SUBSEA LIFTING OPERATIONS

The different phases of a subsea lift from an offshore construction vessel

02/12/09 Vidar Kupen

Contents
Preparations for offshore lifting
Structures, installation vessel and project specific requirements Engineering tools Available equipment / tools on vessel

Lifting offshore - Different phases of subsea lift

Seafastening Lift-off from deck Slewing / overboarding Through the splash zone Landing phase Recovery to deck

Summary

Subsea Lifting Operations 2009

Preparations for offshore lifting

Installation vessel, structures and project specific requirements Engineering tools Available equipment / tools on vessel

Subsea Lifting Operations 2009

Installation vessel - Skandi Arctic

Main Dimensions
Length overall: Breadth: Depth to 1st deck: Draft (design): Draft (scantling): 156.9 m 27.0 m 12.0 m 6.5 m 8.5 m

Cranes
400 Te box boom crane NOV 58 Te knuckle boom crane

Subsea Lifting Operations 2009

Structures - Manifold
Main dimensions
L x B x H, 20.3 x 15.0 x 6.1 m Weight 175 Te Supported on circular mudmats Large area roof hatches

Manifold at Skandi Arctic deck

Subsea Lifting Operations 2009

Structures - Spools
Main dimensions
9 off spools. L and Z-shaped, pipe dimension 4, 6 and 10 Heavy terminations: Termination heads (2.5 Te) and SPEMs (5.0 Te)

Typical termination head

Typical SPEM

Spools at load-out quay

Subsea Lifting Operations 2009

Project specific requirements

Presence of drill rig
When overboarding and landing spools Operations inside 500m zone, no welding allowed Positioning systems relative to drill rig when landing Risk of reduced visibility when cementing wells

Landing inside existing structures, ROV to observe closely to avoid clash

Subsea Lifting Operations 2009

Preparations for offshore lifting

Installation vessel, structures and project specific requirements Engineering tools Available equipment / tools on vessel

Subsea Lifting Operations 2009

Engineering tools
IAF Incident Analysis and Feedback:
Database with records of incidents in recent projects (2002 onwards). Consulted when starting new projects, in risk assessment, HAZOP etc.

To avoid repeating costly mistakes, and to understand the reason for these mistakes. Its objective is to improve the quality of our work

Subsea Lifting Operations 2009

Engineering tools
Autocad useful tool for:
Deck layouts, 3D models for complicated spool layouts Installation sketches Clearance to ship side / crane Lift radius vs crane capacity and hook height

Spool

Deck layout Clash check & verification of hook height

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Engineering tools
Simulation of Marine Operations, SIMO:
Installation analyses: Input: Vessel description Describe installed object (weight, buoyancy, CoG, slamming, drag, added mass) Environmental data Splash zone (slack slings, crane capacity) Crane tip motion (landing criteria)

Deck layout SIMO Analysed submergence levels

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Engineering tools
Simulation of Marine Operations, SIMO:
Output: Sling tension (time history or statistical) Crane tip motion (position, velocity & acceleration)

http://www.sintef.no/Home/Marine/MARINTEK/Software-developed-at-MARINTEK/SIMO/

Statistical representation of results

SIMVIS Visualisation of SIMO analysis

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Engineering tools
Ship Manoeuvring Simulator Centre, SMSC:
Simulation of lift using crane drivers from Skandi Arctic. Tool helpful for: Planning deck layout, positioning of bumpers, tagging towers and check for clashes Simulate operations. Videos used for familiarisation meetings, HAZOPs etc. Training for crane drivers

http://www.smsc.no/

SMSC Skandi Arctic lifting spools

SMSC Control room bridge

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Engineering tools
Ship Manoeuvring Simulator Centre, SMSC:

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Preparations for offshore lifting

Installation vessel, structures and project specific requirements Engineering tools Available equipment / tools on vessel

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Available equipment / tools on vessel

Equipment available for controlling the load:
Lift-off: In air: Endless rope taglines (riggers) Tagging towers with winches + Crane tugger winches Landing: Guidewire winches + Clumpweight
Tagging Towers

Guidewire winches

Crane tugger winches

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Different phases of offshore lift

Toolbox talk Seafastening Lift rigging Lift-off from deck Slewing / Overboarding Splash zone Landing Recovery

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Toolbox talk
Operational personnel gathered to discuss:
Installation procedure / work plan Lift plan & rigging specifications drawing Deck layout Contingency operations Experiences from load-out

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Different phases of offshore lift

Toolbox talk Seafastening Lift rigging Lift-off from deck Slewing / Overboarding Splash zone Landing Recovery

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Seafastening - Manifold
Seafastening / Mudmat interface:
Curved steel plate to establish contact between mudmats and seafastening beams. To be shimmed towards mudmat. - Confirm seafastening design is acceptable - No welding to mudmat / manifold

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Seafastening - Spools
Spools at different elevations:
Bumpers integrated in supports for spool ends, SPEM and termination head. Flexible supports for spool piping Cargo strops

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Seafastening - Spreader Frame

Spreader frame resting 4.0m above deck level:
Bumpers integrated in supports. Guiding spreader frame into position offshore. Cargo strops for easy release and to re-establish seafastening

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Different phases of offshore lift

Toolbox talk Seafastening Lift rigging Lift-off from deck Slewing / Overboarding Splash zone Landing Recovery

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Lift rigging, spool to spreader frame

Safe connection from deck level:
Spreader frame resting in supports, no personnel under suspended loads. Pre-rigged slings on spools and spreader frame ROV shackles for subsea release. ROV hooks not used due to potential of release during installation.

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Lift rigging, spreader frame to tuggers

Safe connection from deck level:
Spreader frame resting in supports, no personnel under suspended loads. ROV hooks for subsea release and connection during recovery Crane tuggers Tagging towers

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Lift rigging, spreader frame to crane hook

Safe connection from deck level:
Spreader frame resting in supports, no personnel under suspended loads. Lift slings inside spreader frame, hook lowered to deck level

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Different phases of offshore lift

Toolbox talk Seafastening Lift rigging Lift-off from deck Slewing / Overboarding Splash zone Landing Recovery

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Lift-off from deck

Manifold:
Crane tuggers not to be used Tagging tower winches not installed Control rotation of structure using endless rope taglines

Position crane hook above manifold lift-off location, recorded during mobilisation Contingency increase crane radius during overboarding to avoid clash with vessel in case manifold start spinning.

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Lift-off from deck

Spreader frame:
Crane tugger bridle tensioned to control spreader frame Lift against bumpers Control spreader frame using crane tuggers and tagging towers

Position spreader frame above spool lift-off location, recorded during mobilisation

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Lift-off from deck

Spool:
Crane tugger bridle and tagging towers to control spreader frame Endless rope taglines at spool ends (termination head and SPEM) Limit movements to avoid clashing with supports & structures on deck

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Different phases of offshore lift

Toolbox talk Seafastening Lift rigging Lift-off from deck Slewing / Overboarding Splash zone Landing Recovery

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Slewing / Overboarding
Manifold Installation, 175 Te
No crane tuggers No tagging towers Taglines to control lift-off

Ballasting system prepared Where? NOT above other subsea infrastructure

Deck layout

Clash check & verification of hook height

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Slewing / Overboarding
Spool Installations
58 Te spreader frame + approx 20 Te spool 2 off crane tuggers 3 off tagging towers Taglines to control lift-off

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Slewing / Overboarding

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Different phases of offshore lift

Toolbox talk Seafastening Lift rigging Lift-off from deck Slewing / Overboarding Splash zone Landing Recovery

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Splash zone
Slack slings or challenging crane capacity?
Large crane radius and hydrodynamic loads -> Crane capacity Buoyancy, drag, added mass & slamming -> Slack slings Entrapped air, collapse of structural members

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Splash zone
Disconnect winch wires
Leave structure at -15m to allow water to flood structural members Crane tugger wires and tagging towers are disconnected at -40m using ROV hooks.

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Different phases of offshore lift

Toolbox talk Seafastening Lift rigging Lift-off from deck Slewing / Overboarding Splash zone Landing Recovery

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Landing - Spools
Prepare landing area
Open hatches for access Install guideposts

Install guiding arrangement

Establish guidewires Apply correct tension in guidewires

Landing
Land spool in supports Continue lowering spreader frame Release rigging

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Landing - Manifold
Establish guiding arrangement
Seabed indicators Clumpweight to keep stable heading Transponders and Gyro verify position heading Digiquartz and Bullseye to verify after landing

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Different phases of offshore lift

Toolbox talk Seafastening Lift rigging Lift-off from deck Slewing / Overboarding Splash zone Landing Recovery

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Recovery
In general recovery of installation aids
Slings with excessive movements (all secured, shackles?) Clumpweight, ROV basket, guideposts (loose items) Spreader bar or spreader frame (control)

Contingency: Recovery of installed structure / spool Deck layout & preparations Crane capacity for recovery Seafastening of recovered structure

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Recovery Spreader Frame

Means to control spreader frame:
ROV connect crane tugger winches and tagging tower winches at -15m depth. Increase crane radius and tension up crane tugger bridle as spreader frame comes to surface Ensure slow water exit, the spreader frame will be emptied for water.

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Recovery Spreader Frame

Landing in supports / disconnection of lift rigging
Spreader frame resting against bumpers Land spreader frame in supports Seafasten spreader frame using cargo strops Disconnect spool lift rigging

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Recovery
Deck layout and preparations
Depending on the structure to be recovered and equipment available, prepare: Bumpers Grillage Winch philosophy avoid entanglement Ballasting operations Know all load details, footprint, weight, submerged weight, enclosed fluids

Assume loose items, stones / sand, entrapped water

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Summary

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Summary
Important aspects when planning and executing offshore lifts:
Deck layout, slewing path Winches for controlling loads in air Crane capacity curves, also for recovery (alarm settings) Communication with offshore personnel Learn from mobilisation (crane settings, ballasting requirements, load handling) HSE Plan to avoid working at height and under suspended loads

Plan for contingencies!

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