Our client needed a new foundation design for the relocation of the aft burner booms for a deepwater drillship. Bastion was contracted to analyze the Burner Boom foundations of the new twin Burner Booms located on the aft end of the ship. Design and analysis were performed due to changes in loading conditions and new requirements imposed since the original design and analysis effort.

The new loading requirements have the boom being capable of moving up and down between horizontal (0) and 45 degrees in elevation. The boom will also be required to swing inboard and outboard while at any angle between these two elevation angles.

The client required that all reinforcements to existing structure be added above the deck to eliminate any interference with existing structure, electrical, ducting, etc. that currently exist below deck, in particular in the vicinity of the dynamic positioning control room. Any added reinforcement was limited to approximately 350mm in height.

The Burner Boom is designed in accordance with American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) rules and guidelines (ABS Rules for Building and Classing Mobile Offshore Drilling (Ref 4.2), in addition to American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), Manual of Steel Construction, Allowable Stress Design (Ref 4.1).