• Published: March 2021
• REF/ISBN: 9781787252400
• Edition: 1st
• Status: Current

This publication provides guidance to address structural integrity management of offshore platform conductors, to facilitate good practice regarding the design, operation and integrity management of the wells during their lifetime. It focuses on wells located within the North Sea; however, the response of these systems and the key considerations explained herein apply to wells globally.

These guidelines apply to shallow water platform conductors with surface wellheads. Subsea well systems utilising high pressure risers are not included within the scope of this document. They  focus on the integrity management of untensioned systems and the behaviour exhibited by conductors under significant levels of compressive load, including instability and reduced fatigue performance relative to a tensioned system.

Although the document does not cover wells with externally applied tension, the document does cover the case where the conductor may be in tension as a result of thermal loading due to high well bore temperatures.