Detailed Design of a Gravity-Based Structure for Adriatic Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal

The first ever offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal relies on a concrete gravity based structure (GBS) which has been installed successfully 15 km off the Italian coast in September 2008. The GBS made of approximately 90 000 m(3) of highly reinforced and prestressed concrete is 180 m long, 88 m wide and 47 m high. Inside it houses two 125 000 m(3) LNG storage tanks and on top it carries a 18 000 t regasification facility as well as living quarters. It is designed for numerous load conditions including extreme weather, earthquakes, tanker impact and blast. Construction and Integration took place in Southern Spain with a large number of international contributors. After commissioning the majority of systems in dock, the terminal was towed over 3000 km to the Adriatic Sea and ballasted with about 250 000 t of sand to secure its safe foundation.