Master’s in Mooring & Riser Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in mooring and riser engineering: 12 modules covering station-keeping systems, mooring line components, anchors and geotechnics, static and dynamic mooring analysis, riser types, flexible and metallic riser design, vortex-induced vibration, installation and operation, and integrity management, with an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Select suitable mooring systems for each floating unit.
Size mooring lines and anchors using code-based criteria.
Carry out coupled dynamic analyses of moorings and risers.
Design flexible and metallic risers for deep water.
Assess fatigue and vortex-induced vibration.
Plan the installation and hook-up of lines and risers.
Manage the integrity of systems in service.
Who it's for
- Mooring engineers designing station-keeping systems for floaters.
- Riser engineers working on flexible, steel catenary and hybrid risers.
- Offshore dynamics analysts running coupled time-domain simulations.
- Line installation engineers planning anchor handling and hook-up.
- Subsea integrity engineers managing moorings and risers in service.
- Floating wind engineers developing mooring solutions for new projects.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter deepwater oil and gas.
What you'll work with
- DNV-OS-E301 (position mooring)
- API RP 2SK (design and analysis of station-keeping systems for floating structures)
- API Spec 17J (unbonded flexible pipe)
- DNV-ST-F201 (dynamic risers)
- API RP 2RD (dynamic risers for floating production systems)
- DNV-OS-E302 (offshore mooring chain)
- ISO 19901-7 (station-keeping systems for floating offshore structures)
- API RP 2SM (synthetic fibre ropes for offshore mooring)
- OrcaFlex
- DNV Sesam DeepC
- Flexcom
- SHEAR7
- ANSYS AQWA
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Mooring versus dynamic positioning1.2Spread mooring configurations1.3Turret mooring and weathervaning1.4Taut, semi-taut and catenary moorings1.5Hybrid mooring and DP systems1.6Mooring of floating wind1.7Mean and slow-drift loads1.8Floater offset criteria1.9Line failure statistics1.10Case study: mooring system selection for an FPSO
2.1Chains of grades R3 to R62.2Spiral strand and six-strand steel wire ropes2.3Polyester ropes and their stiffness2.4HMPE and nylon ropes2.5Shackles, connectors and triplates2.6Buoys and clump weights2.7Fairleads and chain stoppers2.8Windlasses and chain jacks2.9Chain wear and corrosion2.10Workshop: specification of a combined chain-polyester line
3.1Drag embedment anchors and their penetration3.2Vertically loaded anchors (VLA)3.3Suction piles for mooring3.4Driven and torpedo piles3.5Anchor capacity in clay and sand3.6Embedded chain profile3.7Installation and proof tensioning3.8Shared anchors in floating wind3.9Geotechnical testing for anchors3.10Practical exercise: sizing of a suction pile
4.1Elastic catenary equation4.2Stiffness of the mooring system4.3Horizontal restoring curves4.4Pretension and its optimisation4.5Quasi-static analysis according to standards4.6Intact and damaged safety factors4.7Line pull and tension curves4.8Interaction with the seabed4.9Catenary versus taut comparison4.10Workshop: restoring curve in a spreadsheet
5.1Time-domain analysis5.2Frequency-domain analysis5.3Coupling between hull, lines and risers5.4Line dynamics and inertia effects5.5Snap loads in synthetic ropes5.6ULS, ALS and FLS limit states5.7Chain fatigue analysis5.8Out-of-plane bending (OPB) fatigue5.9Sensitivity to discretisation5.10Lab: coupled analysis in OrcaFlex
6.1Functions and types of risers6.2Vertical rigid and top-tensioned risers6.3Steel catenary risers (SCR)6.4Unbonded flexible risers6.5Hybrid risers and riser towers6.6Lazy wave and steep wave configurations6.7Touchdown zone (TDZ)6.8Riser-floater interface6.9Riser selection by water depth6.10Case study: riser selection for deep water
7.1Layered structure of a flexible pipe7.2Internal carcass and pressure sheath7.3Pressure and tensile armours7.4Design loads and API 17J criteria7.5Minimum bend radius7.6Bend stiffeners and bellmouths7.7Distributed buoyancy modules7.8Polymer ageing and the annulus7.9Flexible pipe failure modes7.10Practical exercise: design of a bend stiffener
8.1Pressure sizing according to DNV-ST-F2018.2Load combinations on the SCR8.3Wave-induced fatigue in the TDZ8.4Fatigue due to floater motions8.5Flex joints and stress joints8.6Titanium and special alloys8.7Welding and fatigue class8.8Strakes and VIV suppression8.9Riser interference8.10Workshop: strength check of an SCR
9.1Vortex shedding and the Strouhal number9.2Semi-empirical VIV models9.3Use of SHEAR7 and VIVANA9.4Vortex-induced motions (VIM)9.5Helical strakes and fairings9.6VIV fatigue damage9.7Riser interference and clashing9.8Scale model tests in a basin9.9Field VIV monitoring9.10Lab: VIV assessment of a drilling riser
10.1Installation of anchors and lines10.2Pre-installation and connection to the floater10.3Riser laying from a vessel10.4Pull-in of flexible risers10.5Emergency disconnection of turrets10.6Drilling riser and tensioners10.7Storm operability10.8Marine operations planning10.9In-service tension logging10.10Case study: hook-up procedure for a mooring line
11.1Mooring line inspection programmes11.2Tension monitoring and line loss detection11.3Flexible pipe annulus inspection11.4Chain corrosion management11.5In-service line replacement11.6Riser integrity management11.7Life extension11.8Line failure risk analysis11.9Lessons from mooring incidents11.10Practical exercise: integrity plan for a mooring system
12.1Design basis of the floater and field12.2Preliminary mooring design12.3Riser selection and configuration12.4Coupled dynamic analysis12.5Fatigue and VIV assessment12.6Installation and integrity plan12.7Technical conclusions and future work12.8Review with the thesis supervisor12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so you can combine it with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is OrcaFlex, DNV Sesam DeepC, Flexcom, SHEAR7 and ANSYS AQWA, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: coupled mooring and riser analysis, fatigue assessment of chains and risers and design of lazy wave configurations. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: DNV-OS-E301, API RP 2SK, API Spec 17J, DNV-ST-F201, API RP 2RD, DNV-OS-E302, ISO 19901-7, API RP 2SM.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with OrcaFlex, DNV Sesam DeepC, Flexcom, SHEAR7 and ANSYS AQWA, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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