| Abstract | Offshore structures are subject to ice accretion during winter conditions when the air temperature falls below about -2deg.C, and sea spray is generated by wave-structure interaction. Cases have been reported in which an estimated 200 to 500 tonnes of ice have accreted on semi-submersible platforms. However, to date, there have been no instruments to automatically measure the ice accretion rate on platforms, and consequently there are no offshore ice accretion climatologies. In this paper, we describe the design, testing and deployment of a novel offshore ice thickness sensor. We also show how the N_RIGICE icing model can be used, in conjunction with six years of environmental data measured on the Rowan Gorilla rig, to establish a preliminary offshore structure icing climatology. Data from the new icing instrument will be used to test and calibrate the N_RIGICE model, providing "ground truth" for the icing climatology. |
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