Page 53: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Mar/Apr 2024)

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LOGISTICS FLEX LAY PROJECTS

All images courtesy MDL the felds to life.

In 2022, MDL was approached by a Brazilian contrac- tor looking for a cost-effcient way to recover SURF from the deep-water Santos basin: using a modular spread on an

Offshore Support Vessel (OSV).

We had used our HLS as the base case; however, en- gineering studies with the product specifcations, com- bined with the environment in which the system would operate, highlighted limitations on handling the recov- ered pipes over a chute.

Due to the friction between the fexible and the chute, the system's recovery capacity was dramatically reduced, even when using a high line pull-capacity tensioner. The solution to reduce friction was to replace the chute with a wheel - giving birth to MDL's Wheeled Horizontal Lay

System (WHLS).

The system maintains all the HLS features facilitating recovery of various lengths and diameters of products, including: an integrated hang-off for handling end ft- tings, davits for overhead handling of products, integrat- ed work platform for over the side or moonpool scopes and an adjustable wheel position to accommodate vari- ous product diameters.

Incorporating a wheel into the HLS design boost recov- ery capacity to match the tensioner's capability without extra space or weight from additional steel structures. The 2-point contact from the wheel profle on the product re- sults in reduced MBR (Minimum Bend Radius) require- ments, opening up the OD (outer diameter) window for wider application.

The best part? The compact system can easily move be- tween vessels and can be deployed for both fexible recov- ery and installation scopes - making it a highly capable or bare-back tonnage. Storyboards and visualizations bring enabler for busy markets, addressing those construction the whole package to life long before the construction vessel shortages.

phase to get all stakeholders’ buy-in – which may be the biggest challenge for forward-thinking leaders looking to

Pulling It All Together progress their campaigns in an alternative way.

Besides designing and manufacturing a brand new

Honing a track record in problem solving and innova- technology, MDL assisted the Brazilian contractor with tion in the harsh North Sea since 1999, MDL has been

Project Management and Engineering services during the enabling constrained projects around the world through mobilization of the OSV in port, beneftting from MDL’s a combination of out-of-the-box thinking and highly- skilled design team for deck layouts, lift planning and capable portable technology deployed on locally available sea fastening, and the company’s experience of managing bare-back vessels.

quayside operations.

Whether it is a new offshore feld or one in advanced

This expert support is on hand to ensure the most opti- phase, MDL is here to support - from feasibility studies mal equipment specifcation, deck arrangements and even and front-end project engineering, to design, equipment execution methodology when working with spot-market supply and operation execution.

MARCH/APRIL 2024 OFFSHORE ENGINEER 53