Offshore staff
CORNWALL, UK –Working in Waimea field offshore Brazil in the Campos basin, Large Diameter Drilling Ltd. has completed its first offshore pile installation using its StabFrame.
Large Diameter Drilling and MENCK GmbH jointly developed the StabFrame to stabilize piles for underwater driving.
The operation was associated with a contract to MENCK by Wellstream International Ltd. The contract required MENCK to drive 10 84-inch mooring piles in water depths of up to 140 m (450 ft) using an MHU 500T hydraulic hammer. The piles were for an FPSO mooring system on the OGX Petroleo e Gas development in Waimea field.
Steered via a work-class ROV, the StabFrame stabilizes a vertical pile in varying soil conditions. The StabFrame's hydraulic release mechanism allows the pile to be driven further into the seabed, if required, before opening the frame. In this way, the StabFrame can adjust to unpredictable seabed conditions.
Despite strong currents, estimated at times to be more than 3.5 knots, the project finished without incident or injury, and ahead of schedule.
2/1/2012
StabFrame awaiting transport.
