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O1 HIV-1 diversity in Bulgaria (current molecular epidemiological picture) Ivailo Alexiev, Reneta Dimitrova, Anna Gancheva, Asya Kostadinova, Mariyana Stoycheva, Daniela Nikolova, Ivaylo Elenkov O2 Knowledge, attitudes and practices of the general population on HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C in Romania Cătălin Tilișcan, Mioara Predescu, Bogdan Păunescu, Anca Streinu-Cercel, Oana Săndulescu, Claudiu Mihai Șchiopu, Mădălina Hristache, Lăcrămioara Aurelia Brîndușe, Adrian Streinu-Cercel O3 The prevalence of human leukocyte antigen-B*57:01 allele carriers and CXCR4 tropism among newly diagnosed HIV infected patients in Serbia Marija Todorovic, Marina Siljic, Dubravka Salemovic, Valentina Nikolic, Ivana Pesic-Pavlovic, Jovan Ranin, Djordje Jevtovic, Maja Stanojevic O4 HIV transmission among stable serodiscordant couples from the former Pediatric Cohort follow up in the National Institute of Infectious Diseases Ana Maria Tudor, Delia Vlad, Mariana Mărdărescu, Sorin Petrea, Cristina Petre, Ruxandra Neagu-Drăghicenoiu, Rodica Ungurianu, Alina Cibea, Odette Chirilă, Cristian Anghelina, Ileana Coserea O5 Unemployment is associated with syringe sharing among people who inject drugs in Greece Pantelia-Amalia Krikelli, Eirini Pavlitina, Mina Psichogiou, Demetris Lamnisos, Leslie Williams, Anya Korobchuk, Britt Skaathun, Pavlo Smyrnov, John Schneider, Vana Sypsa, Dimitrios Paraskevis, Angelos Hatzakis, Samuel R. Friedman, Georgios K. Nikolopoulos O6 Correlation of adipocytokine levels in different types of lipodystrophy in HIV/AIDS patients Gordana Dragović, Danica Srdić, Al Musalhi Khawla, Ivan Soldatović, Jelena Nikolić, Djordje Jevtović, Devaki Nair O7 IP10 – a possible biomarker for the progression of HIV infection Aura Temereanca, Adelina Rosca, Luminita Ene, Benchawa Soontornniyomkij, Carmen Diaconu, Claudia Dita, Cristian Achim, Simona Ruta O8 A permanent challenge: persistent low viremia in HIV positive patients on ART Șerban Benea, Ruxandra Moroti, Raluca Jipa, Eliza Manea, Andrada Stan, Elisabeta Benea, Dan Oțelea, Adriana Hristea O9 Infections in IDUs according to their HIV status Adriana Hristea, Irina Lăpădat, Raluca Jipa, Ruxandra Moroti, Șerban Benea, Doina Antonică, Irina Panait, Roxana Petre O10 Trends in combined antiretroviral therapy used in methadone program integrated with HIV care - 20 years of experience Justyna D. Kowalska, Ewa Pietraszkiewicz, Ewa Grycner, Ewa Firlag-Burkacka, Andrzej Horban O11 Extracellular cyclophilin A – inflammatory mediator in HIV infected patients Ovidiu Vlaicu, Leontina Bănică, Simona Paraschiv, Ana-Maria Tudor, Ruxandra Moroti, Dan Oțelea O12 High cardiovascular disease risk in Serbian population, an issue of concern Bojana Dimitrijević, Ivan Soldatović, Đorđe Jevtović, Jovana Kusić, Dubravka Salemović, Jovan Ranin, Gordana Dragović O13 Genotypic rifampicin resistance in HIV/ tuberculosis coinfected patients from a tertiary level infectious diseases hospital Dragoș Florea, Ioana Bădicuț, Alexandru Rafila, Cornel Camburu, Adriana Histrea, Mihaela Frățilă, Dan Oțelea O14 Occurrence of residual HCV RNA in liver and peripheral blood mononuclear cells among patients with chronic hepatitis C infection and/or HCV/HIV coinfection after IFN-based therapy Ivana Gmizic, Dubravka Salemovic, Ivana Pesic-Pavlovic, Marina Siljic, Valentina Nikolic, Miljana Djonin-Nenezic, Ivana Milosevic, Branko Brmbolic, Maja Stanojevic O15 Romanian nationwide screening for infection with HIV and hepatitis B and C viruses Anca Streinu-Cercel, Oana Săndulescu, Alina Cristina Neguț, Mioara Predescu, Alexandra Mărdărescu, Mihai Săndulescu, Adrian Streinu-Cercel O16 Treatment emergent variants to combined direct antiviral agents therapy against hepatitis C virus Ana Belen Pérez, Natalia Chueca, Marta Álvarez, Juan Carlos Alados, Antonio Rivero, Francisco Vera, Marcial Delgado, Javier Salmeron, Miguel Jiménez, Maria José Blanco, Moises Diago, Miguel Garcia-deltoro, Marta Alvarez, Francisco Téllez, Federico García O17 Clinical and epidemiological aspects in tuberculosis/HIV coinfected patients Diana Tănase, Eliza Manea, Rodica Bacruban, Dragoș Florea, Dan Oțelea, Alexandru Rafila, Mariana Mărdărescu, Adriana Hristea O18 Resistance to NS3 protease inhibitors in persons with chronic hepatitis C infected with hepatitis C virus subtype 1a from Croatia Ivana Grgic, Ana Planinic, Maja Santak, Lana Gorenec, Snjezana Zidovec Lepej, Adriana Vince O19 Analysis of a simplified diagnostic score for tuberculous meningitis in HIV-infected adults with meningitis Eliza Manea, Adriana Hristea, Șerban Benea, Ruxandra Moroti, Diana Tănase, Cristian M. Niculae, Simona Merisor, Raluca Jipa O20 Molecular tracing of the origin of HIV-1 infection among persons who inject drugs in Athens: a phyloethnic study Dimitrios Paraskevis, Evangelia Kostaki, Georgios K. Nikolopoulos, Vana Sypsa, Mina Psichogiou, Dimitra Paraskeva, Athanassios Skoutelis, Meni Malliori, Samuel R. Friedman, Angelos Hatzakis O21 The dynamics of virological response to HIV-1 infection and antiretroviral therapy initiation in patients with and without HLA-B*5701 Allele Malgorzata Hackiewicz, Piotr Zabek, Ewa Firlag-Burkacka, Andrzej Horban, Justyna Dominika Kowalska O22 Increase in the numbers of non-B subtypes and potential recombinant forms circulating among Slovenian MSM in the recent years Maja M. Lunar, Jana Mlakar, Mario Poljak O23 Genotyping intrahost polymorphisms in hepatitis C virus E2 protein associated with resistance to antibody neutralization Leontina Bănică, Eliza Martin, Valeriu Gheorghiță, Andrei Petrescu, Dan Oțelea, Costin-Ioan Popescu, Simona Paraschiv O24 Genotyping of HCV NS3 protease inhibitors resistance and phenotyping of rare double resistance mutations in HCV cell culture system Emil Neaga, Vlaicu Ovidiu, Andrei Juncu, Leontina Bănică, Simona Paraschiv, Dan Oțelea, Costin-Ioan Popescu O25 Employment status controls the relationship between neurocognitive impairment and depression in a cohort of young HIV-infected adults since childhood Adrian Luca, Florin Lazăr, Anca Elena Luca, Luminița Ene, Cristian Achim O26 Predictors of survival in parenterally-infected HIV positive children and youth diagnosed with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy Cosmina Gingăraş, Ștefan Adrian Anton, Roxana Rădoi, Simona Tetradov, Grațiela Țârdei, Maria Nica, Razvan Alexandru Capşa, Cristian L. Achim, Cristiana Oprea, Luminița Ene O27 Neurocognitive and brain functioning in HIV-infected young MSM treated with cART Bogna Szymańska, Natalia Gawron, Agnieszka Pluta, Emilia Łojek, Ewa Firląg – Burkacka, Andrzej Horban, Robert Bornstein, et HARMONIA3 Study Group O28 Clinical value of RT-PCR detection of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in cerebrospinal fluid Olivia Burcoș, Simona Manuela Erscoiu, Filofteia Bănicioiu Cojanu, Andreea Toderan, Maria Nica, Ionuț Cristian Popa, Emanoil Ceaușu, Petre Iacob Calistru O29 Characteristics of sleep disorders in Romanian adults infected with human immunodeficiency virus Manuela Arbune, Mirela Alexandrache, Anca-Adriana Arbune, Doina-Carina Voinescu O30 Diagnosing neuroHIV: the rift between clinicians and pathologists Ioan-Alexandru Diaconu, Laurențiu Stratan, Victoria Aramă, Luciana Nichita, Alexandra Diaconu, Anca Negru, Alina Orfanu, Anca Leuștean, Daniela Adriana Ion O31 A challenging neurological complication in a HIV-infected young woman with multiple opportunistic infections Irina Ianache, Cristiana Oprea O32 Brain abscess with uncertain etiology in a late-presenter HIV infected patient Anca Leuștean, Cristina Popescu, Alina Orfanu, Anca Negru, Remulus Catana, Cristina Murariu, Ioan-Alexandru Diaconu, Mihaela Rădulescu, Cătălin Tilișcan, Victoria Aramă O33 Cerebral toxoplasmosis and left crural monoparesis with fatal evolution in a noncompliant patient with AIDS C3 Iosif Marincu, Patricia Poptelecan, Valeria Bică, Florin Lazăr, Livius Tirnea O34 Opportunistic infections still a problem in HIV-infected patients in cART era: a Romanian single center experience Irina Ianache, Roxana Rădoi, Manuela Nica, Grațiela Țârdei, Luminița Ene, Emanoil Ceaușu, Petre Calistru, Cristiana Oprea P1: Epidemiological aspects of co-infection of HIV/TB in Moldova Iurie Osoianu, Ala Halacu P2 Perinatal exposure at HIV infection in Oltenia region Andreea Cristina Stoian, Florentina Dumitrescu, Iulian Diaconescu, Augustin Cupșa, Lucian Giubelan, Loredana Ionescu, Irina Niculescu P3 Women living with HIV in Mureș county Carmen Chiriac, Nina Șincu, Iringo Zaharia Kezdi, Anca Georgescu, Brândușa Țilea, Cristina Girbovan, Andrea Incze, Andrea Fodor P4 Late diagnosis of HIV infection in children - a challenge for Romania Alina Cibea, Mariana Mărdărescu, Cristina Petre, Ruxandra Drăghicenoiu, Rodica Ungurianu, Ana Maria Tudor, Delia Vlad, Carina Matei P5 Cirrhosis Assessment in Patients Co-infected HIV-Hepatitis B Virus Elena Dumea, Lucian Cristian Petcu, Simona Claudia Cambrea P6 HIV late presenters in Craiova Regional Center, Romania Florentina Dumitrescu, Augustin Cupsa, Andreea Cristina Stoian, Lucian Giubelan, Irina Niculescu, Iulian Diaconescu, Dan Hurezeanu, Livia Dragonu, Mioara Cotulbea P7 Some aspects of malignancies in patients HIV / AIDS Simona Manuela Erscoiu, Ionuț Cristian Popa, Denisa Stroie, Petronela Ionescu, Nedeea Duță, Camelia Dobrea, Irina Voican, Emanoil Ceaușu, Petre Iacob Calistru P8 Factors associated with resilience among people living with HIV in Romania Florin Lazăr P9 Fever in HIV-infected patients: a thorny problem to be solved by the clinicians Lucian Giubelan, Augustin Cupșa, Iulian Diaconescu, Florentina Dumitrescu, Dan Hurezeanu, Livia Dragonu, Irina Niculescu, Andreea Cristina Stoian, Oana Obretin, Mariana Stănescu, Mihai Jianu P10 Th1, Th2, Th9, Th17 and Th22 cytokines in acute and chronic HIV-1 infection Lana Gorenec, Snjezana Zidovec Lepej, Ivana Grgic, Ana Planinic, Janja Iscic Bes, Adriana Vince, Josip Begovac P11 Dyslipidemia in HIV-infected patients treated with protease inhibitors – case report Luminița Elena Horga P12 Why use less treatment for the metabolic abnormalities in HIV patients-too many drugs? Corina Itu, Luminița Elena Horga, Laura Augusta David-Aldea, Anca Ciorogar, Cristian Jianu, Mihaela Lupșe P13 Sacral Herpes Zoster, with hyperalgesic form, in a patient with C3 stage HIV infection Iuliana Caramangiu, Ovidiu Roșca, Monica Cialma, Andreea Ardeleanu, Iosif Marincu P14 Factors associated with in-hospital mortality in tuberculous and cryptococcal meningitis Raluca Jipa, Eliza Manea, Șerban Benea, Irina Lăpădat, Nicoleta Irimescu, Irina Panait, Cristian Niculae, Adriana Hristea P15 Lipodystrophy: still present adverse event in resource-limited settings Jovana Kusic, Djordje Jevtovic, Dubravka Salemovic, Jovan Ranin, Bozana Dimitrijevic, Gordana Dragovic P16 TB and HIV coinfected patient, an emergent challenge - case report Laura-Augusta Aldea-David P17 Efficacy of prophylactic antiretroviral treatment in new-born infants from HIV-positive mothers in 2012-2014, for the North-Eastern part of Romania Carmen Manciuc, Cristina Nicolau, Liviu Prisăcariu, Alexandra Largu P18 Surveillance of mother to child transmission of HIV in Romania – 31 December 2015 Mariana Mărdărescu, Adrian Streinu-Cercel, Cristina Petre, Marieta Iancu, Sanda Vintilă, Daniela Vitelaru, Iosif Ionel, Claudiu Mihai Șchiopu, Alexandra-Henriette Mărdărescu P19 The antiretroviral therapy failure and the need to select the effective treatment in the Republic of Moldova Pavel Micsanschi, Tiberiu Holban, Ina Bîstrițchi, Lucia Pârțână, Angela Nagîț, Svetlana Popovici, Maria Talmaci, Irina Cucerova P20 Disseminated cryptococcosis in a patient with C3 HIV stage and multiresistant to antiretroviral therapy with lethal evolution Sorina Georgiana Mitrescu, Dana Mihalcea, Iulia Caramangiu, Ovidiu Roșca, Iosif Maricu P21 Aspects of tuberculosis infection in HIV-positive patients from Romania – our experience Anca Negru, Daniela Munteanu, Victoria Aramă, Raluca Mihăilescu, Ioan Diaconu, Remulus Catana, Cristina Popescu, Alina Orfanu, Anca Leuștean, Mihaela Rădulescu, Cătălin Tilișcan, Raluca Năstase, Violeta Molagic, Irina Duport, Cristina Dragomirescu, Ștefan Sorin Aramă P22 Dyslipidemia in HIV-infected patients Nicoleta M Negruț P23 Challenges in the management of an HIV seropositive patient with psoriasis undergoing immunomodulator therapy Violeta Elena Niță, Daniela Ioana Munteanu, Raluca Mihăilescu, Ioan Diaconu, Anca Negru, Cristina Popescu, Victoria Aramă P24 Acute peritonitis as a sign of IRIS in an HIV-infected patient with MAC latent infection Alina Orfanu, Cristina Popescu, Anca Leuștean, Anca Negru, Remulus Catana, Ioan Diaconu, Cătălin Tilișcan, Victoria Aramă, Sorin Ștefan Aramă P25 The virologic outcome of the treatment of chronic hepatitis B among HIV co-infected patients on HAART Ivana Pesic Pavlovia, Dubravka Salemovic, Jovan Ranin, Djordje Jevtovic P26 A case of HIV encephalopathy with aphasia, agnosia, apraxia and right homonymous hemianopsia Ovidiu Roșca, Andreea Ardeleanu, Iulia Caramangiu, Daniela Desaga, Valerica Bică, Sorina Mitrescu, Iosif Marincu P27 Molecular footprints on human immunodeficiency virus -1 genome and association with phylogenetic clustering among subtype B infected patients in Serbia Marina Siljic, Dubravka Salemovic, Valentina Nikolic, Djordje Jevtovic, Ivana Pesic-Pavlovic, Jovan Ranin, Marija Todorovic , Maja Stanojevic P28 Neurosyphilis and human immunodeficiency virus infection: double challenge Nina-Ioana Șincu, Anca Georgescu, Brândușa Țilea, Iringo Zaharia Kezdi, Andrea Incze, Cristina Gârbovan, Carmen Lucia Chiriac P29 Differences between HIV-infected adults since childhood and non HIV-infected persons on managing everyday life Anca Elena Luca, Florin Lazăr, Adrian Luca, Luminița Ene, Roxana Rădoi, Adina Talnariu, Silvia Suciu, Cristian Achim P30 Molecular detection of Bartonella quintana in a HIV immunodepressed patient with fever and isolated lymphadenopathy - Case report Diana Gabriela Iacob, Dragoș Florea, Simona Iacob P31 Present epidemiological characteristics of HIV/AIDS newly diagnosed cases in South-Eastern Romania Manuela Arbune, Miruna Drăgănescu, Alina Iancu P32 The gender’s preferences among opportunists? Ruxandra Moroti, Cristian M Niculae, Simona Merisor, Eliza Manea, Serban Benea, Andrada Stan, Raluca Hrisca, Raluca Jipa, Diana Tanase, Adriana Hristea P33 Polymorphism of interleukin-28B gene in persons with chronic hepatitis C from Croatia Ivana Grgic, Ana Planinic, Lana Gorenec, Snjezana Zidovec Lepej, Adriana Vince

The LBR-5 software allows optimizing ship structures according to objectives of higher inertia, less weight and/or lower cost. This last criterion offers the choice between two approaches of calculation. The first approach is based on a simplified assessment of the cost in which the total cost is described by rather simple analytical functions which bring into play on the one hand the design variables and on the other hand empirical parameters. In the second approach, the calculation of the cost is based on data specific to the shipyard. The material cost is analyzed according to the first approach while the cost of the labor considers each relevant operation of the ship building with respect to the LBR-5 model. A survey of all the tasks was carried out at Aker Yards France, and a thorough study made it possible to develop assessment tools of the labor cost for each operation as functions of the design variables. Plate straightening operations are also considered in this analysis. This paper pres...

Testing antibiotic resistance of bacterial strains (compulsor, reported for EARSS surveillance) isolated from patients hospitalised for systemic infection in the "Dr. V. Babe" Hospital for Infectious and Tropical Diseases during 01.01.2005-11.11.2009, for a dynamic evaluation and for the surveillance of resistance emergence for certain classes of antibiotics.Bacterial isolation: BacT/ALERT system; strain identification in classic and automated system (ATB Expression. VITEK 2C): antibioresistance: disk-difussion method (NCCLS 2005--CLSI 2009), MIC (E-Test, ATB/ Expression, VITEK 2C). Screening of ESBL-producing strains performed with double disk-difussion method (DDD). Reference strains used: S. aureus ATCC 25923, S. pneumoniae ATCC 49619, E. coli A TCC 25922, Enterococcus fiecalis ATCC 29212.During the studied period, 245 bacterial strains have been isolated, identified and tested (Staphylococcus aureus / 70, Streptococcus pneumoniae / 61, Enterococcus faecalis / 18, Enterococcus faecium / 5, Neisseria meningitidis / 18, E. coli / 73). out of 166 hemocultures and 79 cerebrospinal fluids / CSF. The average incidence of MRSA strains in systemic infections was 34.28%. 44.28% of the S. aureus strains were resistant to erythromycin, 17.14% to cyprofloxacyne, 15.71% to rifampicine, 14.49% to gentamycine. No strain resistant to vancomycine and linezolide. Streptococcus pneumoniae presented an average high resistance to penicillin G of 11.47%. and a 1.63% resistance to third generation cephalosporines. 0% resistance to vancomycine and rifampicine. 7/ 18 Enterococcus faecalis strains and 4/5 Enterococcus faecium strains presented high level resistance to gentamycine (CN 120 microg/disk) and no strain was resistant to vancomycine, teicoplanin or linezolid. The 18 Neisseria meningitidis strains were all sensitive to beta-lactams, macrolides, fluoroquinolones and cloramphenicol. For the 73 Escherichia coli strains, the average incidence of ESBL-producing isolates was 10.95%, the average resistance to ampicillin was 58.90%, to gentamycine--13.88% and to cyprofloxacin--20.83%. No strain resistant to carbapenemes and amikacine.For the systematic surveillance of antibiotic resistance there is a need for a harmonised protocol of data gathering and strain selection and the rigurous implementation of correct evaluating methods for antibiotic resistance in the microbiology laboratory. Carbapenemes. glycopeptides and oxazolidinones still present a major effectiveness in the first intention treatment of systemic infections.

Abstract Offshore LNG terminals are today broadly considered by the industry to respond to the world thirst of energy in a rapid and efficient manner. In order to match these technical developments, Bureau Veritas has completed, in May 2009, the first phase of a rule development project for the classification of floating offshore gas terminals. Combining BV's experience with the classification of liquefied gas carriers and FPSOs, this resulting guidance note provides requirements for structural safety and cargo containment system assessment. These requirements are applicable for offshore units including LNG FPSOs, FSRUs, gas production units or FSOs. In September 2010, BV has completed this guidance note with specific requirements for stability, electrical installations, safety and offloading of offshore LNG terminals. The paper will describe the work and conclusions of this guidance note and focus on the 2 main challenges faced during the work: On one hand culture differences between shipping, gas and offshore industries. Although modern design techniques are largely using sophisticated numerical calculation tools for both ships and offshore units, there is still a notable cultural difference between the shipping and the offshore industries in the fact that the design of offshore platforms has historically been inclined to be quite based on first principles and direct risk analyses as opposed to ships, the design of which integrates, to a large extent, the return of experience in service in a more empirical way. On the other hand, the difficulty to built standards for a new technology. Despite the long experience in gas transportation at sea and in offshore units, LNG FPSO projects need to identify the risk induced by transferring new technologies from shipping or from onshore industry to offshore floating gas project. The difficulties encountered will be illustrated with practical examples. Introduction In the last decades we have seen oil & gas markets focusing on LNG. This new focus initiated a technology development phase of LNG production chains. Among the new technologies concerning marine and offshore industry that came to life in this decade, we can mention:The LNG regasification vessel, LNG carriers that are designed to regas their cargo moored in offshore condition, moored at buoy before to offload gas to shore by a submarine pipes.Larger LNG carrier than ever built, with a huge capacity increase compared with large " traditional?? LNG carriersDiesel electric LNG carrier, with boil-off reliquefaction;New membrane tank systems developedShip to ship LNG transferFSRU, Floating Storage and regasification Units. These units, generally converted LNG carriers, are receiving the LNG from conventional LNG Carriers and regasifying it for onshore distribution as gas. If the 1st of them were moored at quay in sheltered areas, the latest projects are more and more going towards offshore units. All these projects were involving third parties, like classificaition societies, which use this technological breakthrought to develop rules and methodologies, applicable to LNG units. When going throught these developments, we can notice they are covering only 2 parts of the LNG chain, sea transportation and regasification. The other end of the LNG chain, offshore production liquefaction is still waiting for its first LNG FPSO, or FLNG. However several projects are being studied and designed going from very large LNG FPSO to smaller but modular LNG FPSO concepts, from mild offshore conditions to not so mild conditions.

The LBR-5 software allows optimizing ship structures according to objectives of highest inertia, least weight and/or least cost. This last criterion offers the choice between two approaches of calculation. The first approach is based on a simplified assessment of the cost described by rather simple analytical functions which include on one hand the design variables and on the other some empirical parameters. In the second approach, the calculation of the cost is based on data specific to the shipyard. The material cost is analyzed according to the first approach while the cost of the labor considers each relevant operation of the shipbuilding with respect to the LBR-5 model. A survey of all the tasks was carried out at Aker Yards, France and a thorough study made it possible to develop assessment tools of the labor cost for each operation as functions of the design variables. Plate straightening operations are also considered in this analysis. This paper presents a cost based optimization study carried on a large passenger ship structure with more than 600 design variables, by the use of the detailed approach for the cost calculation. The structural model has been formulated on the basis of technical documentation prepared by Aker Yards, France. The loads and strength criteria applied on the model are considered according to classification society rules (Bureau Veritas). Results and conclusions of the study are presented.

This paper presents a methodology to take into account model uncertainties related to the load-end shortening curve of stiffened panels. This method is a part of a research activity carried out at University of Liege. His goal is to propose a reliability based model to assess hull girder ultimate strength using a progressive collapse algorithm. The numerical results presented here concern the load-shortening model chosen for this research, which is based on Bureau Veritas rules. Model uncertainty is quantified as a parameter considered as a random variable. Four statistical moments (mean, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis) of this parameter are calculated and analyzed using a data-base of stiffened panels test results published in recent years. In order to increase the number of “actual” values for the statistical assessment, the data-base is completed with non-linear finite element analysis results. The paper contains also some recommendation for the implementation of the proposed method in ultimate strength reliability based analysis.Copyright © 2006 by ASME

In the past few years, different events have attracted attention on prescriptive regulations to ensure the safety and integrity of offshore production facilities. Discussions have arisen about whether it is not better to go for full goal-based regulations relying on risk assessments to justify designs and project philosophies. In response to those demands, guidelines about risk-based classification have been published. This extended abstract will give some background about classification, its historic roots and how the prescriptive rules were born. It presents the new guidelines on classification of offshore floating units based on a risk-approach in line with the formal safety assessments. It shows how the correct combination of known and experience-backed prescriptive codes with a risk approach can be obtained to the satisfaction of existing expectations.

Riser technology is pushed to its limits as the demand for deeper drilling operations increases. There exist no standards for the mechanical assessment of marine riser joints today, however new standards are under development at TH HILL, a Bureau Veritas enterprise in Texas. The work in this thesis focuses on parts of the development work, more specifically creation of a methodology of the riser and riser joints, with respect to strength and fatigue. A documentation of the existing technology for riser and riser joints has been presented in this thesis, and it includes an overview of the available products in the industry and standards of riser components and analysis methodologies. Theory of the drilling riser system and the different analysis, have also been presented in the thesis. The global load analysis and fatigue analysis are carried out with Flexcom. The vortex-induced vibration analysis is performed through an interface between SHEAR7 and Flexcom. The second order vessel motions are calculated with Ariane. The methodology is developed based on one case study, and the input data for the geometry is based on the documentation on the existing technology. All input data have been carefully selected and discussed with employees from different sections at Bureau Veritas, who holds a broad industry experience within the field. Based on these discussions, a number of sensitivity studies and investigations have been conducted. This include definition of boundary conditions, current direction, wave effect, application of second order vessel motions, simplified second order vessel motions and stress concentration factors. From these investigations, a final analysis model has been established and one combination of current, wind and wave direction has been investigated. The final analysis model consists of current, waves and second order motions. The current velocity is 1.13m/s and the wind velocity is 22.5m/s. The current profile is based on a combination of an internal metocean report from Bureau Veritas, and the API standard Interim Guidance on Hurricane Conditions in the Gulf of Mexico. The riser is connected to the vessel, which limits the significant wave height to 6m. The irregular waves are applied with a JONSWAP spectrum and the second order vessel motions are calculated based on a dynamic positioning system with maximum offset of 20m. In the global load analysis in Flexcom, yield and buckling have been investigated. The worst sea states have been selected based on the resultant moment for a 1-hour analysis. The effective tension, bending moments and shear force, have been studied for a 3-hour analysis. Fatigue from waves and current have been investigated in two separate analyses. The fatigue analysis in Flexcom investigates the affect from waves by use of three cycle counting methods, i.e. rainflow, spectrum and statistics. The vortex-induced vibration analysis investigates the effect from current, based on the eigenvalue analysis in Flexcom. The results from the worst sea states in the global load analysis showed that the highest moments occurred at the bottom and at the top of the riser. Sea state 8, with Hs=6m and Tp=11.5s, gave the highest moment at the bottom, and sea state 6, with Hs=6m and Tp=9.5s, gave the highest moment at the top of the riser. The standard deviation was largest at the bottom of the riser, and the shear force was highest at the top. The effective tension showed that a small part of the riser was in compression, but this has been neglected due to the results from hand calculations. The results from the fatigue analysis showed that the damage due to waves, was close to zero for all sea states. Flexcom calculates the damage with an accuracy of 1.0E-5, so hand calculations of the damage for selected sea states was therefore carried out. From the analysis with stress concentration factor 10, sea state 6, 5 and 4 showed a reduction in lifetime at the bottom and at the top of the riser. The highest damage was at the top of the riser. A stress concentration factor equal to 10 is most likely unrealistic, but it showed that Flexcom performs fatigue calculations. The rainflow counting method gave the highest damage on the riser, compared to the statistics and spectrum methods. The analysis with no second order vessel motions gave also almost zero damage, and the results were exactly the same as the analysis with second order vessel motions. Based on these results, the complexity of the methodology can be reduced by excluding the calculations in Ariane. The results from the vortex-induced vibration analysis showed that the damage due to current was highest at the bottom. The damage was, however quite low over the whole riser. With a stress concentration factor of 9, the results showed significant damage of 0.47, at the bottom of the riser. Based on the results from the different analysis, the potential of the methodology is shown, and it can hopefully be a useful tool when developing new standards for deeper water depths.