Survey vessel conversion in the Netherlands

Allseas were tasked with the installation of a 126mm JDR Umbilical offshore the Netherlands in 35m water depth. The were looking to deploy an available vessel from their fleet, the Oceanic. They approached MDL to enable the Offshore Construction Vessel with an optimal handling package.

An MDL 6-tonne flex-lay tensioner was used alongside a modular reel drive system for product deployment. The MDL TTS-2/35 Series Tensioner is a side-loading 2-track system for SURF, cable and wire rope handling. Like the rest of the MDL TTS tensioner fleet, it features the Failsafe Grip System, ensuring maintained hold of the product even in case of critical failure or power loss on the vessel. The tensioner can handle products up to 550mm diameter and accepts the line by lifting of the top track, allowing up to 600mm opening. This keeps the equipment compact, as there is no additional space required for track pivoting to receive the product, as is the case with top-loading tensioners.

Ernst-Jan Poot, Allseas Project Manager, commented: "For the MV Oceanic conversion from a survey to an umbilical installation vessel, Allseas could not be better helped than with the people from MDL, making the installation of the P11 Unity umbilical for Dana Petroleum Netherlands a great success." Dave Gardiner, MDL VP Global, added: "This scope allowed us to demonstrate the benefits of our smaller tensioners for application in shallower waters when handling smaller-diameter products, such as cables. The compact design does not compromise on safety, ensuring controlled constant tension to protect the product, whether it's cable, rope, MEG line or SURF. "This makes our systems ideal also for onshore deployment, particularly for manufacturers of flexibles to transpool long lengths of product from production facilities onto storage or installation reels."