A helping hand across the Sea

With a wealth of experience built over the years, MDL has a raft of long-term cost savings to offer to operators on both sides of the North Sea – as demonstrated on its recent flexible and rigid lay project in Norway.

The MDL 350Te Reel Drive System (RDS) and 50Te tensioner were used to lay a combination of flexible and steel pipe in the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) off a client-supplied horizontal ramp.

The unique single-track opening in horizontal orientation of the company’s patented 4-track unit allowed an optimised loading configuration in this mode.

The MDL fleet is known world-wide for reducing vessel days thanks to well thought-out equipment, consequently leading to reduced project costs; and thanks to the company’s location, the NCS is perfectly placed to reap the benefits instantly and over a longer term.

With operations based in Peterhead, MDL has access to the forefront of the North Sea energy industry. The Peterhead port has been serving the sector since the 1960s – over which time it has developed a robust infrastructure as well as safe and effective material handling and logistics skills to support the energy market 24/7.

The port continues to develop in order to meet the needs of the evolving oil and gas and renewables sectors with the help of the Peterhead Energy Hub.

The membership organisation consists of various parties - including MDL - working together to achieve top efficiency of North Sea operations – from product commissioning to project delivery.

But it’s not just Peterhead’s recognition of excellence that makes it a great choice for Norwegian operators; the on-hand resources and skillset allow MDL to continue on its mission of solving challenges faced by its customers: from delivering bespoke solutions, to providing support offshore and on-land with equipment operation, repair and maintenance.

Dave Gardiner, MDL BD & Commercial Manager, said:

“Any vessel owner knows all too well that in the OSV market every minute counts.

“MDL distinctive blue-and-orange equipment fleet can be deployed quickly and safely on virtually any back deck with a crane.

“The modular design of the equipment makes it easier to move from one location to another – or from one vessel to another; while the compact footprint allows for a wider range of vessels to be used for the project, avoiding the risk of clashing schedules for specialist vessels.

“Furthermore, with direct access to the quayside in Peterhead, the sailing time and costs of delivery from MDL to Norway are cut to minimum.”

To complement the equipment, the MDL support includes an experienced offshore team, seasoned in North Sea operations since 2012; while the company’s in-house experts enable software development as well as design and manufacture of specialist hydraulic and electric modules to handle complex offshore challenges.

The expert staff guarantee smooth operations both on-land and at sea and the strategic location means that the MDL support is at a proximity when needed – whether it is for building new equipment or maintenance and repairs of an existing fleet.