PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY:
Concrete Gravity Structures

Since the installation of the Ekofisk Tank by Phillips Petroleum & Partners in 1973 there have been more than 30 concrete fixed and floating structures installed around the world. Among these were the record-setting Condeeps: Gullfaks C, the heaviest object ever moved by man; the majestic Troll A, sitting on the seabed in 994 ft (303 m) of water; and the elegant Draugen. These giants were constructed using a unique process called continuous slip-forming, a process that is still in use today. The technique involves movable steel forms that are slowly slipped upwards on the structure as the concrete is setting, so pouring can be conducted continuously until the structure is completed. After they are built, usually in bays or fjords, the structures are towed out to sea and ballasted onto location, their massive concrete columns used for storage of oil and water.  

Construction can take as much as 2 to 4 years can cost more than US $1.5 Billion. While hundreds of engineers and builders of multiple nationalities have contributed to the design and construction of these giant structures, the OEC wishes to honor the early pioneers who, through their vision and determination, proved that concrete gravity-base structures could withstand the tests of time, waves and weather to become a practical solution for offshore production facilities.

Recognizing the pioneering efforts of the following individuals and companies who contributed to the development of this technology:  

Claude M. Bender, Ben C. Gerwick, Jr., Henri Marion, Jean Martin, Leonard Meade, Dominique Michel, Hubert J.L. Parat, François Sedillot, C.G. Doris Engineering, dr.techn.Olav Olsen, and ConocoPhillips.