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Petroleum Structural Engineering® Software
Offshore and Onshore Structural Analysis Software
API 4F 5th Edition
API 4F 5th Edition
Need more information about the PSE Software?
OIL & GAS INDUSTRY - API 4F 5th EDITION
Improve productivity for the Analysis, Design and Rehabilitation of drilling structures
The Petroleum Structural Engineering® software is a technology for Offshore Structural Analysis and Design. The PSE is used for the design and rehabilitation of drilling structures for the oil & gas industry, including Offshore Platform Rigs, Land Drilling Rig Substructures, Land Drilling Rig Masts, Derricks, Drilling Masts, Rigs and Substructures. The PSE Software is an integrated structural analysis and design software for Onshore and Offshore structures according to the API 4F 5th edition requirements.
The PSE is a robust and reliable structural software based on more than 35 years of Research and Development. The program, designed with the latest technological innovations in its field, is equipped with a sophisticated and user friendly graphical interface. ABS American Bureau of Shipping has approved the PSE Petroleum Structural Engineering® Software for the analysis and design of offshore derricks and structures. This engineering software solution is used worldwide by several notable international companies in production work for building innovative offshore and onshore structures.
The PSE is a robust and reliable structural software based on more than 35 years of Research and Development. The program, designed with the latest technological innovations in its field, is equipped with a sophisticated and user friendly graphical interface. ABS American Bureau of Shipping has approved the PSE Petroleum Structural Engineering® Software for the analysis and design of offshore derricks and structures. This engineering software solution is used worldwide by several notable international companies in production work for building innovative offshore and onshore structures.
PSE Offshore Structural Analysis
Compliance with the API 4F 5th edition
Structural finite element analysis FEA
Automated wind wall calculation
Automated Calculation of Member Unbraced Lengths
Vessel Dynamic Motions
Wave and Current Loads
Training & Webinar available
Request the PSE Software Technical Brochure
Learn about the features and functionality of the PSE Petroleum Structural Engineering software. You will discover tremendous capabilities, intuitive modeling features and comprehensive analytical tools allowing to solve engineering challenges more efficiently.
''The SAFI PSE software is one of the most suitable structural analysis and design tool for onshore and offshore rigs. I was fortunate to work in both environments and I find that it is closely tailored to the industry's compliance. What can I say about customer support? Imagine that customer support is just a call away, always available and knows exactly what I need. ''
Sugrim Sagar
M.Sc. P.Eng. - Texas, USA
''The SAFI software was built with the engineer and designer in mind. The SAFI team has thought of every feature an engineer needs to design and optimize a structure. The program is very intuitive and easy to pick up. The support team is very responsive and knowledgeable. They can troubleshoot any modeling issue that comes up. ''
CHARLES VORA, PE
Veristic Technologies, Inc. - Houston, USA
Fully Integrated
Enhance productivity with an integrated technology.
The PSE is truly integrated into one environment allowing users to solve their analysis, design and engineering challenges more efficiently.
Powerful Features
Ensure better capability to achieve complex structural projects.
Our continuous R&D efforts are driven to produce a technology that ensures better productivity to achieve simple and complex structural projects.
Outstanding Support
Take advantage of support provided by structural engineers.
Our technical team consists of experienced structural engineers providing relevant and effective support.
COMPLIANCE WITH THE API 4F 5TH EDITION
The PSE Petroleum Structural Engineering® software is based on the API 4F (5th edition) Specification for Drilling and Well Servicing Structures. In the PSE software, wind loads, based on the velocity component approach, and vessel dynamic motions are defined according to API 4F Specification for Drilling and Well Servicing Structures. The PSE software systematically incorporates the latest requirements and recommendations for suitable steel structures for drilling and well servicing operations for the Oil&Gas industry.
The PSE software is an innovative solution aiming to increase productivity of international companies helping them to achieve the most complex structural engineering projects. Our engineering team is devoted to making the PSE Software a technology that continues to push boundaries year after year providing an additional competitive advantage in the industry.
The PSE software is an innovative solution aiming to increase productivity of international companies helping them to achieve the most complex structural engineering projects. Our engineering team is devoted to making the PSE Software a technology that continues to push boundaries year after year providing an additional competitive advantage in the industry.
API Specification for Drilling and Well Servicing Structures (5th edition)
Wind loads
Wind loads, based on the velocity component approach, are defined according to API 4F Specification for Drilling and Well Servicing Structures (5th edition).
The API 4F specifications for wind loads based on the velocity component approach is integrated into the PSE Petroleum Structural Engineering software. Accordingly, drilling structures are classified based on their Structural Safety Level (SSL) and their offshore or onshore location.
The design reference wind velocity Vref value chosen should be a 3-second gust wind measured at an elevation of 10 m (33 ft) in open terrain or water, with an associated return period of 50 or 100 years.
The Petroleum Structural Engineering® software has a tool to generate wind and ice loads on open structures such as drilling structures. It allows generating automated ice loads or wind loads on each element of the structure.
The PSE software automates wind loads applied to members. These loads are calculated based on the projected area, projected pressures or velocity components approaches. The program offers a variety of wind profiles and automates the determination of the shape coefficients (drag factors).
The PSE software allows different configurations of the drilling structure models according to a given wind environment. The program requires the input of the rated design wind velocity, Vdes, and accounts for the design reference wind velocity and wind velocity multiplier. The program computes the local wind velocity, Vz, by scaling the rated design wind velocity by the appropriate elevation factor, ß, in order to obtain the velocity for estimating the wind forces.
The API 4F specifications are applicable to the following wind environments:Operational wind
Erection wind
Transportation wind
Unexpected wind
Expected wind
The API 4F specifications are applicable to the following wind environments:
A wind profile in a selected direction provides the wind intensity that generates the wind loads to structural members and surface areas. As many as required wind directions can be defined through different basic loads.
Member selection procedures allow the application of the wind profile to the entire structure or to specific zones and excluding members behind or in front of wind walls. It is possible to apply the API 4F wind loads directly to elements such as equipment, wind walls and other objects attached to the drilling structures.
The shape coefficient (Cs) is automated in the PSE software for various section shapes. The program accounts for the gust factor (Gf) and the reduction factor for shielding (Ksh) for members and appurtenances.
Vessel motions
In the PSE Petroleum Structural Engineering® software, vessel dynamic motions are defined according to API 4F (5th edition) Specification for Drilling and Well Servicing Structures.
The inertial forces due to the vessel dynamic motion as well as radial, tangential and translational forces due to the acceleration of masses attached to the drilling structures have a significant influence on design and reliability.
In various production wells, the offshore drilling structures are located on top decks of vessels, semisubmersible or floating hulls. Vessel motion includes roll, pitch and yaw rotations and heave, sway and surge translations.
The PSE software computes the inertial forces due to the vessel dynamic motion as well as radial, tangential and translational forces due to the acceleration of masses attached to the drilling structures. These forces have a significant influence on the structural design and reliability of offshore structures.
The PSE software accepts three types of user input in order to estimate the inertial forces induced by the vessel dynamic motions:
– Linear displacements, angular rotations and time periods
– Linear and angular velocities and accelerations
– Linear accelerations at two points in the vessel which are converted to linear and angular accelerations by the program.
The PSE software accepts three types of user input in order to estimate the inertial forces induced by the vessel dynamic motions:
– Linear displacements, angular rotations and time periods
– Linear and angular velocities and accelerations
– Linear accelerations at two points in the vessel which are converted to linear and angular accelerations by the program.
High pressure mud piping, electrical cable trays, junction boxes, racking boards, tong counterweights, turning sheaves, deadline anchors, crown accessories, casing stabbing baskets and other outfitting items add weight to the derrick. Weight data is converted to masses applied at the correct locations on the derrick.
Users can define the motion in three ways. The Direct Method (w/r to vessel axis) allows users to define the motion by the means of amplitudes-periods pairs or by the means of accelerations according to each rotational and translational axes.
The Direct Method (w/r to rotation axis) allows defining the motion by the means of amplitudes-periods pairs or by the means of accelerations according to the vessel rotation axis and each translational axes. The Indirect Method allows the user to define the motion by specifying two accelerations at two different elevations along the X axis (Pitch) and along the Z axis (Roll). The specified accelerations along the X axis allow defining both the pitch (RZ) angular acceleration and the surge (X) acceleration. Similarly, the specified accelerations along the Z axis define the roll (RX) angular acceleration and the sway (Z) acceleration.
The Direct Method (w/r to rotation axis) allows defining the motion by the means of amplitudes-periods pairs or by the means of accelerations according to the vessel rotation axis and each translational axes. The Indirect Method allows the user to define the motion by specifying two accelerations at two different elevations along the X axis (Pitch) and along the Z axis (Roll). The specified accelerations along the X axis allow defining both the pitch (RZ) angular acceleration and the surge (X) acceleration. Similarly, the specified accelerations along the Z axis define the roll (RX) angular acceleration and the sway (Z) acceleration.
Wave and current loads
Wave and current loads generated forces applied to submerged structural members in platforms and floating hulls are analyzed through linear and nonlinear kinematics in accordance with the API RP 2A specifications.
The PSE software computes wave and current forces applied on the structural members. The wave kinematics can be established using either Airy’s linear theory or Fenton’s nonlinear theory.
The linear kinematic theory is valid where the wave height is small compared to the water depth. On the other hand, the nonlinear kinematic theory, proposed by J.D. Fenton, solves the motion equations by representing the velocity potential and surface elevation with a Fourier series.
The later method minimizes the error of each parameter governing the wave motion equations and is valid over the entire spectrum.
The PSE software accounts for the following wave profiles and kinematic parameters:
- Wave period
- Incidence angle
- Elevation of the sea bed
- Elevation of the still water line (SWL)
- Kinematic reduction factor
- Crest position criterion
Preview of the wave surface profiles, velocities and accelerations at any point is readily available.
According to commentary C.3.2.1 of the design code API RP-2A-2003, the Doppler effect is accounted for by calculating an apparent period defined as the wave period as seen by an observer moving with the current.
Marine growth increases the cross section diameter and surface roughness of the members and it is defined by a set of elevation-thickness pairs.
In the PSE software, the current profile is described with respect to the sea bed. The current speed is defined by a set of elevation-velocity-angle triplets and the reduction of the current speed in the vicinity of the structure or the blockage factor is accounted for.
In order to combine the current with the wave profile, the current needs to be stretched, or compressed, to the local wave surface. Two stretching methods are available:
- The linear stretching method, also known as the Wheeler stretching
- The nonlinear method, or hyperbolic stretching
The input for the member wave loads consists of the following six parameters:
- Current profile
- Wave profile
- Marine growth profile
- Drag coefficient
- Inertia coefficient
- Shielding factor
The member forces, calculated using Morison equation, vary according to the position of the waves with respect to the structure. In order to obtain the maximum forces in the members, the critical position of the wave crest is determined by the program.
PROVIDING THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY WITH A TECHNOLOGY TO REACH
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE.
The PSE is a structural engineering software solution for the analysis, design and rehabilitation of drilling structures including drilling masts, derricks and substructures.
The advanced structural analysis of the PSE software allows engineers to achieve specialized analyses crucial to offshore and onshore projects related to the oil and gas industry.
The PSE software allows to verify, design and optimize steel members of drilling structures according to various international design codes.
Vessel dynamic motions are defined according to API 4F Specification for Drilling and Well Servicing Structures (5th edition).
Other environmental forces such as wave and current loads are also considered for the analysis and design of offshore drilling structures.
POWERFUL FEATURES
Our continuous R&D efforts are driven to produce a technology that ensures better productivity to achieve simple and complex structural projects related to the oil and gas industry.
COMPLIANCE WITH THE API 4F 5TH EDITION
The PSE Petroleum Structural Engineering® software is based on the API 4F Specification for Drilling and Well Servicing Structures.
FULLY INTEGRATED
The PSE software is fully integrated into one environment allowing users to solve their analysis, design and engineering challenges more efficiently.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORT
The PSE technical team consists of experienced structural engineers providing relevant and effective support.
Our goal is to provide the industry with a technology to reach structural engineering excellence and we are responding to the demand through relevant and effective Research and Development.