Charles Sparks has written this definitive work on the fundamentals of riser mechanics, with the aim of increasing understanding of many aspects of riser static and dynamic behavior. This book is based on the author's 28 years of experience with riser analysis and, in particular, on his previous publications, some of which have become classics of riser literature. Basic principles are clearly established using several different complementary approaches. The primary parameters that influence riser behavior are identified, and their influence is illustrated using 17 Excel files, provided on an accompanying CD-ROM, which readers are able to use with their own data. The files are intended primarily to allow readers to confirm the validity of statements made in the text, but they can also be used to for the simplified analysis of particular riser problems. This book is a must-own, for anyone who deals with riser design and analysis or with riser technology, from the classroom student to the offshore drilling platform engineer.