Hurricane Roxanne and a New Assessment Criteria for Bay of Campeche

Abstract

This paper was selected for presentation by the OTC Program Commibe following revi_ of information contained in an abstract submitted by the authorIal. Conl8nts of the paper, as Pfesented, have not been reM~by the OIfshore Technology Conference and are sUbject to correction by the author(s). The material, as presented, does nol necessarily reIIect any position of the OIfshore Technology Conference or its officers. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or _98 of any part of this paper for commercial pufJ'0S8S without the writlen consent of the OIfshore Technoiogy Conference is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of nol more than 300 words; illustrations may nol be copied. The abstract must contlin conspicuous acknowledgment of wtlere and by wtIom the paper was presented. AbstractProduction from Bay of Campeche constitutes a significant percentage of the wealth of Mexico. One of the primary objectives of PEMEX is to assure that this production is not interrupted.In 1995 hurricanes Opal and Roxanne passed through Bay of Campeche (BOC). Opal did not cause any noticeable damage. Roxanne on the other hand was the most severe hurricane recorded in the Bay of Campeche in this century. Its anomalous behavior and the resulting extreme environmental conditions did considerable damage. PEMEX implemented a rapid repair program and was able to bring the production back to its normal levels within two months. Subsequently, PEMEX jointly with Instituto Mexicano del Petr61eo (IMP), launched an extensive program to inspect, assess, and repair the facilities. Results of the initial assessments indicated that the assessment parameters as well as the metocean criteria utilized were not suitable for Bay of Campeche. A detailed risk study considering the site specific conditions and requirements was performed. Utilizing probability based risk assessment techniques a new criteria. known as the "transitol)' criteria" was developed. The transitol)' criteria was then used to re-assess the platforms and pipelines in the Southwest Marine Region of BOC.