Operation and Maintenance of Offshore Cranes

API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 2D SEVENTH EDITION, DECEMBER 2014

ERRATA, AUGUST 2015

ADDENDUM 1, OCTOBER 2020

Special Notes

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Copyright © 2014 American Petroleum Institute

Foreword

The verbal forms used to express the provisions in this standard are as follows:

• the term “shall” denotes a minimum requirement in order to conform to the standard;

  
  

• the term “should” denotes a recommendation or that which is advised but not required in order to conform to the standard;

  
  

• the term “may” is used to express permission or a provision that is optional;

  
  

• the term “can” is used to express possibility or capability.

  
  

  Nothing contained in any API publication is to be construed as granting any right, by implication or otherwise, for the manufacture, sale, or use of any method, apparatus, or product covered by letters patent. Neither should anything contained in the publication be construed as insuring anyone against liability for infringement of letters patent.

  
  

  This document was produced under API standardization procedures that ensure appropriate notification and participation in the developmental process and is designated as an API standard. Questions concerning the interpretation of the content of this publication or comments and questions concerning the procedures under which this publication was developed should be directed in writing to the Director of Standards, American Petroleum Institute, 200 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20001. Requests for permission to reproduce or translate all or any part of the material published herein should also be addressed to the director.

  
  

  Generally, API standards are reviewed and revised, reaffirmed, or withdrawn at least every five years. A one-time extension of up to two years may be added to this review cycle. Status of the publication can be ascertained from the API Standards Department, telephone (202) 682-8000. A catalog of API publications and materials is published annually by API, 200 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20001.

  
  

  Suggested revisions are invited and should be submitted to the Standards Department, API, 200 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20001, standards@api.org.

  
  

  iii

  
  

  Contents

  
  

  Page

  1. Scope 1

  2. Normative References 1

  3. Terms, Definitions, and Abbreviations 2

     1. Terms and Definitions 2

     2. Abbreviations 9

  4. Operation 9

     1. Crane Operator and Rigger Qualifications and Operating Practices 9

     2. Handling the Load 12

     3. Signals 13

     4. Personnel Transfer 13

     5. Refueling 14

     6. Fire Extinguishers 14

     7. Load Test 14

     8. Pull Test 18

  5. Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance 18

     1. Usage and Inspection 18

     2. Inspection and Load Test Records 20

     3. Maintenance 21

     4. Lubrication 22

     5. Crane Rerating 22

     6. Crane Derating 22

  6. Wire Rope and Sling Inspection, Maintenance, and Replacement 23

     1. General 23

     2. Wire Rope 23

     3. Slings 25

  7. Lift Planning 26

     1. General 26

     2. Roles and Responsibilities 27

     3. Planning the Lift. 28

     4. Lift Categorization 30

     5. Risk Assessment 30

     6. Personnel Transfer 31

     7. Personnel Qualifications 31

     8. Documentation of a Lift Plan 31

     9. Approval of Lift Plans 32

     10. Changes to lift Plans 32

     11. Summary Questions for a Safe Lift 32

  8. Personnel Training Qualifications 32

     1. Qualified Rigger 32

     2. Qualified Crane Operator 33

     3. Qualified Crane Inspector 33

        Contents

        Page

  9. Temporary Crane Installation 33

     1. Planning the Installation 33

     2. Installing the Temporary Cranes 34

     3. Testing and Inspecting the Installation 34

     4. Usage 34

     5. Crane Design 35

     6. Crane Equipment 36

     7. Load Test Requirements 36

     8. Preventative Maintenance 36

     9. Work History 37

     10. Rental Checklist 37

     11. Tie-down Weld Design 38

     12. Torque Procedure 38

     13. Weld Procedure 38

     14. Load Test 38

     15. Load Test Procedure 38

     16. Inspection of Temporary Cranes after Installation 39

  Annex A (informative) Crane Operation 40

  Annex B (informative) Usage, Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance 42

  Annex C (informative) Crane-assisted Personnel Transfer 54

  Annex D (normative) Load Testing 60

  Annex E (informative) Crane Maintenance 64

  Annex F (normative) Wire Rope and Sling Inspection, Maintenance, and Replacement 65

  Annex G (informative) Lift Categories 79

  Annex H (informative) Loading and Unloading Offshore Support Vessels 82

  Bibliography 85

  Figures

  1. General Crane Illustrations ix

  2. Standard Hand Signals for Controlling Crane Operations 15

  3. Usage/Inspection/Inspector Qualification Matrix 21

  1. Pre-use Inspection Checklist (Example) 44

  2. Tilt Method 49

  3. Depression Measurement Method 50

  4. Rotation Method 51

  1. Capacity vs. Radius for a Typical Crane 60

  2. Example of a Typical Load Chart 61

  1. Three Basic Components of Wire Rope 65

  2. Showing Distance of One Rope Lay 66

  3. Measurement-Diameter 67

  4. Core Failures in Rotation-Resistant Wire Rope 68

     Contents

     Page

  5. Valley Breaks 68

  6. Right and Wrong Way to Measure Wire Rope Diameter 70

  7. Transferring Rope from Reel to Drum 72

  8. Method of Installing Wedge-socket Attachment 74

  9. Choker Configuration 76

  10. Rated Sling Capacity Calculation Example (Included Angle) 76

  11. Rated Sling Capacity Calculation Example (Horizontal Angle) 77

  Table

  1 Static/Onboard Test Load and Radius 17

  
  

  Introduction

  
  

  The API crane standards provide the design basis and construction, operations and maintenance, and training guidelines and requirements for pedestal-mounted cranes intended for use in offshore oil and gas applications on fixed and floating structures or vessels. They are intended to be used together, as appropriate, in order to better serve the product manufacturers and users. These include:

  
  

• Specification 2C, Offshore Pedestal-Mounted Cranes

  
  

• Recommended Practice 2D, Operation and Maintenance of Offshore Cranes

  
  

• Recommended Practice 2D-2, Training for Offshore Pedestal-Mounted Crane Riggers, Operators, and Inspectors

The requirements, procedures, and guidance provided are based on internationally recognized industry standards and global best practices, as well as the collective knowledge and experiences of those that participated in developing these standards. As such, the material in these standards represent the contribution from industry representatives of crane users, crane manufacturers, wire rope manufacturers, and ancillary crane device or component manufacturers. Conformance to the intent of the practices herein is intended to result in cranes that operate safely and efficiently between inspection periods and in accordance with a company's safety and environmental management system (see API 75).

It should be understood that the crane operating and maintenance practices cover a wide range of crane types and configurations. Not all practices are applicable to all cranes. When applying this standard, care should be taken to review each item as stated and use those items specifically applicable to the crane’s type, usage, and duty-cycle. It may be necessary to modify a procedure due to a particular crane requirement. This modification would be wholly acceptable as long as the original intent of the practice or procedure is met.

See Figure 1 below for general illustrations of the various types of cranes.

Figure 1—General Crane Illustrations

Operation and Maintenance of Offshore Cranes

1. Scope

   
   

   1. This standard establishes general principles for the safe operation and maintenance of offshore pedestal-mounted revolving cranes on fixed or floating offshore platforms, offshore support vessels, jackup drilling rigs, semi-submersible drilling rigs and other types of mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs), as a companion to API 2C and API 2D-2. This standard also provides requirements and recommendations for lift planning, pre-use inspection, and testing of temporary cranes that are erected offshore.

      
      

   2. Typical applications can include:

      
      

      1. Offshore oil exploration and production applications: These cranes are typically mounted on a fixed (bottom-supported) structure, floating platform structure, or vessel used in drilling and production operations.

         
         

      2. Shipboard applications: These lifting devices are mounted on surface-type vessels and are used to move cargo, containers, and other materials while the crane is within a harbor or sheltered area.

         
         

      3. Crane vessel applications: These cranes are typically mounted on ship-shaped vessels, semi- submersibles, barges, or self-elevating-type marine vessels specialized in lifting heavy and/or unique loads for construction, pipe lay, renewable energy, salvage, and subsea applications in both harbor and offshore waters.

      
      

   3. Equipment (e.g. davits, launch frames) used only for launching life-saving appliances (life boats or life rafts) are not included in the scope of this standard.

      
      

   4. Lifting devices not covered by this standard would be operated, inspected, and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

      
      

2. Normative References

The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

API Recommended Practice 2A-WSD, Planning, Designing, and Constructing Fixed Offshore Platforms— Working Stress Design

API Specification 2C, Offshore Pedestal-mounted Cranes

API Specification 2C, Offshore Pedestal-mounted Cranes, 3rd Edition

API Recommended Practice 2D-2, Training for Offshore Pedestal-mounted Crane Riggers, Operators, and Inspectors

API Specification 9A, Specification for Wire Rope

API Recommended Practice 9B, Application, Care and Use of Wire Rope for Oil Field Service

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