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The article presents a summary of the research projects of the Petroleum Safety Authority of Norway which investigated the ageing and life extension of offshore structures in the country. An overview of the functional requirement and selection of robust materials in design and how this influences life extension of offshore structures is given. It discusses the risk from ageing materials and how the principles in selecting robust materials can be applied for the assessment of the facilities' life extension.

The article discusses a study on the agreement between observed and calculated key parameters from the pipe lay operations at the Ormen Lange field in Norway. The functions of both the online analysis and the back-calculation tools are mentioned which include provision of information regarding the status of the catenary by the former and estimation of fatigue life by the latter. A case study involving the pipelay operation of 30 inch import lines which utilized realistic monitored data from the records of the J-lay operation is examined.

The article discusses the use of an onboard forecast weather screening system during offshore installation at Ormen Lange Field development in Norway. It states the application of a finite element method (FEM) analysis software called SIMLA in the installation project which involves analyses of static and dynamic nonlinear. It outlines the main parts of the onboard screening system. Also noted is the potential use of such screening system as a decision support device during installation.

The article discusses a study on the efficient analysis of offshore pipeline buckling on uneven seabeds. The study involved a section of one of the import lines at Ormen Lange field in Norway. It mentions that offshore pipelines tend to face increased axial stress in the pipe-wall and unexpected buckling as they operate at high temperatures and pressures. The relations involved in the numerical model used in the study are examined which include kinematics, elements as well as contract and friction.

The article discusses a study about a new coating finite element (FEM) model designed for the evaluation of field joint strain concentrations in concrete coated pipelines. It notes that the model was created in a bid to establish an FEM analysis that include the concrete coating effect. The mathematical model as well as the material model required for the FEM model are examined. It is concluded that the strain concentration factor (SCF) identified by the FEM model is in accordance with those used by the company StatoilHydro ASA.