The Extendable Draft Platform (EDP) is a deep draft semisubmersible with an extendable heave suppression pontoon, designed as a drilling and production floating platform for deepwater field development. The EDP supports both top tensioned risers (TTRs) for dry-trees and steel catenary risers (SCRs) for export risers and subsea wells. The TTRs can be supported at their tops by tensioners mounted on the main deck, and the SCRs can be connected to the EDP either by porches external to hull or by pull-tubes internal to the hull columns. This paper discusses design features of the EDP risers, including TTR tensioning system and coupled effects on hull motion performances, riser keel guide design and wear allowances, and SCR hang-off options. Also investigated are the effects of the EDP’s low motions on the riser systems, for instance, the wave induced fatigue of SCRs is significantly improved for the EDP, in comparison with a conventional semisubmersible of similar payload. Furthermore, designs of the EDP as well as riser systems can be optimized for different prevailing environmental conditions, such as those of West Africa, Brazil, West of Shetland, and the Gulf of Mexico. The EDP provides an effective and reliable way to support dry-trees and SCRs for a wide range of deepwater applications.
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