A conventional drill riser comprises of a 21” diameter main line with choke, kill, booster and hydraulic lines surrounding it. These service lines require to be connected to the main body by means of clamps to prevent buckling when the riser is operational.
Historically, steel clamps have been used - frequently “burn outs” from thick steel sheet - which were heavy and cumbersome when attaching to the riser. However, as drilling depths become greater the requirement for weight saving on riser strings has increased.
One area where this has been possible is through the evolution of polymer riser clamps. Initially the steel clamp evolved to a combination of a steel strap with polymer elements and thereafter to a full polymer product.
Maintaining its policy of product innovation and continuous improvement, Balmoral Offshore Engineering optimised its riser clamp design in terms of functionality, handling and ease of attachment to the riser string.
The design optimisation process resulted in a clamp that is:
• Extremely robust
• Highly impact resistant
• Offers a significant weight saving when compared to steel
• Vastly reduced assembly time
• Custom designed to suit riser requirement
Polymer riser clamps are now recognised as an industry standard high performance solution whilst offering significant riser string weight reduction in deep and ultra-deepwater environments.
