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Installation of Deepwater Pipelines With Sled Assemblies Using The New J-LaySystem of the DCV BalderDick Wolbers and Rob Hovinga - Heerema Marine Contractors B.V.
Copyright 2003, Offshore Technology Conference
This paper was prepared for presentation at the 2003 Offshore Technology Conference held inHouston, Texas, U.S.A., 58 May 2003.
This paper was selected for presentation by an OTC Program Committee following review ofinformation contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper, as
presented, have not been reviewed by the Offshore Technology Conference and are subject tocorrection by the author(s). The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect anyposition of the Offshore Technology Conference or its officers. Electronic reproduction,distribution, or storage of any part of this paper for commercial purposes without the writtenconsent of the Offshore Technology Conference is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in printis restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The
abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper waspresented.
ABSTRACTThis paper describes the most important features required for
installing deepwater pipelines, pipelines with in-line sled
assemblies, PLETs, and SCRs. This includes methodologiesspecifically developed to suit the capabilities of DCV Balder.
During the last quarter of 2002, Heerema Marine Contractors
(HMC) performed an extensive Trials program proving all
pipelay methodologies and associated installation procedures
of the DCV Balder. This included the installation of 10 km
28-inch and 24-inch pipe with a Pipeline End Termination
(PLET) and an in-line sled assembly.
Subsequent to successful completion of these trials, the DCVBalder started with installation projects which included the
installation of in-line sled assemblies with weights up to 136
mT.
INTRODUCTIONIn the past ten years, major oil companies extended theirexploration activities more and more into deeper water
offshore areas, driven by portfolio considerations and the
depletion of their easily accessible reservoirs.
Heerema Marine Contractors (HMC) decided to respond to
these market trends by setting up and executing a deepwaterinvestment program to convert the Semi-Submersible Crane
Vessel (SSCV) Balder into the Deepwater Construction Vessel
(DCV) Balder.
Features of the DCV Balder specification include the 1050 mT
capacity J-lay system and a 650 mT A&R winch, which incombination with the worlds largest Mooring Line
Deployment winch provides the unique capability to lower
pipelines with loads up 1200 T. The combination of the J-lay
tower with the two main cranes of the DCV Balder allows for
handling of large structures such as PLETs and in-line sleds
complete with mudmats.
Maintaining its existing heavy lifting capacity results in the
following main benefits:
The ability to use one vessel to execute all marine
installation works for a complete Deepwater Field
Architecture including the export system, thereby
eliminating intermediate mobilizations, mode changes
interface risks, and multiple mobilization charges.
The ability to install deepwater flowlines and exporpipelines (up to 32-inch OD) with PLETs and in-line sled
assemblies of up to 150 mT in water depths exceeding
2000 meters.
The ability to install Steel Catenary Risers (SCRs) andalternative risers concepts with special care for fatigue life
considerations.
DCV Balder is presently working for the BP Southern Green
Canyon/Mississippi Canyon Deepwater development in the
Gulf of Mexico. The Scope of Work comprises of theinstallation of the complete infrastructure for four major
deepwater fields and associated deepwater export pipelines
This would not only include 330 km of export pipelines and100 km of flowlines, but also 20 in-line sled assemblies and
fifteen Steel Catenary Risers (SCRs). A typical deepwater
field layout is presented in Figure 1.
Recently completed projects include the installation of a 6.5
mile pipeline with an in-line sled assembly weighing 136 mT
This paper presents the specification and use of the DCV
Balders enhanced capabilities, and the development of therevised working practices adopted by HMC. In addition
HMCs Quality, Environment, Safety, and Health (QESH)
Management System applied on all deepwater installation
projects will be addressed.
DCV BALDER CAPABILITIES
The DCV Balder [Figure 2] was built as Semi-Submersible
Crane Vessel (SSCV) in 1978. An extensive lifetime
extension and conversion program was executed in 2001 [Ref
1, 2, and 3]. Each of the seven new thrusters in the DP system
is powered by the unique feature of having independent and
separated engine rooms for each individual thruster. Thi
means that losing one complete engine room due to fire or
flooding in a DP Class 3, only results in the loss of one
thruster. Hereby, the capability is maintained to hold positionin more than 40-knot winds in a DP Class 3 condition. The
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specific meetings and toolbox talks. In total, 33 JSAs were
implemented, safety induction meetings for all crew members
were held, and 1,994 toolbox talks took place, thus trainingapproximately 800 crew members to the procedures associated
with deepwater pipelay.
The offshore superintendents were assigned to the project as
early as the HAZID and HAZOP sessions, thus activelyparticipating in the engineering. The clients were also
participating in the sessions such as to develop a mutual
understanding.
During previous projects, a lesson learnt program was set up
by HMC on the principle that the next project has to benefit
from the lessons learnt of the previous ones. This approachhas always been very successful. For deepwater projects in
the Gulf of Mexico, HMC had to develop new installation
methods. To complement HMCs existing experience,
resources with specific deepwater pipelay and welding skills
were engaged at an early stage.
At the heart of HMCs QESH Management System, three
crucial activities take place namely:
Risk Assessment
Process Control
Workers involvement
The implementation of HMCs QESH Management System
resulted in zero (0) Lost Time Incidents for the total Trials
period and sets the target for future deepwater installationprojects executed by HMC.
BP TRIALS
GeneralThe DCV Balder was scheduled for an extensive TrialsProgram prior to start of the installation of deepwater
pipelines. Based on these requirements and conditional to
successful testing, other clients have since awarded HMC with
installation contracts for deepwater projects.
HMC and BP/HMC Trials
The HMC and BP/HMC Trials were part of a testing programthat was set up after the Balder Conversion. The key purpose
of the Trials was to demonstrate that the DCV Balder, together
with its new J-lay system, could meet the installation
requirements of the BP Program in a safe manner. In addition,
the trials served to familiarize the Balder crew with the J-lay
equipment and procedures.
The following test phases can be distinguished:
Inshore Testing & Offshore DP Trials
Offshore Testing Phase 1, Mooring Line Deployment
Winch Trials
Offshore Testing Phase 2, Pipelay Tests, Including HMC
& BP/HMC Trials.
The majority of the Offshore Testing Phase 2 Program was
held in MC Blocks: 373, 374, 375, 419, 420, and 464 in water
depths ranging between 875 m (2869 ft) and 1250 m (4100 ft)
The SoW for the BP Trial part was 10 km. A small portion othe HMC trials was executed in MC Block 644; in water
depths between 5000 and 5300 ft.
Besides familiarization and training of the offshore crew thepurpose for the HMC trials was:
Functional testing of all pipelay components and systems
Load testing all pipelay components
System integration test of all pipelay systems working
together
Testing of main installation procedures
Lloyds witnessed all tests during the HMC trials for
independent verification and certification of all pipelay
equipment including main installation procedures.
The BP/HMC trial was a mutually agreed pipelay scope and
consisted of the following [Ref. Table 2]: Installation of 10 km 28-inch and 24-inch pipeline
Initiation using a first-end PLET
Abandonment & Recovery procedure
Installation of an inline structure, Wye Sled Assembly
(WSA) [Figure 4 and 5]
Recovery of all pipe including WSA and PLET
The BP/HMC trials are visualized in attached step-by-step
sketch [Figure 8]
During both HMC and BP/HMC Trials, a 28-inch Trial Wye
Sled Assembly (WSA) was installed into the tower. During
the BP/HMC Trial, buoyancy modules were attached to instalthe WSA onto the seabed [Figure 4 and 5].
The side-step procedure, using the portside crane for lifting
the sled assembly in the tower and lowering the pipe with sled
assembly welded was successfully tested [Figure 6 and 7]. Anoverview of the activities executed during the BP trials is
presented in Figure 8.
Dynamics of Installation of in-line sled assemblies
Prior to the start of the installing in-line-sled assemblies
project, HMC has performed static and dynamic analysis to
evaluate the installation of the largest structures of whichweight and size were unprecedented in the industry. The
dynamic analyses have been compared with observations
made during the installation of the WSA during the trials
Based on the dynamic analysis and associated fatigue
analyses, a weather criterion was set. The characteristic of the
critical welds in the sled assemblye and the acceptance criteria
for these welds have been taken into account when setting the
weather limits.
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CONCLUSIONS
On both the BP Trials the use of the DCV Balder confirmedthe following significant advantages:
Installation of sled assemblies of unprecedented size and
weight were proven to be successful with the J-lay tower
of DCV Balder. The ability to install in-line sled assemblies and PLETs
allows operators to develop deepwater fields in the mostflexible way with wells that can be tied in to export lines
at any given location.
For infield flowlines the in-line line sled assemblies and
PLETs can be used to hook-up future wells to the flowlineinfrastructure such as to adopt the most economical field
development scenario.
Permit to Work system in combination with toolbox
meetings and JSAs resulted in no lost time incidents.
All pipelay equipment was successfully functional and
load tested.
Pipelay procedures and used calculation methods proved
to be adequate.
Offshore crew is familiarized with pipelay equipment.
REFERENCES
1. The Heerema Balder: From SSCV to DCV, A. Ploeg,
DOT, 2001.
2. HMC Deepwater Field Development experience;
Working With The Tools Of Today. Frank Lange, DOT,
2002.
3. Deepwater moorings installation. J.B. de Jonge. OWA,
2002.4. Installation Of The Horn Mountain Spar Using The
Enhanced DCV Balder. Dijkhuizen, Coppens, van der
Graaf OTC 15367, 2003.
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Figure 1 - Typical Deepwater Field Layout
Export pipelines
SCR
PLET
manifoldsSled assemblies
Anchor systems Infield flowlines
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TABLES
Table 1 - DCV Balder Characteristics
Type of Vessel : Deepwater Construction Vessel
Year Constructed : 1978
Year Converted : 2001
Operating Draft : 25 m
Light Weight : 48,690 mTLength Overall : 154 m
Breadth : 137 m
Table 2 BP Trials WSA Data
WSA Dimensions:
Overall Length (incl. stems): 69.9m
Maximum Width (mudmats retracted): 5.9m
Maximum Width (mudmats extended): 9.1m
Mudmat Length (incl. ext.): 16.0m
Top Stem Length (from mudmat edge): 30m
Bottom Stem Length (from mudmat extension
edge):16m
WSA Weights:
In Air Dry (incl. stems & SSLA): 89 mT
In Air Dry (excl. stems): 60 mT
Submerged Empty (excl. stems outside mudmat): 45 mT
Submerged Flooded (excl. stems outside mudmat): 51 mT
Pipeline Properties:
OD x Wt: 28 OD x 30.8mm wt
Pipeline Weights:
In Air Dry: 0.517 mT/m
Submerged Empty: 0.109 mT/m
Submerged Flooded: 0.449 mT/m
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Figure 2 Photo DCV Balder With J-Lay Tower
Figure 3 - Crates With Double Joints Being Hoisted Onboard DCV
Balder
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Figure 4 - Trials Sled Assembly (WSA) Lifted Into J-Lay
Tower
Figure 5 - WSA Lifted Into J-Lay Tower
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Figure 6 - Side Step Procedure
Figure 7 - Hang-Off Table Moving Out
tabletable
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Figure 8 - Schematics of activities executed during BP trials
Use PS crane jib to install PLET in
tower.
Install 20 hex joints, tower angle
~80.
Increase tower angle to 81 degr.
and install 4 hex-joints.
BALDER BALDER BALDER
ROV
Tower
angle 90
PLET
BALDERBALDER BALDER BALDER
ROV
Tower
angle 90
PLET
BALDER
Recover pipeline and decrease
tower angle to ideal
configuration.
Install 48 hex joints in a 3-day
production. One day FJC in
production.
Install A&R equipment and
lower pipeline to seabed. A&R
hook stays connected.
Increase tower angle to 82.5
degr. and install 4 hex joints.
Decrease tower angle back to 80
degr.
BALDER BALDERBALDER
BALDER
A&R head
A&R
hook
A&R
BALDER BALDERBALDER
BALDER
A&R head
A&R
hook
A&R
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Bring WSA into tower using PS
crane jib.
Install WSA in tower and
prepare for buoy installation.Install 21 hex joints (28").
Install OD transition joint, lower
pipeline to seabed and adjust
tower for diameter change.
BALDER BALDER
BALDER
BALDER
WSA
Buoy
Reducer
piece
BALDER BALDER
BALDER
BALDER
WSA
Buoy
Reducer
piece
Use Balder to recover the DMA.Recover complete trial pipeline
Recover pipeline and install 17
(1.106" wt) hex joints and 4
(1.125" wt) hex joints.
Test gravity hook and chain of
recovery hold back rigging.
BALDER
28" pipe
BALDEBALDER
28" pipe
24" pipe
Normand
Ivan
BALDER
28" pipe
BALDEBALDER
28" pipe
24" pipe
Normand
Ivan
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Figure 10 - Photo of sled assembly in fabrication
Yard
Figure 11 - Photo Load-out of large in-line sled
assembly
Figure 9 - Schematic View Of large in-line sled
assembly
