Geotechnical aspects of iceberg scours on ocean floors

Abstract

Results of exploratory oil drilling on Canada's eastern offshore are highly encouraging. However, the seasonal presence of icebergs in this area poses a threat to the production platforms as well as the pipelines likely to convey oil and gas. This paper describes a simple analysis for iceberg grounding and scouring of ocean floors. Theoretical and laboratory results are presented and compared with the limited field data available at present.