• Unknown load transfer paths during riser placement and storage

• Critical load cases during folding, storage, and idle conditions

• Safety considerations when the system is folded and unattended

• Hydraulic system reliability in offshore operating conditions