Post on 03-Aug-2020
Capacity enhancement for deep water operations
ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS AND CAPABILITIES
THE CHALLENGE
Operations are taking place in much deeper waters and in more diverse locations,
and when umbilicals or cables are deployed in deeper water, the holdback tensions
generated are much greater than in more shallow sites.
Technip Norge AS contacted us to see if we had a tensioner for hire with 85Te outboard
tension capabilities. Our response was to explore an innovative approach and so
Aquatic’s in-house specialist engineering team quickly identified that it would be
possible to design a solution that combined two 50 tonne tensioners.
THE SOLUTION
Aquatic built a 50te tensioner (AQTT-10E-50 DUAL) that can be used individually or
paired with another 50te tensioner to achieve almost double the capacity of a single
tensioner. The dual tensioner system has a special manifold which was developed to
allow two machines to work in tandem. It operates from a single power pack which
provides hydraulic power into the tensioners equally through this manifold, taking
multiple inlets or outlets into one. The manifold diverts the hydraulic fluid into two equal
streams so that both tensioners operate at the same flow rate and pressure., ensuring
a fully balanced operation.
www.aquaticsubsea.com
THE OUTCOME
Working closely with Technip to fully understand their needs, Aquatic was able to
develop an innovative piece of equipment in response to a commercial need. The
client was involved with the testing, both at Aquatic’s operational facility in Peterhead
and on its own vessel in France.
As with all Aquatic’s equipment fleet, the modular nature of the AQTT-10E-50 DUAL’s
design enables it to be broken down very simply into component pieces and packed
inside a standard container for transportation by road and/or sea.
info@aquaticsubsea.com
The Americas | Europe, Middle East & Africa | Asia Pacific
AQUATIC
Aquatic, an Acteon company, continues to develop a strong global reputation for its
ability to lay flexible and semi-rigid product on the seabed.
With wide experience of off- and onshore installations, transpooling and recovery and
decommissioning, Aquatic develops and leverages innovative technology to extend its
capabilities to match clients’ expectations. Its highly experienced and qualified project
management team ensures smooth delivery and client peace of mind.
TECHNIP
Technip is a world leader in project management, engineering and construction for the
energy industry. From the deepest Subsea oil & gas developments to the largest and
most complex Offshore and Onshore infrastructures, our 32,000 people are constantly
offering the best solutions and most innovative technologies to meet the world’s energy
challenges. Present in 48 countries, Technip has state-of-the-art industrial assets on
all continents and operates a fleet of specialized vessels for pipeline installation and
subsea construction
Subsea installation services in the South China Sea
INVENTORY AND SKILLED RESOURCE IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION
THE OPPORTUNITY
Aquatic Asia Pacific Pte Ltd successfully tendered to provide services for installation
contractor China Offshore Oil Engineering Co. Ltd, the company’s first Contract with
COOEC. The project took place in the Lufeng and Panyu oilfields, South China Sea for
a period of two months, completing in August 2012. The equipment hired from Aquatic
was the AQPR-02C-290Te reel hub drive system and the AQTT-10B-40Te four-track
tensioner system. Aquatic Asia Pacific has its own fleet of equipment mobilising out
of Loyang yard, Singapore making it cost effective and timely for clients in the Asia
Pacific region.
THE PROJECT
The project was a typical offshore flowline of 300mm O/D and 447mm O/D and riser
installation; Aquatic supplied offshore personnel as well as the equipment for deploying
the flexible riser on board the Nanhai Sheng Kai floating, storage and offloading unit
(FSOU). This FSOU has been in service since 1992, well beyond its planned 12-year
life-span and the field’s operator, China National Offshore Oil Corporation Ltd (CNOOC) is
extending the FSOU’s operational life by another 15 years by upgrading and relocating
its mooring system to the Lufeng oilfield.
www.aquaticsubsea.com
UNRIVALLED EXPERIENCE
Aquatic is globally renowned for laying and retrieving flexible and semi-rigid products on
the seabed and has proven ability in shallow and deep water, and extensive experience
of off- and onshore installations, transpooling, recovery and decommissioning. From
its custom-built workshop and yard facility, clients are offered a complete storage,
inspection and management service for spare pipeline and umbilical products and reels
while Aquatic’s own extensive range of equipment includes powered-reel drive systems,
tensioners and storage reels. This kit is modular in design, making it highly flexible,
able to be dismantled and easily transported by road or sea in standard containers to
anywhere in the world; for clients this means faster, more cost-effective mobilisation
and demobilisation, an essential component of success for any commercial project.
THE PROJECT (CONTINUED)
The subsea installation phase of the project finished ahead of schedule due to the
reliability of Aquatic’s equipment and the expertise of Aquatic’s personnel. Also
involved in this project with Aquatic were Acteon sister-companies InterMoor, who
provided all mooring related activities, Offshore Installation Services, who provided
vessel management support and offshore personnel; and 2H Offshore who provided
riser installation engineering. The overall project also finished ahead of schedule due
to the experience of the teams involved.
THE OUTCOME
The negotiations that took place prior to the project, combined with the positive
feedback Aquatic received following its completion, demonstrates that Aquatic has
begun a new and positive relationship with a key Chinese customer.
This project is seen as a further re-inforcement of the strategic aspirations Aquatic
has for the Asia Pacific region, as the global development and growth of the business
moves apace.
info@aquaticsubsea.com
The Americas | Europe, Middle East & Africa | Asia Pacific
Umbilical engineering and installation
PROVIDING TAILORED SOLUTIONS BASED ON THE UNIQUE REQUIREMENT OF OUR CLIENTS
THE CHALLENGE
Aquatic had bid on providing a tensioner and powered reel drive system for an
umbilical installation off the north-west coast of Angola. There was a question raised
by Aquatic, just prior to mobilisation, over the original customer lay analysis. Did
the precise coefficient friction for the flexible product being used for equipment to
support the umbilical installation actually match the detailed report from the umbilical
manufacturer? Discovering last minute information is a common issue that can arise
when there is a considerable time period between requests for tender, bid and project
execution.
THE SOLUTION
Aquatic arranged for a sample 10m of the umbilical product to be sent to its specialist
operations facility at Peterhead, UK and tested it on the specified two-track tensioner.
It looked as if the flexible product, being fragile in nature and yet heavy in payload,
would deform on this equipment. The pull tests also imitated the ocean conditions
of the South Atlantic. By refining the lay analysis, a four-track tensioner was swiftly
requisitioned from a forth-coming project, which then replaced the originally preferred
two-track tensioner.
www.aquaticsubsea.com
UNRIVALLED EXPERIENCE
Aquatic is globally renowned for laying and retrieving flexible and semi-rigid products on
the seabed and has proven ability in shallow and deep water, and extensive experience
of off- and onshore installations, transpooling, recovery and decommissioning. From
its custom-built workshop and yard facility, clients are offered a complete storage,
inspection and management service for spare pipeline and umbilical products and reels
while Aquatic’s own extensive range of equipment includes powered-reel drive systems,
tensioners and storage reels. This kit is modular in design, making it highly flexible,
able to be dismantled and easily transported by road or sea in standard containers to
anywhere in the world; for clients this means faster, more cost-effective mobilisation
and demobilisation, an essential component of success for any commercial project.
THE OUTCOME
Aquatic’s attention to detail and experience in project management meant that this
key issue which could have resulted in additional delay and therefore cost to the
client, was detected prior to mobilisation. The correct equipment was sent to offshore
Angola and then returned to Peterhead to be serviced, before being sent out for its
next planned booking.
Aquatic’s diligence and logistical ability enabled two clients to receive the same piece
of kit, without compromising either project.
The team successfully avoided project delays on the umbilical installation, that would
otherwise have gone awry.
info@aquaticsubsea.com
The Americas | Europe, Middle East & Africa | Asia Pacific