Independent Structural Assurance for Novel Floating Energy Support Structure

Sector: Floating Offshore Wind / Marine Energy
Project Stage: Concept → FEED Readiness
Client Type: UK Offshore Energy Developer (Confidential)

Client Challenge

The client was developing a novel floating support structure with non-standard load paths and hybrid steel configurations. Prior to FEED, investors and technical advisors raised concerns around:

• Unproven structural load distribution

• Fatigue hotspots at secondary steel interfaces

• Over-conservatism masking real risks

The developer required independent structural assurance to validate the concept without triggering a full EPC-led redesign.

Equitus Role

Equitus was appointed as an independent technical authority, providing:

• Non-linear FEA of primary and secondary steel

• Load-case rationalisation aligned to offshore design standards

• Identification of fatigue-critical interfaces typically deferred to FEED

• Independent challenge to design assumptions supplied by concept designers

Key Outcomes

• Confirmed structural viability of the concept without major redesign

• Identified and mitigated two fatigue-critical details early

• Reduced anticipated FEED contingency uplift

• Produced investor-ready technical assurance outputs