This recommended practice is based on global industry best practices and serves as a guide for those who are concerned with the design and construction of new fixed offshore platforms and for the relocation of existing platforms used for the drilling, development, production, and storage of hydrocarbons in offshore areas. NOTE 1 Specific guidance for hurricane conditions in the Gulf of Mexico and other U.S. offshore areas, previously provided in API 2A-WSD, 21st Edition, Section 2, is now provided in API 2MET. NOTE 2 Specific guidance for earthquake loading in U.S. offshore areas, previously provided in the API 2A-WSD, 21st Edition, Section 2, is now provided in API 2EQ. NOTE 3 Specific guidance for soil and foundation considerations in offshore areas, previously provided in API 2A-WSD, 21st Edition, Section 6, is now provided in API 2GEO. NOTE 4 Specific guidance for the evaluation of structural damage, above and below water structural inspection, fitness-for-purpose assessment, risk reduction and mitigation planning, plus the process of decommissioning has been removed and is now provided in API 2SIM. NOTE 5 Specific guidance for fire and blast loading, previously provided in the 2A-WSD, 21st Edition, Section 18, is now provided in API 2FB [3]. NOTE 6 Specific guidance for marine operations, supplementing the guidance provided in this document, is now provided in API 2MOP [6]. The provisions in API 2A-WSD shall govern if there are any conflicts.