Glossary
Browse the IADC Lexicon alphabetically or by category. Get comprehensive definitions of drilling industry terms.
Spar Platform
Definition(s)
Spar Platform
Deep-draught, small water-plane area floating structure. Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global StandardsShip-Shaped Structure
Definition(s)
Ship-Shaped Structure
Monohull floating structure having a geometry similar to that of ocean-going ships. Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global StandardsSingle Point Mooring
Definition(s)
Single Point Mooring
Mooring system that allows the floating structure to which it is connected to vary its heading (weathervane). EXAMPLE One example of a single point mooring is a turret mooring system where a number of mooring lines are attached to a turret, which includes bearings to allow the structure to rotate. Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global StandardsSignificant Value
Definition(s)
Significant Value
Statistical measure of a zero-mean random variable equal to twice the standard deviation of the variable. Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global StandardsSemi-Submersible
Definition(s)
Semi-Submersible
A floating offshore drilling vessel which is ballasted at the drilling location and conducts drilling operations in a stable, partly submerged position. Source: API RP 64, Recommended Practice for Diverter Systems Equipment and Operations, Second Edition, November 2001 (March 1, 2007). Global StandardsSemi-Submersible
Floating structure normally consisting of a deck structure with a number of widely spaced, large cross-section, supporting columns connected to submerged pontoons. NOTE Pontoon/column geometry is usually chosen to minimize global motions in a broad range of wave frequencies. Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global StandardsHyperbaric First-aid Technician
Definition(s)
Hyperbaric First-aid Technician
“Hyperbaric first-aid technician” means a person who has successfully completed an advanced hyperbaric first-aid course acceptable to the Minister (secouriste hyperbare). Source: Canada Oil and Gas Diving Regulations, SOR/88-600, February 2013. Regulations Source: Nova Scotia Offshore Area Petroleum Diving Regulations, SOR/95-189, Canada, current to May 31, 2012. RegulationsRCS
Definition(s)
RCS
Member of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), with recognized relevant competence and expertise of petroleum and natural gas activities, and with established rules and procedures for classification/certification of installations in the petroleum and natural gas industries. Source: ISO 18647:2017, Petroleum and natural gas industries — Modular drilling rigs for offshore fixed platforms, First Edition, August 2017. Global StandardsRCS
A classification society being a member of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), with recognized and relevant competence and experience from the synthetic fiber rope activities, and established rules/guidelines for design, manufacturing and testing of synthetic fiber ropes for use in the classification/certification activities.
Source: API RP 2SM Design, Manufacture, Installation, and Maintenance of Synthetic Fiber Ropes for Offshore Mooring, Second Edition, July 2014. Global StandardsRCS
Recognized classification society Source: API RP 2SM Design, Manufacture, Installation, and Maintenance of Synthetic Fiber Ropes for Offshore Mooring, Second Edition, July 2014. Global Standards Source: API RP 2SM, Design, Manufacture, Installation, and Maintenance of Synthetic Fiber Ropes for Offshore Mooring, First Edition, July 2014. Global Standards Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global Standards Source: ISO 19905-1:202, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Site-specific assessment of mobile offshore units – Part 1: Jack-ups. Global StandardsRCS
Member of the international association of classification societies (IACS), with recognized and relevant competence and experience in floating structures, and with established rules and procedures for classification/certification of installations used in petroleum-related activities. Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global StandardsRCS
Member of the international association of classification societies (IACS), with recognized and relevant competence and experience in jack-ups, and with established rules and procedures for classification/certification of such installations used in petroleum-related activities. NOTE Adapted from ISO 19901-7:2005, definition 3.23. Source: ISO 19905-1:202, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Site-specific assessment of mobile offshore units – Part 1: Jack-ups. Global StandardsRecognized Classification Society
Definition(s)
Recognized Classification Society
Member of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), with recognized relevant competence and expertise of petroleum and natural gas activities, and with established rules and procedures for classification/certification of installations in the petroleum and natural gas industries. Source: ISO 18647:2017, Petroleum and natural gas industries — Modular drilling rigs for offshore fixed platforms, First Edition, August 2017. Global StandardsRecognized Classification Society
A classification society being a member of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), with recognized and relevant competence and experience from the synthetic fiber rope activities, and established rules/guidelines for design, manufacturing and testing of synthetic fiber ropes for use in the classification/certification activities.
Source: API RP 2SM Design, Manufacture, Installation, and Maintenance of Synthetic Fiber Ropes for Offshore Mooring, Second Edition, July 2014. Global StandardsRecognized Classification Society
Member of the international association of classification societies (IACS), with recognized and relevant competence and experience in floating structures, and with established rules and procedures for classification/certification of installations used in petroleum-related activities. Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global StandardsRecognized Classification Society
Member of the international association of classification societies (IACS), with recognized and relevant competence and experience in jack-ups, and with established rules and procedures for classification/certification of such installations used in petroleum-related activities.- NOTE: Adapted from ISO 19901-7:2005, definition 3.23.
Environmental Conditions
Definition(s)
Environmental Conditions
“Environmental conditions” means conditions that may affect a diving operation and includes- weather and sea conditions,
- speed of currents and tides,
- shipping activities,
- air and water temperatures,
- icing conditions, and
- debris on the sea surface or sea bed (conditions ambiantes).
Environmental Conditions
“Environmental conditions” means meteorological, oceanographical and other natural conditions, including ice conditions, that may affect the operations of a work place (conditions environnementales). Source: Canada Oil and Gas Occupational Safety and Health Regulations, SOR/87-612, February 2013. Regulations Source: Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Occupational Health & Safety Requirements, Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board, Canada, December 2000. Regulations Source: Oil and Gas Occupational Safety and Health Regulations, SOR/87-612, Canada, current to April 29, 2013. RegulationsProximity
Definition(s)
Proximity
Closeness in distance. NOTE 1 Mooring systems are considered to be in proximity to a surface installation (or facility) if any part of the other installation lies within a contour described by the set of offsets coinciding with each line reaching 100 % MBS in the intact or redundancy check condition, whichever is larger. NOTE 2 Mooring systems are considered to be in proximity to a sea floor installation (or facility) if any part of the other installation lies within a polygon formed by the anchor locations. Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global StandardsPermanent Mooring System
Definition(s)
Permanent Mooring System
Mooring system normally used to moor floating structures deployed for long-term operations, such as those for a floating production system (FPS). Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global StandardsMooring Component
Definition(s)
Mooring Component
General class of component used in the mooring of floating structures. EXAMPLE Chain, steel wire rope, synthetic fibre rope, clump weight, buoy, winch/windlass, fairlead or anchor. Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global StandardsBasic Variable
Definition(s)
Basic Variable
One of a specified set of variables representing physical quantities that characterize actions, environmental influences, geometrical quantities or material properties, including soil properties. [ISO 19900:2002, 2.5]. Source: API RP 2MOP, Marine Operations, Upstream Segment, First Edition, July 2010. Global Standards Source: ISO 19900:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – General requirements for offshore structures. Global StandardsBasic Variable
One of a specified set of variables representing physical quantities which characterize actions, environmental influences, geometrical quantities, or material properties including soil properties. [ISO 19900:2002, definition 2.5]. Source: ISO 19905-1:202, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Site-specific assessment of mobile offshore units – Part 1: Jack-ups. Global StandardsBarge
Definition(s)
Barge
Simple floating vessel, normally non-propelled, on which a structure is transported. Source: API RP 2MOP, Marine Operations, Upstream Segment, First Edition, July 2010. Global Standards
Mobile Mooring System
Definition(s)
Mobile Mooring System
Mooring system, generally retrievable, intended for deployment at a specific location for a short-term operation, such as those for mobile offshore units (MOUs). Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global StandardsMinimum Breaking Strength
Definition(s)
Minimum Breaking Strength
RCS certified strength of a chain, wire rope, fibre rope or accessories. Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global StandardsMinimum Breaking Strength
The minimum break strength (MBS) is defined as the minimum single value from a series of five prototype rope assembly, including terminations, break tests.
Source: API RP 2SM Design, Manufacture, Installation, and Maintenance of Synthetic Fiber Ropes for Offshore Mooring, Second Edition, July 2014. Global StandardsMinimum Breaking Strength
The minimum single value from a series of five prototype rope assembly break tests, including terminations. Source: API RP 2SM Design, Manufacture, Installation, and Maintenance of Synthetic Fiber Ropes for Offshore Mooring, Second Edition, July 2014. Global Standards Source: API RP 2SM, Design, Manufacture, Installation, and Maintenance of Synthetic Fiber Ropes for Offshore Mooring, First Edition, July 2014. Global StandardsLimit State
Definition(s)
Limit State
State beyond which the structure no longer fulfils the relevant design criteria. [ISO 19900:2002] Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global Standards Source: ISO 19900:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – General requirements for offshore structures. Global StandardsLimit State
State beyond which the structure no longer fulfils the relevant assessment criteria. NOTE Adapted from ISO 19900:2002, definition 2.21. Source: ISO 19905-1:202, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Site-specific assessment of mobile offshore units – Part 1: Jack-ups. Global StandardsLimit State
A state beyond which the structure no longer satisfies the requirements. The followings categories of limit states are of relevance for structures: ULS = ultimate limit states; FLS = fatigue limit states; ALS = accidental limit states; SLS = serviceability limit states. Source: Offshore Standard DNV-OS-C101, Design of Offshore Steel Structures, General (LRFD Method, Det Norske Veritas, April 2011. Global StandardsDressed-in
Definition(s)
Dressed-in
“Dressed-in” means fully equipped to dive and ready to enter the water, with the diver’s personal diving equipment tested and at hand, whether or not helmet, face plate or face mask is in place (équipé). Source: Canada Oil and Gas Diving Regulations, SOR/88-600, February 2013. Regulations Source: Nova Scotia Offshore Area Petroleum Diving Regulations, SOR/95-189, Canada, current to May 31, 2012. RegulationsDiving Supervisor
Definition(s)
Diving Supervisor
“Diving supervisor” means a supervisor of a diving operation involving a diver (directeur de plongée). Source: Canada Oil and Gas Diving Regulations, SOR/88-600, February 2013. Regulations Source: Nova Scotia Offshore Area Petroleum Diving Regulations, SOR/95-189, Canada, current to May 31, 2012. RegulationsBallast System
Definition(s)
Ballast System
System used to change the draught, stability, trim and/or heel of a structure afloat. Source: API RP 2MOP, Marine Operations, Upstream Segment, First Edition, July 2010. Global Standards
Floating Structure
Definition(s)
Floating Structure
Structure where the full weight is supported by buoyancy. [ISO 19900:2002] NOTE The full weight includes lightship weight, mooring system pre-tension, riser pre-tension, operating weight, etc. Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global Standards Source: ISO 19900:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – General requirements for offshore structures. Global StandardsFit-for-Purpose
Definition(s)
Fit for Purpose
‘Fit for purpose’ means able to perform intended functions. Intended functions include drilling in case of drilling rigs, and top side facilities in case of production well / process platforms. OISD guidance notes for fit for purpose certification of MODU are placed at annexure-4. Source: Guidance Notes on Petroleum and Natural Gas (Safety in Offshore Operations) Rules, 2008, Oil Industry Safety Directorate (India), 2012. Regulatory GuidanceFit-for-Purpose
Meeting the intent of an International Standard although not meeting specific provisions of that International Standard in local areas, such that failure in these areas will not cause unacceptable risk to life-safety or the environment. [ISO 19900:2002]. Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global Standards Source: ISO 19900:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – General requirements for offshore structures. Global StandardsFitness-for-Purpose
Definition(s)
Fitness-for-Purpose
A demonstration that an existing structure has adequate strength to resist the imposed assessment loads. Source: API RP 2SIM, Structural Integrity Management of Fixed Offshore Structures, First Edition, November 2014. Global StandardsFitness-for-Purpose
Meeting the intent of an International Standard although not meeting specific provisions of that International Standard in local areas, such that failure in these areas will not cause unacceptable risk to life-safety or the environment. [ISO 19900:2002]. Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global StandardsDiving Submersible
Definition(s)
Diving Submersible
“Diving submersible” means a self-propelled submarine that has at least- one one-atmosphere compartment from which the diving submersible is piloted and from which a dive can be supervised, and
- one compression chamber from which a dive can be conducted (sous-marin crache-plongeurs).