The Balmoral Subsea Test Centre offers a comprehensive range of test procedures including hydrostatic, mechanical and laboratory testing. Although predominantly used for in-house testing and development work these facilities and services are available to external customers.
Hydrostatic testing
Substantial investment has been made in improving and expanding the Balmoral Subsea Test Centre which now offers the largest commercially available hydrostatic vessel in Europe. Upgraded vessels, software and procedures are in place offering independent testing for all types of subsea equipment to 7000msw equivalent.
Standard tests available include:
• Uplift determination
• Water ingress
• Instrumented buoyancy loss
• Hydrostatic compression and creep
• Hydrostatic collapse
• Bulk modulus
• Buckle arrestment performance
The hydrostatic vessels use air driven liquid pumps and can accommodate electric, hydraulic and instrumentation connections. Each vessel can be fitted with chart recorders, pressure and temperature data loggers providing highly detailed results for analysis.
Displacement tanks are available for large scale uplift testing. Internal dimensions of the two tanks are:
w 6600 x 2300 x 2300mm deep
w 9800 x 2500 x 2750mm deep (unfilled weight 16 tonne)
Industry-leading pressure vessel
Commissioned in 2011, ‘PV6’ is Balmoral’s latest addition to its suite of pressure vessels and forms the centrepiece of the purpose-built Subsea Test Centre.
Installed vertically with an internal diameter of 1830mm (72”) an internal length of 9000mm (29.5’) and a maximum operating pressure of 410 bar (6000psi), the vessel is fitted with penetration flanges to allow the connection of hydraulic and/or electrical lines.
In common with all the other vessels, PV6 is available for third party testing
Mechanical testing
A multi-purpose rig, capable of performing axial slip loads, lateral and static loading, three-point bending and clamp overload tests has also been installed.
The test centre provides the industry with a fully comprehensive single source for buoyancy and PU product requirements from concept to testing.
Development laboratory
The laboratory at Balmoral Offshore Engineering is equipped with the very latest in development, testing analysis and inspection equipment. Run by a highly experienced and dedicated technical team the lab is at the centre of the company’s R&D programme.
As well as providing a professional in-house service, Balmoral’s lab is available for external development and testing programmes.
