MDL has supported Maersk Supply Service in a dynamic riser assembly installation offshore Brazil.
The operation at Mero field, in the pre-salt Santos basin, has enabled connection to a PRM (Permanent Reservoir Monitoring) sensor grid on a deepwater field.
MDL had developed a bespoke solution for simultaneous handling of the dynamic cable riser, DUTA (Data Unit Transfer Assembly), pigtails and backbone cables – all deployed from 9.2m reels.
The MDL spread, mobilised in Peterhead, Scotland onboard the Skandi Involver, featured a Wheeled Horizontal Lay System (WHLS), Generation 2 Reel Drive System (RDS) and four tensioners ranging from 12Te up to 110Te line pull capacity. It was complemented by several hydraulic winches from recently-launched MDL Winches & Lifting Solutions, ranging between 5-30Te.
The back-deck arrangement of the tensioners and custom deflectors - engineered by Maersk Supply Service and MDL in-house, to ensure optimised handling to minimise stress on the multiple products - enabled the simultaneous installation of the pigtail lines; while the large-capacity tensioner combined with the WHLS frictionless wheel mechanism, facilitated low-friction deployment of the dynamic riser assembly and connected pigtails, reducing drag and ensuring optimal product integrity during installation.
Euan Crichton, Senior Project Manager at MDL said:
'This project is a prime example of how MDL Integrated Project Services - combining our engineering know-how, in-house equipment and experienced offshore personnel – deliver a safe solution, even for complex scopes like this one.
'Having been commissioned to undertake the initial feasibility study to assess the installation of this product, we were able to carry forward technical insight and risk considerations directly into the solution.
'This first-of-a-kind operation was extremely challenging due to the requirement to handle and install five individual cables simultaneously, in water depths up to 2500m. The challenge was made only greater by the lines being pre-terminated in a single DUTA at one end and connected to the same reel at the opposite end.'
Yuri Martins, MDL Brazil Country Manager also said:
'The project, alongside our ever-growing track record in country, highlights the relevance of MDL’s solutions and creative thinking for deep-water challenges in Brazil - combining proven specialist technology with project-specific engineering to facilitate safe, efficient execution in a complex environment.
'It also demonstrates MDL’s global expertise in managing complex flex-lay scopes, as seen in Brazil where we are expanding our presence through local representation while leveraging our UK headquarters full capabilities to ensure close, continuous client communication.'
The operations on the unitised Mero field are conducted by the Consortium operated by Petrobras (38.6%), in partnership with Shell Brasil (19.3%), TotalEnergies (19.3%), CNPC (9.65%), CNOOC (9.65%) and Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A (PPSA) (3.5%), as contract manager and representing the Government in the non-contracted area.
Source: Maersk Supply Service
