Dynamic Installer Dive Vessel

Offshore Construction encompasses a wide range of activities of which marine is an integral part. IGOPL has in house-expertise in management of DP DSVs (Dynamic Positioning Diving Support Vessel) MSVs (Multiple Support Vessels), offshore work barges and other vessels. A heavy lift vessel (HLV) is a vessel with a specific crane that has a large lifting capacity of up to thousands of tonnes. Large and heavy subsea structures such as templates may require HLVs to perform lifting. The lifting capacities of most HLVs range between 500 and 1000 ton (454 to 907 metric ton), whereas crane capacity on normal.

The Saipem 7000 is the world's third largest semi-submersiblecrane vessel, after the SSCV Sleipnir and the SSCV Thialf. It is owned by the oil and gas industry contractor Saipem S.p.A.

Construction[edit]

The vessel was designed by Gusto Engineering during 1984.

The vessel was built between 1985 and 1987 by Fincantieri-Cantieri Navali Italiana S.p.A. at their Monfalcone yard, Trieste in north-eastern Italy. The vessel was built in two halves in a long dry dock. The halves were then floated out from the dry dock and mated. During the mating operation the halves were supported by temporary pontoons.

The hull mating was complete in early 1987 and the two cranes built by Officine Meccaniche Reggiane under subcontract to American Hoist & Derrick Company (Amhoist) were installed in sections by the Saipem crane vessel Castoro Otto in April of that year. The sea trials, which took two months, started in September, and on 15 December the vessel was handed over to Micoperi.

The cost of the vessel was not released by Micoperi but it was estimated in the technical press as being up to US$400 million.

Description[edit]

Concept[edit]

The Saipem 7000, originally named the Micoperi 7000, was conceived in the mid-1980s by its original owners Micoperi as a multipurpose offshore oil platform installation vessel that would be able to install very large oil production platform decks (known as integrated decks) as well as the decks' supporting structures (known as jackets) using its two very large fully revolving cranes. It would also be able to support the offshore completion of the platform by providing hotel and workshop facilities for large construction crews. Saturation diving facilities would support subsea connection work. The vessel's size and semi-submersible form would allow it to operate in worse weather conditions than smaller and conventionally shaped vessels.

The huge cost of a vessel of this size would be offset by the cost and time savings made by the oil company as the large integrated decks could be completed, tested and commissioned onshore. Prior to the introduction of the large crane vessels, offshore oil platforms were made up of 1000 - 2000 tonne modules which were lifted into place individually by smaller SSCVs or monohull crane vessels and then connected together offshore, tested and then commissioned; this often took over a year. Other savings in the installation of the jackets could also be made.

Original specification[edit]

Heavy lift[edit]

The Saipem 7000 has two NOV Lifting and HandlingAmClyde model Saipem 7000 fully revolving cranes. Each has a 140-metre-long boom fitted with 4 hooks. Each crane is capable of lifting up to 7,000 tonnes at 40 m lift radius using the main hook. The auxiliary hook capacities are 1st Auxiliary 2,500 tonnes at 75 m radius and 2nd Auxiliary 900 tonnes at 115 m. The whip hook has a capacity of 120 tonnes at 150 m. The 2nd Auxiliary hook can be deployed to a water depth of 450 m. The two cranes are capable of a tandem lift of 14,000 tonnes.

Each crane was fitted with 15,600 hp (11,630 kW) engines to power the boom and load hoists, 9 tugger lines and the crane slewing system. The cranes use 48 miles (77 km) of wire rope of various diameters.

Ballast system[edit]

The Saipem 7000 was fitted with two ballast systems: a conventional pumped system which could transfer up to 24,000 tonnes of water per hour using 4 pumps and a free flooding system. The free flooding system used 2 m diameter valves to open certain compartments to the sea thus trimming or heeling the vessel. This allows the vessel to lift cargoes from barges much faster than if just the crane hoists are used.

Power system[edit]

The vessel's main power is provided by eight 12-cylinder 8400 hpdiesel engines built by Grandi Motori Trieste, a former Fincantieri company. Later Grandi Motori was purchased by the Finnish Wärtsilä. They provide up to 47,000 kW of electric power at 10,000 V 60 Hz for propulsion and positioning. Auxiliary power is provided by two 6-cylinder 4,200 hp (3,130 kW) GMT diesel engines. There is also an emergency generator.

Total power that can be supplied is 57,000 kilowatts (76,000 hp).

Mooring system[edit]

The vessel was supplied with 16 anchor lines, 4 at each corner. Each line consists of 3350 m of 96 mm wire rope, 50 m of 92 mm chain and a 40-tonne Norshore Mark 3 anchor. Each line has its own 1,350 kilowatts (1,810 hp) single drum winch. The mooring system can be used in water depths of up to 450 m.

The Saipem 7000 is also equipped with two anchor windlasses equipped with 550m of 130mm chain and 35 tonne anchor.

Thrusters[edit]

The vessel was fitted with 12 thrusters—6 on each hull. They are, per hull:

• 1 No. 2,500 kilowatts (3,400 hp) bow thrusters in athwartship tunnels
• 2 No. 3,500 kilowatts (4,700 hp) azimuthing retractable thrusters under the hull
• 2 No. 4,500 kilowatts (6,000 hp) azimuthing thrusters at the stern—these are used when transiting
• 1 No. 5,500 kilowatts (7,400 hp) azimuthing retractable thrusters under the hull (added during 1999 refit)

Dynamic positioning system[edit]

The vessel is equipped with a dynamic positioning system which uses either the thrusters or the mooring system or a combination of both, controlled by a number of computers, to hold the vessel in a predefined location.

Platform installation equipment[edit]

• Two Menck MHU 3000 hydraulic hammers capable of 3000 kJ impact energy.
• Two Menck MHU 1700 hydraulic hammers.
• Two Menck MHU 1000 hydraulic hammers.
• Two Menck MHU 600 hydraulic hammers.
• One Menck MHU 220 hydraulic hammer.
• One Menck MHU 195 hydraulic hammer.
• Two underwater power packs.
• One hydraulic hammer compensator.
• Various Menck steam hammers and their associated boilers
• Sixteen 35 cm diameter 60 m long cable laid slings
• A containerized 14-man saturation diving system which can be moved to any of the vessel's three moon pools
• Two leveling systems, range 66' - 72' diameter; 900 tonne capacity each.
• Two external levelling systems; 1000 tonnes each.
• Abandonment/Recovery system with double capstan winch, 2000 tonne capacity each.

Handling deck equipment[edit]

• One Kobelco Crawler Crane 70 tonnes capacity
• One Hydraulic Tyred Crane 35 tonnes capacity
• Two Fork Lifts 5 tonnes capacity each

Accommodation[edit]

The accommodation designed for 800 people contains 30 triple cabins, 335 double cabins, 35 singles and 5 suites. The accommodation also contains a large galley and mess rooms, a hospital, cinema and lounges.

1999 vessel re-fit[edit]

During the winter of 1999/2000 the Saipem 7000 underwent a refit to enhance its positioning and power systems and add a J-lay system.

The power system was upgraded to provide up to 70,000 kW using 12 dieselgenerators. To improve the vessel's resilience the generators are distributed between four separate engine rooms.

Two 5,500 kW retractable azimuthing thrusters were added, one below the forward part of each hull. The DP system control computers were also replaced.

The hull, deck and deck structures were modified to accept the Gusto designed J-lay tower and its support equipment. The J-lay tower can lay pipe from 4' to 32' diameter with a tension of up to 525 tonnes (5.15 MN) using the tensioners and up to 2,000 tonnes (20 MN) when using friction clamps. The deck can used to store up to 10,000 tonnes of pipe.

To allow space for the increased equipment some items from the original specification were removed, including 2 anchor winches from the bow, all the moon pools, and the boilers used to provide steam for the steam hammers.

Operations[edit]

Early projects[edit]

The vessel's first work was for Petrobras the Brazilian state oil company. The project consisted of the installation of 7 platforms in the Campos Basin. During this project the Micoperi 7000 was also involved in the fighting of a well fire on the Enchova Platform. The Micoperi 7000 then proceeded to the Gulf of Mexico where it installed the Jolliet Template for Conoco. In 1989 the Micoperi 7000 arrived in the North Sea for the first time where it completed several projects in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. These were the Gyda Platform for BP, the Togi Template for Norsk Hydro and the Veslefrikk platform for Statoil. In 1990 and 1991, the Micoperi was used in the construction and assembly of the Mossgas FA platform off the south coast of South Africa near a town called Mossel Bay.

Whilst the vessel remained busy, Micoperi were struggling financially as the low oil price prevalent in the late 1980s curtailed oil company investment. In 1991 Micoperi were forced to sell a number of their major assets including the Micoperi 7000 to another Italian contractor Saipem. Saipem took over the running of the vessel though they retained the vessel crew and the shorebased engineering support. Saipem renamed the vessel the Saipem 7000.

The vessel continued to work, installing oil and gas production platforms, in the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, off the Canadian east coast and the west coast of Africa throughout the nineties. It was also involved in the removal of one platform, the Esso Odin. During the late nineties Saipem planned an upgrade to the vessels DP system and installation of a J-Lay system.

Projects[edit]

The Saipem 7000 has completed 4 J-Lay pipe projects Diana, Blue Stream, Ormen Lange and Medgaz, but its main work continues to be heavy lift in the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. This includes both platform installation and removal and the addition of modules to existing platforms.

Lifting and pipelaying records[edit]

The Saipem 7000 set the world offshore lifting record of 12,150 tons for the Sabratha deck in the Mediterranean Sea. A local record for the Gulf of Mexico (Mexican area) was set with the 10,473 tons of the PB-KU-A2 deck. In July 2010, the Saipem 7000 broke another world record by lifting the new BP Valhall Production and Hotel topside of approximately 11,600 tonnes on Dynamic Positioning. The previous world record set at Sabratha was performed on the vessel's anchoring system. The first and third records were broken on 7 September 2019 when the Sleipnir lifted the 15,300 ton deck module for Noble'sLeviathan.^[1]

The Saipem 7000 laid the 24' pipeline for the Blue Stream project between Russia and Turkey up to the record depth of 2,150 meters in the Black Sea. This was broken at the end of 2005 by the Balder which laid a pipeline in 2,200 meters of water, yet Balder was outbeat herself in 2014 by another laybarge of Saipem, the FDS2, which laid another 24' pipeline in 2,250 meters offshore Brazil.[1]

References[edit]

1. ^'Heerema’s crane vessel Sleipnir in record-breaking Leviathan lift' in Offshore Energy Today

• Snyder, Robert E.; McCabe, Charles R., 'Micoperi 7000:The world's largest SSCV goes to work', Ocean Industry (July 1988)
• Saipem S.p.A., Saipem 7000 Brochure, Saipem S.p.A.

External links[edit]

A jackup rig or a self-elevating unit is a type of mobile platform that consists of a buoyant hull fitted with a number of movable legs, capable of raising its hull over the surface of the sea. The buoyant hull enables transportation of the unit and all attached machinery to a desired location. Once on location the hull is raised to the required elevation above the sea surface supported by the sea bed. The legs of such units may be designed to penetrate the sea bed, may be fitted with enlarged sections or footings, or may be attached to a bottom mat.^[1] Generally jackup rigs are not self-propelled and rely on tugs or heavy lift ships for transportation.

Jackup platforms are used as exploratory drilling platforms and offshore and wind farm service platforms. Jackup platforms have been the most popular and numerous of various mobile types in existence. The total number of jackup drilling rigs in operation numbered about 540 at the end of 2013.

Name[edit]

Jackup rigs are so named because they are self-elevating with three, four, six and even eight movable legs that can be extended (“jacked”) above or below the hull. Jackups are towed or moved under self propulsion to the site with the hull lowered to the water level, and the legs extended above the hull. The hull is actually a water-tight barge that floats on the water’s surface. When the rig reaches the work site, the crew jacks the legs downward through the water and into the sea floor (or onto the sea floor with mat supported jackups). This anchors the rig and holds the hull well above the waves.

History[edit]

An early design was the DeLong platform that Leon B. DeLong designed. In 1949 he started his own company, DeLong Engineering & Construction Company. In 1950 he constructed the DeLong Rig No. 1 for Magnolia Petroleum, consisting of a barge with six legs. In 1953 DeLong entered into a joint-venture with McDermott, which built the DeLong-McDermott No.1 in 1954 for Humble Oil.This was the first mobile offshore drilling platform. This barge had ten legs which had spud cans to prevent them from digging into the seabed too deep. When DeLong-McDermott was taken over by the Southern Natural Gas Company which formed The Offshore Company the platform was called Offshore No. 51.

In 1954, Zapata Offshore, owned by George H. W. Bush ordered the Scorpion. It was designed by R. G. LeTourneau and featured three electro-mechanically-operated lattice type legs. Built on the shores of the Mississippi river by the LeTourneau Company, it was launched in December 1955. The Scorpion was put into operation in May 1956 off Port Aransas, Texas. The second, also designed by LeTourneau, was called Vinegaroon. ^[2][3]

Operation[edit]

A jackup rig is a barge fitted with long support legs that can be raised or lowered. The jackup is maneuvered (self-propelled or by towing) into location with its legs up and the hull floating on the water. Upon arrival at the work location, the legs are jacked down onto the seafloor. Then 'preloading' takes place, where the weight of the barge and additional ballast water are used to drive the legs securely into the sea bottom so they will not penetrate further while operations are carried out. After preloading, the jacking system is used to raise the entire barge above the water to a predetermined height or 'air gap', so that wave, tidal and current loading acts only on the relatively slender legs and not on the barge hull.

Modern jacking systems use a rack and pinion gear arrangement^[4] where the pinion gears are driven by hydraulic or electric motors and the rack is affixed to the legs.

Jackup rigs can only be placed in relatively shallow waters, generally less than 120 metres (390 ft) of water. However, a specialized class of jackup rigs known as premium or ultra-premium jackups are known to have operational capability in water depths ranging from 150 to 190 meters (500 to 625 feet).^[5]

Types[edit]

Mobile offshore Drilling Units (MODU)[edit]

This type of rig is commonly used in connection with oil and/or natural gas drilling. There are more jackup rigs in the worldwide offshore rig fleet than other type of mobile offshore drilling rig. Other types of offshore rigs include semi-submersibles (which float on pontoon-like structures) and drillships, which are ship-shaped vessels with rigs mounted in their center. These rigs drill through holes in the drillship hulls, known as moon pools.

Turbine Installation Vessel (TIV)[edit]

This type of rig is commonly used in connection with offshore wind turbine installation.

Barges[edit]

Jackup rigs can also refer to specialized barges that are similar to an oil and gas platform but are used as a base for servicing other structures such as offshore wind turbines, long bridges, and drilling platforms.

• Jackup barges being used to dismantle a ship that was wrecked at sea.

• Jackup barge servicing a Vestas V80-2MWwind turbine of the Scroby Sands wind farm.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^RULES FOR BUILDING AND CLASSING MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS. American Bureau of Shipping. 2008. pp. 3.1.1 Page 5.
2. ^http://iadc.org/dcpi/dc-septoct05/Sept05-anniversary.pdf
3. ^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ibvuWmF7Dc
4. ^Rack and Pinion jacking system example
5. ^'World Jackup Drilling Rig Fleet'. Archived from the original on 2009-07-27. Retrieved 2010-02-07.