Page 45: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (September 2015)

FPSO First

Modec converted the

Whakaaropai in 1996

Photo: Modec risers in production. This class insuf- that might be found in repairs alone for ? ciency might be behind the Norne de- life-extension shouldn’t be the only pa- cision to study, inspect and overhaul at rameters used. “If you change service sea despite the omnipresence of class in provider on cost alone you’ll be taking a

Norway. great chance,” says Arnold.

Atypical for class are issues like ex- a wholly-owned subsidiary of Steel Dynamics, Inc. ternal riser damage and corrosion in Optimum Life mooring suction piles. Anchor cracks Marco Beenen, Senior Vice President … “They’re not really inspected for for BW Offshore’s West Africa Fleet, is a fatigue,” says Anaturk. His other life- proponent of life-extension taken to sea.

Please meet us at extension pointers include making sure “Most units have signi? cant remaining

The International of? oading buoys get modern ? oating technical life,” says Beenen, a veteran

Workboat Show hoses. “It’s the most vulnerable part of of four FPSO life-extensions: Petrolea

New Orleans the FPSO,” he says, and it’s highest on Nautipa, now 14 years beyond contract;

December 1-3, 2015 his chart of costly consequences. Top- Espoir Ivoirien (14 years); Sendje Berge

Booth #506 sides and hull corrosion, too, come in at (seven years) and the Abo (13 years).

the top of the dangerous items list. Final- “FPSO replacement is rarely a vi-

U.S.A. producer of ly, he recommends decoupling schedules able option for the client,” says Beenen, a wide variety of standard beams and channels, for ? ow lines and FPSO start-up or ? rst pointing to a BW record he says speaks oil might have to wait several months, of extra contract value. “You can come and custom steel shapes as is understood to have happened at up with your own numbers, but the BW

Now serving the water-related vessel industry

Bonga. view is that life-extension can reach 20 to 30 years,” he says, adding that some

Repair or Replace have been BW Offshore “signature

Top of the “expensive” list of ? xable modi? cations” that last two to ? ve years,

Bulb Flats items are the rotating equipment pres- as on some models a? oat in the Gulf of sure declines that often seen just as Mexico, Brazil, the North Sea, New Zea-

Range 120 mm—240 mm * life-extension is being contemplated. land and West Africa.

Cavitation, which is damage caused by Beenen reveals the company bought

ABS Grades A, B, D, E, and AH36 the formation and implosion of vapor in several 1970s (single-hull) tankers and *Sizes 260 mm and larger pump systems, can also cause disruption. converted them into FPSOs with smaller, are under development.

David Arnold of Weir Services has been isolated total holds to measure up to to- called in at times to repair or remove a day’s double hull safety. turbine rotor only to ? nd that the turbine “Tankers built in ’76 are actually in blades alone were damaged, a specialty fantastic condition. They show signs of repair for Weir crews. His workshops having been built better than some mod-

ID the material or part — both of which ern tankers,” he says. might no longer be in production — then Beenen says, “in-situ modi? cations are reverse engineer using the scanned data often the best choice” for the client, and

For inquiries, call 1-800-828-6848 of a laser “pen” scanner. For owners or he points to one West African example or email [email protected] contractors facing turbine problems in where life-extension was made possible 1-800-828-6848 or email [email protected] power, injectors, compressors or pumps, by life-saving repairs. A metal-eating www.swvainc.com speedy repair could in itself mean a life bacteria peculiar to Africa had infected

Website: www.swvainc.com extended. He warns that the savings a bulkhead in the Berge Helena and had www.marinelink.com 45

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