Deepwater platform designed on fast track schedule

New computer technology and past experience now enable platforms and jackets for 500--1,300 ft of water to be designed in a few months. Previously for a deepwater jacket of a fixed platform, the finalized design might take up to 1 year, and fabrication and installation another couple of years. The Gulf of Mexico Viosca Knoll Block No. 817A (VKI 817A) platform is one recent example of a fast-track project in 671 ft of water. The accelerated schedule provided 15 months from the start of the project to the offshore installation, hookup, and start-up. Only 3 months were needed to complete the structural design of the platform. The paper discusses Block 817A, design challenges, jacket configuration, fabrication and installation, and structural design.