Safetrans - A New Software System for Safer Rig Moves

The SafeTrans Joint Industry Project (JIP) started in 1997 with the goal of improving today's tows and installations by utilizing modern probabilistic- and consequence-based methods, improved weather forecasting, and inexpensive but powerful PCs. SafeTrans was funded by 31 companies including 11 oil companies, six warranty surveyors, and six transport companies. The involvement of most of the major players in the offshore transport field has produced a fully vested tooi incorporating much of the technical expertise and practical experience of the JIP members. The software can handie barge and jack-up tows as well as self-propelled (dry) transports. Multi-month trans-ocean transports as well as short installations are covered. SafeTrans has two major software components: an office-based system to pre-plan and design the tow, and an on-board system to provide real-time advice to the captain during the actual tow or installation. This paper describes the common software of the two components including the ship hydrodynamic modeling, the Monte Cario simulator, metocean database, and the risk analysis. The paper also compares SafeTrans results with measured data from the self-propelled transpon of Santa Fé's Galaxy II jack-up on the Dockwise Transshelf from Singapore to Halifax Nova Scotia.