Offshore Systems

Offshore Systems
A number of systems designed fully or in part by marine engineers are used offshore - far away from coastlines.
Offshore oil platforms
The design of offshore oil platforms involves a number of marine engineering challenges. Platforms must be able to withstand ocean currents , wave forces, and saltwater corrosion while remaining structurally integral and fully anchored into the seabed . Additionally, drilling components must be engineered to handle these same challenges with a high factor of safety to prevent oil leaks and spills from contaminating the ocean.
Offshore wind farms
Offshore wind farms encounter many similar marine engineering challenges to oil platforms. They provide a source of renewable energy with a higher yield than wind farms on land, while encountering less resistance from the general public ( see NIMBY ). [29]
Ocean wave energy [ edit ]
Marine engineers continue to investigate the possibility of ocean wave energy as a viable source of power for distributed or grid applications. Many designs have been proposed and numerous prototypes have been built, but the problem of harnessing wave energy in a cost-effective manner remains largely unresolved.