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Ice and Ocean Engineering

Making the possible practical

Overview

Since 1975 C-CORE has provided research-based advisory services and technology solutions to help clients mitigate operational risk in ice/iceberg-prone waters world-wide. With a special focus on understanding and managing ice risk, protecting vessels and infrastructure, and advancing design for frontier regions, C‐CORE leads the world in ice and ocean engineering.

We add value to design and operations in ice by combining our ice engineering expertise with our sea ice and iceberg remote sensing services, and our ice–structure and ice–soil geotechnical analyses.

Key areas of application:

Expertise

Founded to address the challenges of Canada’s offshore frontiers, C-CORE’s chief research interest has been and remains, ice: we work to understand the material properties, behavior and prevalence of sea ice and icebergs, and develop techniques to mitigate risk through protective design and physical management.

With private and public sector project experience in all ice-prone regions around the globe, C‑CORE’s ice expertise is concentrated in four key areas. We provide products, services and tools to support appropriate design for and safe operations in ice-prone environments.

C-CORE offers a 5-day course focused on the Arctic offshore and pipeline engineering.  The course provides in-depth instruction in ice environment characterization, ice mechanics, pipeline design, permafrost, ships in ice, and Arctic offshore structures.  Special attention is given to the ISO 19906 code requirements and recommended methods.

Current and Historical Ice Environment Characterization

Accurate characterization of ice regimes in frontier regions to support vessel/infrastructure design and limit operational risk.

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Ice Risk Assessment and Mitigation

Probability-based ice risk for assessment for sea ice/iceberg contact with vessels and offshore/seabed infrastructure, which effectively advances designs to mitigate risk.

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Ice Loading

Tools for estimating iceberg and sea ice loads on vessels and offshore/seabed infrastructure, to assist in the selection of design loads for concept evaluation and for feasibility and scoping studies.

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Ice Management Planning, Tools & Systems

Quantifying and improving ice management capabilities for safe, efficient operations in sea ice/iceberg-prone environments.

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Offshore Newfoundland & Labrador Metocean Study

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C-CORE’s comprehensive study of metocean conditions offshore Newfoundland & Labrador (bathymetry, winds, waves, currents, fog, vessel icing, sea surface temperature, pack ice, icebergs and ice islands) and the influence of environmental changes on such conditions is available as part of the Nalcor Exploration Strategy System (NESS).

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Rapid Iceberg Profiling

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In June 2017 C-CORE conducted an extensive iceberg data collection program in Bonavista Bay, NL, proving its Rapid Iceberg Profiling technology. In two days the research team profiled 13 icebergs of varying sizes. At about 2000 tonnes, the largest surveyed was almost 300 metres across, 40 metres high and 70 metres deep.

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Pipeline Ice Risk Assessment and Mitigation (PIRAM)

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Without an environmentally appropriate transportation solution, resources remain stranded. The advancement of safe, cost-effective, and reliable pipeline infrastructure is another essential for field developments in ice environments. Pipeline Ice Risk Assessment and Mitigation (PIRAM) was a Joint Industry Program (JIP) led by C-CORE from 2007 to 2009. 

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