UHPC Gravity Platforms

The construction of gravity platforms is not a new technology. There are already several concrete gravity
platforms in use nearshore. They are designed and manufactured like a barge. Oil and gas processing plants including storage facilities are installed on them.

Compared to standard concrete platforms, gravity platforms made of UHPC concrete are more durable,
much more resistant and almost maintenance-free.
UHPC offshore structures have been around for over 20 years. UHPC Offshore concretes are absolut salt water resistant. In the meantime, UHPC offshore structures are beginning to replace the outdated offshore steel structures. Offshore steel structures are also stabilised with UHPC concrete or the statics of the structure are improved. UHPC structures are also very resistant to ice floes.

Thanks to mobile production facilities, all our UHPC materials can be manufactured and processed on site. There is definitely the possibility to use local raw materials in the local binder production.

WPE DK International

Phone: 0049 176 601 73146
E-mail: info@wpe-dk.dk
Homepage: www.wpe-dk.com

UHPC concrete in the petroleum production and processing industry

In the oil producing and processing industry,
UHPC Ultra high Performance concrete can
and will be used in a variety of applications
such as securing material, repair material,
construction material, wear protection and
corrosion protection used.

For the use of offshore platforms UHPC is an
ideal construction, repair and corrosion material.
UHPC can be processed without problems in humid
environments. UHPC is water-permeable even in
low layer thicknesses. UHPC is absolutely saltwater
resistant and can be processed underwater. UHPC in
its high temperature version can be used up to
1000°C/1832°F continuous temperature. UHPC
retains much of its strength at this temperature,
whereas steel has long lost its strength. UHPC is
extremely resistant to rapid temperature fluctuations.

In crude oil processing UHPC can be used as
corrosion protection, wear protection, safety
construction or as construction material.

UHPC concrete are also particularly suitable for the
fracking industry and as oilwell cement.

In the oil refineries and oil ports, UHPC is a perfect

material for all security components. Here, security
can also be interpreted as security against terrorist
attacks. UHPC is extremely corrosion-resistant and
liquid-tight from a wall thickness of 10 mm. Pipes
can be protected against wear and corrosion from
the inside. Important and sensitive constructions
can be permanently protected against temperature
and wear with UHPC. There are already plans to
construct complete crude oil tanks from UHPC. In
case of fires, they would maintain their strength even
at extreme temperatures. Security-related buildings

and production facilities can be protected against a
terrorist attack. Port facilities and loading and
unloading jetty facilities can be permanently
protected against seawater corrosion.

New construction and repair of Jetties with UHPC concrete

For modern jetty constructions, UHPC concrete

offers many advantages compared to standard

concrete, steel or wooden constructions.

- All jetty elements can be prefabricated or cast
   on site in a short time.
- UHPC concrete has no or only extremely low
   pore volume and is thus absolutely seawater
   and corrosion resistant.
- UHPC concrete hardens under water. It can
   therefore be processed in and under water.
- UHPC concrete has a standard strength
   between 120 MPa/17400 psi and
   250 MPa/36250 psi.
- UHPC prefabricated elements can be made
   considerably thinner due to the very high
   strength and the absence of porosity, and
   thus with significantly less weight.

Due to the properties of UHPC concrete listed
above, such constructions do not require further
inspection. It can be assumed that the service
life is almost 100+ years.

Since UHPC concrete has very good wear and
impact resistance, harsh harbor conditions and
extreme environmental conditions such as ice
are no problem.

Installation

UHPC concrete can be produced by us as mortar,
casting compound or shotcrete mass. For processing,
a compulsory or pan pot mixer is needed. Our
shotcrete and castable UHPC material can also be
pumped over longer distances.

Repairs of damaged standard concrete, steel or 
wooden constructions

Jetties can be severely damaged by impact, corrosion,
rotting or faulty concrete processing. The repair
with UHPC concrete is simple and requires little
effort.

For preparation, remove any loose particles and
buildup such as clams, algae and the like.
A mold should be installed around the columns.
The water does not have to be removed from the mold.
The UHPC concrete is poured directly in the water.
The concrete displaces the seawater from the mold.
The mold can be removed after less than 48 hours.

This type of repair has been used for more than 20
years as a standard repair method on offshore platforms.

Repair and new construction of concrete structures at coastal areas with UHPC

The splash zone is without doubt one of the more 

aggressive environment for wood, concrete and/or 

steel. Here you have the movement of the water 
inducing wear on the structures, high level of 

oxygen inducing a perfect corrosive environment. 

In salt water chlorides are present all over but 

combined with good access of oxygen this zone is 
where the problem is.
 In icy regions ice sliding by 

a structure will tear and wear the structure. 

UHPC Ultra High Performance Concrete is here 

an ideal construction material or protection layer.

Sea level rise
It is likely to lead to greater flooding, 
salinisation and erosion in coastal areas, 
affecting millions of people worldwide and 
costing billions of dollars of damage.
Today, a lot of big cities are right on the 
coast or at estuaries. Changes in sea level 
or in severe storms or torrential floods 
directly hit these cities. Most cities have
not yet realized this danger and have not 
yet taken any protective measures. Such 
safeguards include raising defenses, 
implementing flood storage and construction 
of new river barrier systems.

Many important industries are located 
particularly in Asia directly on the coast. 
Without future active coastal protection, 
this industry will be a major problem for the 
respective country.

Prefabricated concrete elements made of 
special UHPC concrete are ideal for effective, 
long-lasting coastal protection.
The elements can be made slim and light due 
to the enormous strength. They are easy to 
transport and assemble. They are extremely 
corrosion resistant and virtually repair-free. 
The expected lifetime far exceeds that of 
standard concrete elements.

Areas of application are

• Marine structures
• Coastal protection
• Quay construction
• Weir, dock and wharf construction
• Jetty construction

In many coastal industries seawater is used for 
process cooling. In steel or concrete pipes, the 
water is pumped directly from the sea into the 
corresponding production.

To ensure the necessary process cooling 
permanently, it is extremely important that the 
water supply is always constant. A reduction 
by the flow rate, for example, a reduction in the 
conveying cross section of the pipeline can 
result in the worst case to a stop in the production 
or cause damage to the system due to overheating.

In most cases, standard concrete qualities is used 
in the manufacture of concrete pipes.

These tubes have a rough and porous surface. 
Shells of all kinds can be very firmly and 
permanently anchor on the basis of porosity in the 
concrete structure. Especially pipes in cooling 
water or cooling water channels must regularly 
notify the mussel case be removed.

In the removal the firmly anchored mussel beds a 
part of the concrete surface is also always removed, 
which can cause the concrete reinforcement may 
corrode. The result is a time consuming and costly 
repairs to the existing concrete structure.

UHPC concrete has a compared to standard concrete 
extremely low porosity and a very high wear resistance. 
These characteristics make it is not possible to 
permanently anchor the shells in concrete. Removal of 
the mussel beds is quick and does not damage the 
concrete surface.

Standard concretes can effectively protected with a 
10 - 20 mm UHPC layer for a very long time.


www.hhbc-consulting.de
info@hhbc-consulting.de

UHPC concrete as structural construction and corrosion protection material in Offshore projects

UHPC concrete is through its properties, such as
high E-modulus, high strength, and low
permeability excellent for rehabilitation,
protection and strengthening of offshore structures.

The splash zone is without doubt one of the more
aggressive environment for wood, concrete and/or
steel. Here you have the movement of the water
inducing wear on the structures, high level of
 oxygen inducing a perfect corrosive environment.
In salt water chlorides are present all over but
combined with good access of oxygenthis zone is
where the problem is.
 In icy regions ice sliding by
a structure will tear and wear the structure. UHPC
is here an ideal protection layer.


Splash zone protection is in general made on pillars
standing in water, and is made by creating a mold
around the pillar and cast the UHPC into the
mold.
When the UHPC has set the mold can be removed.

In case of wood pillars wood will usually rot over
time, leading to insufficient load bearing capacity of
the pillars. A mold can be placed around the pillar
and a UHPC pillar is created by casting.



Oil and gas platforms

When oil is pumped out of the ground the buttom

of the ocean will sink, which means that the
platform itself will sink slowly. As the ocean will
cover more and more of the legs of the platform
the wave forces influencing the platform will
increase over time. Eventually the strength of the
platform is not high enough to sustain heavy
storms.
 The strengthening of the platform is done
by filling the legs or part thereof with UHPC. This
will stiffen the structure and increase the strength
of this. By special engineering it is possible only
to fill part of legs, ie areas of the connections of
the steel.


Harbour fronts


Harbour fronts, piers and jetties are usually
subjected to splash zone issues a long with the
occasional impact by ships.
Splash zone issues being hammered with ice
and debris and of course the corrosion from salt,
water and oxygen.
 UHPC has the necessary
strength and impact resistance to withstand these
forces and the impermeability of the UHPC
prevents chlorides, water and oxygen in
penetration the protection layer which makes
corrosion impossible.



 

WPE DK International

Phone: 0049 176 601 73146
E-mail: info@wpe-dk.dk
Homepage: www.wpe-dk.com