Prediction of Breakout Forces for Seabed Drills

This study presents a unique dataset of full-scale breakout events observed during the retrieval of Benthic’s seabed drill, the Portable Remotely Operated Drill (PROD), from very soft clay sediments in offshore environments. Breakout forces were analyzed in relation to operational parameters and in-situ soil conditions, which were thoroughly characterized through detailed geotechnical investigations at each site. Breakout from soft, clayey seafloors remains a common yet complex challenge in offshore operations, often leading to increased risk and operational costs. Despite its significance, most existing research is limited to small-scale laboratory experiments using model soils and decimeter-scale objects. In this study, the predictive capabilities of three established breakout models proposed by Muga (1968), Finn and Byrne (1972), Rapoport and Young (1983), and Das (1991) are evaluated against field measurements to assess their applicability for offshore lifting and extraction planning.