Assessing Extreme Environmental Loads on Offshore Structures in the North Sea from High-Resolution Ocean Currents, Waves and Wind Forecasting

The fast development of the offshore energy industry becomes an essential component resilient economies in most countries around North Sea, addressing increasing demand for cost-efficient and environmentally safe sources. Offshore wind farms are planned to be installed further away from coasts ensure stronger more stable resources this region. Oil gas extraction infrastructures also move into deeper areas continental shelf slopes explore new fields. These ocean characterised by harsh environmental conditions: winds, larger waves strong slope currents, inducing considerably loads on structures. This study brings together operational physical oceanography mathematics fluid-structure interactions estimate likelihood extreme structures Sea. We use state-of-the-art Met Office high resolution forecasting system, which provides high-frequency data tidal wave heights periods winds at a ~7 km horizontal grid, spanning North–West European Shelf. Morison equation framework is used calculate various types that typically employed industries hourly 2-year period analyse spatio-temporal variability mean hydrodynamic derive relative contributions results indicate dominate forces shallow shelf, whereas current contribution important break English Channel.