Overview
EN ISO 19902:2020 (ISO 19902:2020) is the international standard for fixed steel offshore structures used in the petroleum and natural gas industries. It sets out requirements and recommendations for the planning, engineering, design, fabrication, transportation, installation and, where relevant, removal of new fixed steel offshore platforms such as jackets, caissons (free‑standing and braced), monotowers and towers. The standard also applies to related bottom‑founded structures (steel gravity structures, compliant foundations), jack‑ups and ancillary structures (underwater oil storage tanks, connecting bridges).
This edition supersedes previous versions and provides a comprehensive framework for safe, durable and serviceable fixed offshore steel structures across a range of environmental and operational conditions.
Key topics and technical requirements
SIST EN ISO 19902 defines core design and engineering topics used by offshore structural engineers and project teams, including:
- Scope and types of structures - jackets, towers, caissons, monotowers and related bottom‑founded forms.
- Planning and hazard assessment - identification of site hazards, design situations and regulatory considerations.
- Metocean parameters and environmental loads - guidance on selecting waves, wind, current and ice parameters for design.
- Limit states and reliability - application of limit states design, action and resistance factors, and structural reliability analysis.
- Material properties and steel specification - requirements for steel materials used in offshore conditions.
- Structural modelling and analysis - recommended modelling approaches, global and local checks for strength and stability.
- Design for fabrication, transportation and installation - lifting, load‑out, transport and installation actions, dynamic effects and multi‑lift considerations.
- Pre‑service, in‑place and removal situations - actions and conditions to be considered during each lifecycle stage.
- Robustness, reserve strength and damage tolerance - design for accidental loads and progressive damage prevention.
- Inspection, maintenance and assessment of existing structures - planning for in‑service integrity management and reuse.
(The standard’s Table of Contents further details sections on actions, foundations, joints, fatigue, serviceability and testing.)
Practical applications - who uses this standard
SIST EN ISO 19902 is primarily used by:
- Offshore structural engineers and designers specifying fixed steel platform structures
- Project managers and EPC contractors for offshore oil & gas developments
- Fabrication yards, lift planners and marine contractors handling load‑out, transport and installation
- Regulators and certification bodies assessing compliance with offshore structural requirements
- Asset integrity teams performing assessment, maintenance and life‑extension of existing platforms
Use this standard to ensure consistent, safe designs that address environmental loading, construction and installation risks, and long‑term structural integrity.
Related standards
Keywords: fixed steel offshore structures, ISO 19902, EN ISO 19902:2020, petroleum and natural gas industries, jackets, caissons, jack‑ups, offshore platform design, metocean parameters, structural reliability.