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INTECSEA lands Buckskin/Moccasin FEED
Chevron has selected INTECSEA to provide engineering and long-lead procurement services for the front-end engineering and design (FEED) phase of the Buckskin/Moccasin development in the Gulf of Mexico. The award comes as an integrated WorleyParsons and INTECSEA team recently completed pre-FEED for the development.
Under the contract, INTECSEA will execute the FEED and procurement services for a subsea tieback from the Buckskin and Moccasin fields to a nearby production facility located in the outer continental shelf of the Gulf of Mexico. INTECSEA offices in Houston will execute the project, with support also coming from the company's office in Hyderabad, India.
Cougar supplies buoy supported riser control system for Balltec use
Cougar Automation has developed and commissioned a control system for Balltec to use on the first buoy supported riser (BSR) system installed on Brazil's Guara-Lula project.
Cougar Automation was commissioned by Balltec to design a dedicated control and automation system consisting of a surface-mounted primary control that powers the movement of the buoy support system via tether adjustment, using a linear chain tensioner. This was required in order to manage the tension in the risers. The system allows surface control of the subsea tensioner system via an ROV. Once over-board, the ROV facilitates establishment of the data pathway to link the surface control to the subsea control modules. The surface control is then used to effect buoy movement as required.
Operated by Petrobras in the Santos basin, the BSR system consists of four submerged buoys each weighing approximately 2,000 metric tons (2,205 tons) which lie around 300 m (984 ft) below sea level.
Deep Blue Engineering plans ROV-based cargo carrier
Deep Blue Engineering Ltd. is developing the Shuttle Sub, a cargo carrier based on the concept of a large ROV with payload capacity, deployed from a support vessel at the surface. As planned, it could be used to conduct a range of installation, heavy-lift, and deployment operations. It will have a modular payload "cartridge" system, making it capable of pipe installation, cable deployment, salvage work, and subsea intervention. Installation functions will be conducted by the Shuttle Sub with no requirement for assistance from a smaller work class ROV during most operations.
Shuttle Sub will be capable of transporting and laying up to 100 tons (90 metric tons) of pipe during each trip from the support vessel. Each pipe will be extracted from the hopper by two manipulators, which can be used to position and align the pipe, and then insert it and make up a connection. To receive a fresh container of pipe, the Shuttle Sub would return to surface. The empty pipe cargo is replaced with a loaded container for the Shuttle Sub to return to the surface and continue with installation. Shuttle Sub is fitted with multiple manipulators, so it will not be limited to installing straight pipe.
Trials are planned for the prototype sub during October 2015.
