CONCEPT ANALYSIS: OFFSHORE BREAKWATER-OIL STORAGE SYSTEM 



by 

 Joseph Pevaino and Tomasz Ptodowski 



I . INTRODUCTION 



1. Nature and Purpose of Study . 



This study developed from the urgency for establishment of a deep- 

 water port along the U.S. east coast, primarily to ease the physical 

 difficulties and cost of importing petroleum products in the vastly 

 increasing quantities necessary now and in the immediate future. The 

 principal purpose of the report, therefore, was to investigate the 

 feasibility of designing and constructing a deepwater port conceived 

 along the following lines. 



The basic concept of a combination breakwater-oil storage system 

 could provide an advantageous approach. In this concept, the port is 

 composed of several precast box units, constructed in deepwater facili- 

 ties close inshore, towed to the site, sunk in position, and connected 

 to afford a sheltered berthing area on the leeward side. With the inner 

 and outer compartmentation of these box units, a protected storage 

 facility is provided by the interior compartments; the exterior compart- 

 ments provide necessary protection from collision damage and accidental 

 spill. 



The size of the units, the perforated wall of the outer compartment 

 (effectively reducing the force of approaching waves on the structure) , 

 as well as their location and general arrangement will afford protection 

 and maximum possible berth availability under extreme weather conditions. 

 Storage and berthing capacity are practically limitless, depending only 

 on the number of units in the layout . 



Within this basic concept, the study consisted of (a) establishing 

 design criteria by assuming probable site conditions, (b) comparing 

 construction procedures, (c) arriving at the most suitable design concept, 

 and (d) developing that concept by a preliminary design in enough detail 

 to prepare a budget estimate. Variations can be prepared for comparison 

 of construction costs in various water depths at different localities 

 from this basic design and estimate. 



Some further economic advantages of the offshore storage location 

 which have not been developed here, but should be given careful consider- 

 ation in any final analysis are: 



(a) Drastic reduction in number of unloading operations 

 involving supertankers as compared with smaller tankers 

 presently in use. 



