New developments in offshore pipelining
Radically new pipelaying/burying concepts are in various stages of development to meet the challenge of deeper waters and hostile environments. Twin-hull semisubmersibles with center ramps and self-propelled ships are presently the most popular configuration. Five semis and 4 ships are now under construction or working in the North Sea. The 11 concepts discussed and depicted include an unmanned submarine tracked vehicle to bury lines, a $70 million twin-hull semisubmersible pipelay/derrick barge for Shell International Petroleum Mij, and Esso Europe, Inc., 3 pipelay/derrick ships that Netherlands Offshore Co. is converting from oil/ore carriers, a catamaran lay barge belonging to France's Quille, a 3rd-generation lay barge being constructed in Holland for Viking Jersey Equipment Ltd., Brown and Root's largest bury barge, the Bar-331, Saipem's Castoro V and VI lay barges, Sante Fe International Corp.'s Choctaw I and II semisubmersible pipelay/derrick barges, ETPM's pipelay/derrick ship, the $40 million ETPM 1601 (one of the largest vessels ever designed for offshore pipeline work), HydroTech System's H.T.S. Coupler I for installing the company's subsea pipeline tools, and nuclear-powered submarines (under prefeasibility study in Great Britain) to put North Sea pipelaying on the seabed away from bad weather conditions.
- OSTI ID:
- 6284184
- Journal Information:
- Pipe Line Ind.; (United States), Journal Name: Pipe Line Ind.; (United States) Vol. 41; ISSN PLINA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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