Cathodic Protection of Mooring Chain in an Offshore Environment

Mooring chains for permanently moored structures, including floating production storage and offloading systems, have shown rapid corrosion of the chain in seawater. Cathodic protection (CP) of mooring chains is not normally provided due to the discontinuous nature of chain links and installation constraints. Corrosion allowance and pre-emptive replacements of mooring systems are the most common corrosion solutions. This study addressed CP of mooring lines with remotely operated vehicle (ROV) installable clamp anode design. It involved mechanical testing, CP modelling, and sea trials. Results indicate that the subject technology could support ROV installable CP systems and enhance the operational lifetime of the mooring lines.