Description
Deck installation is always a major installation challenge for floating structures, particularly deep draft floaters like the spar which must be installed in relatively deep water. Derrick barges have been used for spar deck installations until now and those above ~10,000 tons required multiple module lifts. While feasible, this necessitated a lengthy and expensive offshore Hook Up and Commissioning (HUC) campaign to integrate the modules after being set on the hull. This problem is exacerbated with the expectation of combined production and drilling decks in the Gulf of Mexico approaching ~25,000 tons. A means of installing these large decks in a single unit is the scope of this presentation.
The 4000 mt deck for the Kikeh Spar was successfully installed using the floatover method in November 2006, off the coast of Sabah in the South China Sea. This demonstrated the feasibility of this concept and opens the door for more floatover decks on spars in the future. This presentation reviews the technical challenges associated with this installation, the lessons learned, and the analysis to apply the concept to large topsides in the Gulf of Mexico. Finally, the execution schedule and estimated costs will be compared with a multiple module lift scenario of the ~25,000 ton deck as well as the full facility installation.
David Edelson currently serves as Manager of Marine Operations/Floatover in the Product Delivery and Services Department with Technip U.S. A., Inc. He is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, where he received his BSc in Naval Architecture/Marine Engineering. David is currently a member of Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) and American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC).