15 January 2008 Distributed buoyancy sails into deepwater Deepwater buoyancy bound for offshore India sailed from Aberdeen harbour late 2007.
Balmoral Offshore Engineering designed and manufactured some 890 distributed buoyancy modules for use on a FPSO flowline. This type of buoyancy is deployed to reduce topside loads and each set consists of two buoyancy modules and a clamping system.
Group director, Jim Hamilton, said: “When buoyancy modules are attached to flowlines it is imperative that they don’t penetrate the outer layer which may be performing a protection or insulation role.
“Our unique patented clamping arrangement provides a secure attachment method that resists both axial and torsional loads. The clamp also accommodates riser diameter change and flexure so, fundamentally, it acts as a low stiffness, high strength, radial spring.”
Aberdeen Harbour Board’s chief executive, Colin Parker, said: “This shipment for India is another example of the continuing development of the harbour as a versatile, hub port for the export of oilfield equipment and of its key role in providing the industry with a gateway to global markets.”
