Seismic Design of Facilities for the Oil and Gas Industry, Methodology for Establishment of Risk Based Seismic Design Criteria

The design of facilities to resist seismic loads requires selection of an appropriate safety level.This paper will discuss the requirements of different international standards and will suggest that the criteria might be established on the basis of a quantitative risk analysis.The paper will, furthermore, discuss the experience Statoil has gained through working in Norway and North Western Europe in designing the company’s facilities to withstand the relevant seismic loads. Although this area of the world is an intraplate area with relatively low seismicity, it is suggested that the experience could be of value to those working in more seismic regions of the world. The paper will mainly refer to onshore terminal facilities on the Western Coast of Norway, which is the area of the North Western Europe with highest seismic hazard, and to offshore platforms in the Northern North Sea.