Current and Future Developments in Offshore Platform Foundations

Over the last decade, the quest for hydrocarbons has progressed in the face of low oil and gas prices, on the one hand, and increasingly difficult physical conditions on the other. These influences have increased industry focus on enhanced oil recovery from producing fields and given impetus to the development and implementation of new technology and new forms of cooperation between oil companies and contractors. R.O. Snell, O.T. Gudmestad and J.W. Bunce

This paper briefly reviews the evolution of bottom-supported fixed North Sea structures over the last 30 years and provides historical data for future trends. Given the relatively short timespan, the development of North Sea platforms and their supporting structures has been quite remarkable, with major benefits to the United Kingdom of self-sufliciency in oil and gas, large tax revenues to the Exchequel; and employment for 10s of 1000s of people. W.G. Laver