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the Netherlands |
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Subsea manifold and minimal platform deliveries
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Subsea manifold for 43-m water in the UK North Sea.
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In mid-2004, Genius Vos, a Vos Mechanical Contracting b.v. company, built a subsea manifold for Stolt Offshore Ltd. Immediately after completion, the manifold was put on a barge and brought to its operating position, 43-m deep in the UK sector of the North Sea, where it will remain for at least the next 15 years.
The manifold, with its Teflon-coated pipes, weighed in at 95 mt and measured 15-m long, 12-m wide and 5-m high. The design features four large-diameter tubes, one at each corner, through which piles were driven to anchor the manifold firmly to the seabed. The fittings for connecting the new pipes to the existing piping on the seabed were also constructed by the company. The valves on the manifold can be operated by an ROV, a remote-controlled submersible.
The project involved six weeks of preparation and 14 weeks of actual fabrication and was under construction at a time when the builder was busy renovating the Eefde Locks, but all went smoothly. “It was a challenge for us to meet the delivery deadline without sacrificing quality,” the project manager said.
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Minimal facility platform concept for UK and Dutch sector North Sea fields.
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For each possible combination of materials – pipe on flange, pipe on bend, pipe on pipe – GV’s welders had to have specific welder qualifications, and each weld had to be passed by the client’s inspectors. Everything worked out, including successful transport of the manifold, plus the 40-m long pipes to the ship in the new Third Harbor, the transport also making the commissioning of the new harbor basin official.
Shell platform contract. In another significant project for a North Sea operator, Genius Vos was awarded a contract late last year by Shell Exploration and Production Europe for engineering, procurement, fabrication, transport and installation of two minimal facility platforms, Cutter and K17-FA.
The platforms are destined for the southern part of the North Sea, Cutter in the UK sector and K17 in the Dutch sector. They are based on an innovative and unique concept. The substructure comprises a single 4.2-m diameter pile, with the pile head just above the seabed, and a 2.55-m diameter monotower grouted inside the monopole. On top of the monotower is a topside structure weighing about 150 mt. Installation will be performed by Seafox 4, fitted with a special crane for the job.
Manufacture was to commence on completion of the engineering phase in January 2005. Sailaway from IJmuiden is scheduled for June 2005, with offshore installation due for completion early July 2005.
Vos Mechanical Contracting (VMC), a division of the Vos Groep, comprises seven specialist companies in the field of mechanical contracting. The seven companies represent three operating groups: 1) Industrial Projects and Services; 2) Maintenance and Overhaul; and 3) Supply and Services. For the oil/gas, on- and offshore industry, five of the seven companies are involved as follows: Category 1 (Genius Vos and Zappey); Category 2 (Vos Rotating and Vos Rotating Noord); and Category 3 (Vos Wellhead Services). Genius Vos is headquartered in IJmuiden, the Netherlands. 
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