Engineering & Environmental Research

DF Dickins Associates Ltd.

Projects: Offshore Engineering

Selected Offshore Engineering Projects

Testing a model lifeboat in the NRC test tank,
Ottawa.  Photo:  G. Timco

The Escape, Evacuation and Rescue Chapter of the ISO WG8 AS25B Arctic Structures Standard is now in the final review stages pending formal adoption by the International Standards Organization in 2008/09.  David Dickins participated as a member of the initial committee led by Jim Poplin of ExxonMobil, assisting with developing the new standard in the initial three years of a lengthy process began in 2003.  As part of this development, David teamed with Garry Timco of the National Research Council Canada to co-author a paper entitled “Environmental Guidelines for EER Systems in Arctic Waters” – see publications under Environmental Research.  

Cold Testing Immersion/Evacuation Suits for an oil industry client, September 2003 Dickins tested some of the world's top-ranked survival/immersion suits at the US Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, New Hampshire, for an oil industry client. The requirements were severe: -25 °C temperatures and freezing water with ice.
Break-up Ice Conditions at the McCovey Prospect for Lynx Enterprises Inc., Anchorage (client: EnCana Oil & Gas, Denver), 2003 Dickins used historical Landsat imagery over thirty years to map the progression of break-up and duration of the break-up period around the McCovey drill site off Prudhoe Bay.		Canmar

Sea Ice Overflood Limits Affecting the Liberty Pipeline Route for BP Exploration (Alaska) with Vaudrey & Associates and Coastal Frontiers, 1999 This study used combined historical satellite images showing river overflood in the study area with available field surveys to map river overflood limits affecting a proposed marine pipeline route. Publications: Environmental and Offshore

NOAA Chart

Technical Note: Potential For On-Ice Oil Burning During Rig Evacuation for the Offshore Kazakhstan International Operating Company NV (OKIOC), October 12, 1999 The project evaluated safety issues during an emergency evacuation scenario. ARKTOS vehicles, may need to transit an area of possible oil fires on the ice following a blowout at a drilling rig in the North Caspian Sea.

Det norske Veritas

ERS-1 Sea Ice Analysis
for Amoco, 1993-94

ERS-1 radar satellite imagery was used to identify general sea ice conditions off the Russian Yamal Peninsula in the Kara Sea. Specific mapping details included lead systems, areas of ice deformation, shear zones, and landfast ice edges. Results were used to plan pipeline routes and port sites.

Beaufort Sea Extreme Wave Study
for Environmental Studies Research Funds, 1990-1991

The company recommended different statistical approaches to account for the presence of the pack ice edge location in hind casting the worst storm events over the past 25 years.

Beaufort and Chukchi Sea Ice Databases for Elf Aquitaine, 1990 In order to assist with the client's arctic exploration plans, Dickins was contracted to develop a computer database of ice conditions for selected drilling locations in the North Chukchi Sea from Wainwright to Point Barrow in the Alaskan Arctic.

NOAA Chart

Review of Ocean Models: Research, Development, and Operation
for the Panel on Energy Research and Development, 1991

Dickins Associates prepared a summary of wave, current, and oil spill trajectory models, focusing on operational needs in Canada.

Arctic Offshore Environmental Design Summary
for Elf Aquitaine, 1990

Dickins completed an engineering "handbook" of all relevant offshore design parameters of interest to structural and marine engineering groups planning Chukchi Sea developments.
Publications: Environmental and Offshore

Ice/Scour Interaction
for Bedford Institute of Oceanography, 1989/90

The objectives of this study were to investigate all potential correlations between observations of the sea ice canopy (movement, morphology, old ice concentration) and seabed mapping of ice scours (frequency, depth and orientation) in the Beaufort Sea.

Ice-Structure Interaction Probabilistic Models: Input Parameters with Sandwell Swan Wooster for Public Works Canada, 1988-1989 This project assessed the quality of ice data sets available for input to probabilistic models of ice-structure interaction. The impact of uncertainties in the ice information was investigated by applying the model to a number of selected scenarios in the Beaufort Sea and Canadian East Coast.

Gulf Canada Resources

Verification of New Canadian Offshore Design Codes
for Canadian Standards Association, 1988-1989

Dickins acted as the prime contractor (with Sandwell Swan Wooster Inc.) responsible for exercising CSA's new offshore design codes for arctic drilling structures. The available probabilistic models and environmental databases were evaluated to determine whether the probabilistic approach to offshore design, based on specified target safety levels, is practical and usable within the framework of existing ice knowledge.

Beaufort Sea Ice Design Criteria for Det norske Veritas (Canada) Ltd., 1985 Dickins Associates acted as specialist advisor on environmental inputs to develop a probabilistic model for ice loads.

Route Specific Ice Conditions
for Gulf Canada Resources Inc., 1985

This study evaluated environmental conditions along five potential marine transportation and pipeline routes to the Amauligak offshore oil discovery for hovercraft, vessels and pipelines.

Ice Conditions at Beaufort Sea Drilling Sites
with Swan Wooster Engineering for Placid Oil Company, 1984

This study provides a detailed statistical description of the physical environment at five potential drilling sites between Point Barrow and Barter Island. Emphasis was placed on a realistic appraisal of the summer drilling window, taking into account ice interruptions, pack ice movements and whale migration. Other important considerations included superstructure icing and ice gouging.

Pipeline Repair Study
with Intec Engineering Inc. for SOHIO Petroleum Company, 1984

DF Dickins Associates evaluated environmental conditions and expected oilspill situations along a potential pipeline route extending twenty miles offshore. The primary study objective was to assess pipeline repair techniques in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea.

Summary of Operating Conditions, Kulluk and Molikpaq (3 Volumes)
for Gulf Canada Resources Inc., 1984

These field guides review all available ice information for the southern Beaufort Sea, and summarize important offshore conditions affecting the operation of Gulf's drilling systems.

Summary of Mooring Ice Conditions for Gulf Canada Resources Inc., 1983 This volume describes the nearshore ice environment governing winter mooring and spring break-out of 'Kulluk' and its support vessels. The presentation of ice conditions is keyed to the requirement for a minimum safe water depth of 46 feet.

Gulf Canada Resources

Evaluation of McKinley Bay Ice Movements
for Dome Petroleum Limited, 1980

This project involved field and analytical determinations of the causes and effects of the large scale ice movements experienced in December 1979 in the Dome winter anchorage. Calculations were made of probability and severity of wind stress likely to cause ice pile-ups in different directions.

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