CP Life Extension Project for SPAR Structure in the Gulf of America

Abstract Several offshore marine structures in the Gulf of America are approaching the original design life and are currently undergoing life extension projects. A key aspect of these projects is ensuring continued protection against corrosion, which often involves installing retrofit anodes to maintain structural integrity over the extended service period. In some cases, a significant number of the original galvanic anodes are still present. Therefore, accurately assessing when corrosion protection may become inadequate is essential for planning retrofit installations in a cost-effective and timely manner. Computational modelling supports retrofit planning by using both historical and recent field survey data to represent the current status of the structure and forecast when corrosion protection may become compromised. This paper presents a computational modelling study aimed at extending the service life of a SPAR structure. It begins by introducing the various components of the SPAR platform. Using existing survey data combined with a physics-based model, the study infers the structure’s current status. It also examines the interactions between internal and external surfaces and the associated cathodic protection (CP) systems. The paper concludes by outlining a projected timeline for the structure’s life extension.