Offshore standards - The impact of Hurricanes Ivan/Katrina/Rita

Prior to the 2004 Hurricane Season, offshore practices and standards continued evolving incorporating new technology and experience. The disruption of the industry from damaged facilities and infrastructure was unprecedented. A critical review of the production disruption was undertaken to identify where standards may need to be adjusted to increase robustness in the future, where gaps may exist and what elements are outside traditional scope. The industry stakeholders responded with several interim guidelines coupled multi-year programs of investigation and update of standards. This paper will provide an assessment of the damage reviews, initial interim standards and the long range plans for upgrading infrastructure performance.