Coastal Engineering

Civil Engineers are involved in the building of such offshore structures as:

  • artificial islands
  • arctic caissons
  • gravity-based structures
  • jacket platforms
  • tension-leg platforms
  • semi-submersibles
  • single-point moorings

photo courtesy of Canadian Hydraulics Centre

    

Engineers were involved in the design and construction of offshore structures used during the exploration drilling in the Beaufort Sea in Canada's arctic. Exploration activates in the Beaufort Sea were ongoing for many years from the late 1970's through to the mid 1980's. High oil and gas prices and the demand for energy resources has renewed interest in the Beaufort Sea and Mackenzie Delta.

Tarsuit Island, 1982.
This was an artificial island designed by an engineer, David Stenning. The concrete boxes made to form the walls of the island were not unlike the breakwaters used at Arromanches as a "drop-in" harbour during the Battle of Normandy, in WWII.
photo courtesy of Harry Palmer.
   

Tarsiut Island winter drill program. First generation of offshore structures used for oil exploration in the Canadian Beaufort Sea in the 1980's.

Photo courtesy Ed Grozic, EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd.

SSDC (Single Steel Drilling Caisson) constructed from a very large crude carrier and used in the Canadian Beaufort Sea for offshore exploration drilling in the 1980's.

Photo courtesy Ed Grozic, EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd.

Hibernia Offshore Oil Field

photo courtesy of Hibernia
Skiff Gas Platform
"the platform represents the epitome of rigorous engineering design. Innovative use of the wells as foundations exemplifies the degree to which traditional practice has been challenged." Judge's comments

Skiff Gas Platform, Southern North Sea: 19/10/2000 issue of the New Civil Engineer

photos scanned, with permission from NCE

    
Britannia Project
Project Management: "this was an object lesson on how to achieve success in technical, commercial and human terms." Judge's comments

Britannia Project, Central North Sea: 21/10/1999 issue of the New Civil Engineer

photos scanned, with permission from NCE
    

BACK

Home | Traditional Areas of Study | New & Emerging Areas
Online Games | Careers | International Opportunities | Civil Engg Departments | Contact Us