Horizontal Pipelay System
I was part of a two man team responsible for the design and build of this 50t capacity Horizontal Lay System (HLS) for DOF Subsea. The total structural weight came to approximately 100t of steel, with overall dimension of 11 x 3.5 x 7 m (L x W x H). The system comes complete with a 100t capacity winch, a hydraulically actuated work table with a 75t safe working load, pneumatically actuated personnel access platforms. The system is approved to DnV 2.22 (a standard for offshore lifting appliances), and all this was achieved in less than 6 months!!
This system has been used on numerous cable and pipelay projects including the Banff and Kyle field and Corrib. The system was mobilised onto at least 4 different vessels, all of which I was involved in (Skandi Bergen, Rem Forza, Skandi Skolten and Normand Reach). Each mobilisation required modifications to the design, in particular the grillage attachments to the vessel structure. These were designed by myself and a colleague, each time requiring new approval from DnV. I was also responsible for designing and planning each lift of this 100t structure including collision analysis and rigging design. In addition we designed ancillary structures for pipe and wire routing including a sampson post with a 75t working load and a pipe deflect which was hydraulically actuated.
False Core
Developing and applying my project management skills I led a team of engineers designing a Lloyd’s Register approved false core for Subsea 7 (approx 1 million GBP capex). The final design reduced the part count and overall weight by over 50% relative to the preliminary design provided by the client, representing significant capital and operating cost savings. The project hinged on obtaining Lloyd’s Register approval for which I was directly responsible. Certification was achieved by building a successful working relationship with Lloyd’s Register and developing in depth knowledge of the codes and standards for offshore lifting appliances.