AQUATIC SUCCESSFULLY SUPPORTS UMBILICAL INSTALL ON CROWN AND ANCHOR

The challenge

Aquatic, the flex-lay and retrieval brand in Acteon’s Energy Services division, completed installation and project support on the Crown and Anchor project. Aquatic was subcontracted by TechnipFMC in support of the installation of the LLOG Exploration Crown and Anchor project, which involved the installation of umbilicals, risers, and flowlines. The field is in the Viosca Knoll Block 959 of the Gulf of Mexico in 3,300-ft. water.

Aquatic provided equipment and personnel for the project and deployment of its 500 Te Powered Reel Drive System supporting the installation of 3 umbilicals (dynamic, gas lift and static), from 2 x 9.2m reels.

The solution

Installation and mobilisation activities on the TechnipFMC Deep Blue vessel were supported by Aquatic’s locally based equipment from Morgan City, Louisiana and operations personnel from both the US and UK.

Over 10,000 ft. (more than 3 km) of dynamic and gas lift umbilicals were installed from a single 9.2m reel.  An additional, 29,000 ft. (more than 8 km) of static umbilical was installed from a second 9.2m reel.

Collaboration and Critical Successes

The Aquatic equipment was configured to complement the TechnipFMC vessel equipment during installation and involved front-end collaboration between Aquatic’s and TechnipFMC’s engineering and operational teams. These equipment refinements included:

• E-Stop Systems: A new E-Stop solution was engineered into the Reel Drive and Powerpack system. This allowed the Aquatic and TechnipFMC spread of equipment to work together by providing critical safety stop features for protection of the installed umbilicals.

• Equipment Interaction included: A set of status and safety indications were incorporated into the Aquatic Reel Drive System and tied into the TechnipFMC’s Control System.  This provided further safety information such as the health of the E-Stop System and the ability to control the Reel Drive brake systems to be engaged or disengaged. TechnipFMC’s Control System could then react depending on electronic communication status from the Aquatic equipment.

• A second feature of the Aquatic Powered Reel Drive system incorporated full time rendering during the installation of the primary umbilicals.  Because of specific umbilical manufacturing processes, precise calculated hold back tensions were required utilizing the Powered Reel Drive.

The result

The client was extremely satisfied with the high level of attention and coordination that went into ensuring the Powered Reel Drive System (PRD) operated efficiently and safely during the vessel lay operations ensuring successful fail-safe operations, and completion of the project.