Boskalis Subsea Services, a subsidiary of the Dutch marine services giant Boskalis, on Monday said it had completed work on a North Sea pipeline as part of a "multi-million-pound" contract awarded to it by Perenco.
The Aberdeen-based company mobilized the dive support vessel (DSV) the Boka Da Vinci, to replace a 29-meter section of the pipeline which delivers hydrocarbons from the NW Bell field to the Bessemer Platform, in the Southern North Sea.
The hydrocarbons are then delivered to the Bacton Gas terminal in Norfolk via the Inde Field for processing and onward distribution to the National Grid1.
The DSV and 100 crew on board were mobilized from Great Yarmouth Port to the pipeline’s location, 78km east of the Lincolnshire coast, in the company's first saturation diving project with Perenco.
The Boka Da Vinci is equipped with two bells for saturation diving work up to a depth of 300metres and accommodation for up to 120 people. It also has a 140t active heave compensated main crane, and 1,120m3 of available main deck space with a load capacity of 3,300t.
Following a detailed analysis and successful testing of Magma Global’s flexible M-Pipe technology, Boskalis applied rigid spool methods to transport the replacement pipe solution.
The vessel also shipped a mechanical connector from Connector Subsea Solutions, as well as equipment to carry out testing, flushing and cutting services.
The campaign included dimensional surveys, dredging, and concrete mattress removal, storage and re-positioning activities. The work was supported by personnel from IKM Testing to carry out barrier testing and flushing services, and specialists from Claxton Engineering to prepare, cut and remove the existing steel pipe before Magma’s M-pipe is installed.