SHIPS AND THEIR EQUIPMENT

OFFSHORE SUPPORT VESSELS

JAN BABICZ

BAOBAB NAVAL CONSULTANCYwww.betterships.com

GDAŃSK 2013

Photo courtesy STX/H.Volderhaug

Jan Babicz ▪ e-mail: baobab@post.pl ▪ All rights reserved

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COnTEnTS:

0. InTRODUCTIOn .......................................................................................................................70.0 General ........................................................................................................................................70.1 Code of Safety for Special Purpose Ships (2008) .....................................................................10

1. SEISMIC SHIPS ......................................................................................................................111.0 General ......................................................................................................................................111.1 Seismic Ship GEO CELTIC .......................................................................................................141.2 X-Bow Seismic Research Vessel OCEANIC VEGA ..................................................................19

2. OFFSHORE STRUCTURES ...................................................................................................212.1 Mobile Offshore Drilling Units ....................................................................................................212.1.1 Drillship GLOMAR C.R. LUIGS .................................................................................................242.1.2 Ultra-deepwater Drillship DISCOVERER CLEAR LEADER ......................................................252.2 Offshore Production and Storage Installations ..........................................................................262.3 Kvitebjørn Gas and Condensate Field.......................................................................................30

3. PLATFORM SUPPLY VESSELS ............................................................................................313.0 General ......................................................................................................................................313.1 Platform Supply Vessel EDDA FRAM ........................................................................................353.2 Voith-Schneider Propulsor .........................................................................................................393.3 Platform Supply Vessel VIKING ENERGY ...............................................................................403.4 Platform Supply, Rescue and Standby Vessel STRIL MERMAID .............................................423.5 Hopper and Blow-Pump Bulk Handling System from CARGOTEC...........................................43

4. AnCHOR HAnDLInG VESSELS ...........................................................................................454.0 General ......................................................................................................................................454.1 Anchor Handling Equipment ......................................................................................................484.2 Offshore Mooring Equipment .....................................................................................................554.3 AHTS Vessel OLYMPIC OCTOPUS .........................................................................................594.4 Rim Drive Thruster ..................................................................................................................604.5 AHTS Vessel BOURBON ORCA ...............................................................................................614.6 SIEM PEARL VS491 CD - the AHTS with hybrid propulsion system and SCR .........................63

5. SUBSEA SUPPORT VESSELS ............................................................................................695.0 General .....................................................................................................................................695.1 Active Heave-Compensation Technology (AHC) .......................................................................735.2 Utra-Deepwater Lifting System from MacGregor ......................................................................745.3 Remote Operated Vehicles........................................................................................................755.4 Multi-Purpose Support Vessel ATLANTIS DWELLER ...............................................................815.5 Multi-Purpose Construction Vessel NORMAND INSTALLER ...................................................865.6 Offshore Construction Vessel NORMAND SEVEN ...................................................................935.7 Offshore Construction Vessel HOS IRON HORSE ...................................................................945.8 FAR SAMSON – the Multifunctional Plough/Tug/Supply/Subsea Vessel ..................................965.8 Offshore Construction Vessel NORTH SEA GIANT .................................................................98

6. DIVInG SUPPORT VESSELS ................................................................................................996.0 General ......................................................................................................................................996.1 Diving System of ADAMS CHALLENGE .................................................................................1026.2 Specification of the Modular C300 Saturation Diving System .................................................1056.3 Dive Support Vessel SEVEN ATLANTIC .................................................................................1066.4 Glossary of Diving Terms and Abbreviations ...........................................................................108

7. PIPELAYInG VESSELS .......................................................................................................1107.1 Pipelaying methods .................................................................................................................1107.2 Pipelaying Equipment ..............................................................................................................114

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7.3 Pipelay and Construction vessel DEEP BLUE ........................................................................1167.4 Reeled Rigid Pipelaying Ship SEVEN OCEANS ....................................................................1187.5 Reeled Rigid Pipelaying Ship APACHE II ................................................................................1227.6 Flexible Pipelaying Ship SEVEN SEAS...................................................................................1247.7 Combined Crane Ship/Pipelay Barge SAPURA 3000 .............................................................1257.8 Dynamic Positioning ...............................................................................................................1267.9 Glossary of Dynamic Positioning Terms and Abbreviations ....................................................128

8. SUBSEA WELL InTERVEnTIOn VESSELS ......................................................................1318.0 General ....................................................................................................................................1318.1 Riserless Light Well Intervention (RLWI) System ....................................................................1328.2 Completion Workover Riser System ........................................................................................1338.3 Riserless Light Well Intervention Vessel ISLAND FRONTIER ................................................1348.4 Light Well Intervention Vessel WELL ENHANCER..................................................................1368.5 Subsea IMR and ROV Support Vessel EDDA FAUNA ...........................................................1378.6 Subsea Riserless Well Intervention Vessel ISLAND WELLSERVER ......................................1448.7 Subsea Service Vessel SKANDI AKER ...................................................................................145

9. EMERGEnCY RESPOnSE AnD RESCUE VESSELS ......................................................1479.0 General ....................................................................................................................................1479.1 STRIL POSEIDON - the Rapid Response/Rescue and Multipurpose Field Support Vessel ...151

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5.3 Remote Operated Vehicles

Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) is essentially an unmanned mini-submarine that can be controlled from the deck of a ship or an offshore installation via an umbilical. ROVs are used for many subsea operations. Light observation class ROVs can be used for location of ship or aviation wrecks, seabed surveys, inspections of offshore installation structures and pipelines. Heavy work class units can support drilling, well completion and subsea constructions.

ROV Support Vessel VOLSTAD SURVEYORLOA = 85.30m, LBP = 75.00m, Bmld = 18.00m, D = 9.10m, Accommodation: 62 berths

ROVs are deployed from a variety of surface vessels including drill rigs, ROV support vessels, platforms, and others. In each case, a Launch and Recovery System (LARS) is required to lift the ROV and de-ploy it over the side of the vessel or through the vessel moonpool. A protective housing for an excursion umbilical - Tether Management System (TMS) - is used where the ROV is required to perform long-distance excursions, as seen in field construction. In other applications where the ROV can be deployed in close proximity to the work site, such as drill support, it may be possible to operate without a TMS.

ROV classification According to IMCA Code of Practice for The Safe & Efficient Operation of Remotely Operated Vehicles

Class I – Observation ROVsThese vehicles are small vehicles fitted with camera/lights and sonar only. They are primarily intended for pure observation, although they may be able to handle one additional sensor (such as cathodic protec-tion (CP) equipment), as well as an additional video camera.

Photo courtesy of Freire Shipyard

Jan Babicz ▪ e-mail: baobab@post.pl ▪ All rights reserved

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External A-frame Launch and Recovery Systems1. Armoured umbilical, 2. A-frame, 3. Docking head, 4. TMS, 5. Ultra-heavy-duty ROV

(Length 3.0m, Width 1.9m, Height 2.0m, Weight in air 3500kg)

Overside Trolley Launch and Recovery System1. Trolley, 2. Cursor, 3.TMS, 4. ROV

Photos courtesy of Schilling Robotics

Photos courtesy of IHC Merwede

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Jan Babicz ▪ e-mail: baobab@post.pl ▪ All rights reserved

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6. DIVInG SUPPORT VESSELS

6.0 General

Many of the subsea activities require the presence of divers which are involved in the inspection, repair and maintenance of underwater installations. Air diving is used primarily for dives in water depths of less than 50m. As the offshore industry moves into deep waters safe diving operations require sophisticated diving systems to allow the divers to remain under deep water pressure while on board.

300m removable 12-man saturation diving system1. Diving bell, 2. Deck decompression chamber, 3. Hyperbaric rescue craft

A saturation diving system consists of a diving bell and a deck decompression chamber. The diving bell provides transportation to and from the work site. It is secured to the diving support vessel by a steel cable. An umbilical provides the occupants with breathing gas, heated water, electrical power and com-munication facilities. Deck decompression chamber is a pressure vessel for human occupancy which does not go under water and may be used as a living chamber during saturation diving, diver decompres-sion or treatment of decompression illness.

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Illustrations courtesy of CloughHelix