Field Engineer for pipelay vessel CastorOne of SAIPEM group   

Follow up the preparation and sea trials of the pipelay vessel Castorone in the Gulf of Mexico for one year's campaign in Gulf of Mexico to lay rigid pipeline and risers in ultra-deep water for client Chevron, Enbridge and Williams.

All the activities were performed to set up the equipment needed to lay the pipeline i.e. tensioners, rollers, equipment for loading pipes in the cargo holds, pipe handling in prefabrication... The following activities were carried out for sea trials before the start up of the campaign to install rigid pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico:

  • Installation of the third ramp of the stinger
  • Rollers calibration
  • Certification of rigging on board Castorone
  • Setting and tuning of system to load the pipes in the cargo holds, e.g. tubes and anodes 20" and 24"
  • Setting and tuning of the rollers of pre-fabrication and firing line with installation of safety barriers, conveyors ...
  • Preparation of the welding stations, coating and NDT station both in prefabrication area
  • Support activities on board the Castorone for various departments electrical, mechanical, construction and marine with the preparation of drawings and procedures needed for operations

Support the steps of the sea trials performed before the start of the project in the Gulf of Mexico to verify that all the equipment was working. Follow up the execution phase of the sea trials with the construction team on board performing the taks plan necessary and discussing with the construction team to the successful completion of the operations and the production of the final reports after each trial. The main operations requested by the client before starting the project activities were the following:

  • Construction of a column of 20 triple joints in order to show to the client the ability that the pipelay vessel Castorone can lay the requeste pipeline
  • Installation of in-line structures and in-line valve, eg. ILS and ILV in order to verify their passage through the tensioners
  • Verify the operabilty of the safety clamp in case of flooding of the pipeline and the that the clamp is able to support the required load
  • Control and check the materials
  • Production of drawings, task plan and daily reports

 

  • JSM - 20 "SCR / 24" pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico

The project includes the installation of approximately 3.5km of 20" SCR to be laid in S-Lay mode and about 230 km of 24" rigid pipeline to be laid in S-lay mode at about 2200m in Gulfo Mexico. The following activities were carried out during installation:

  • Start up the line recovering the initiation cable previously installed by another vessel, starting the installation of the riser laying a flex joint to about 2200m of water and carry on the installation of the riser. The riser includes the installation of strakes required to reduce environmental loads induced by vortex shedding.
  • Transition joint installation to pass from the 20" SCR to the 24" rigid pipeline
  • Normal lay of the 24" pipeline monitoring the weather for any operations of abandonment
  • In line structures and in line valves installation, e.g. ILS / ILV installation monitoring the rotation during the phases of passage through the tensioners and the stinger. Appurances installation: valves, branch, mudmat ... and compensation buoy after the exit of the structure from the stinger to normalize the loads of the structure and the rotation of the structure
  • Control check during the crossing of other lines or umbilical
  • Production monitoring
  • Monitoring the project materials for any request for additional materials needed
  • Planning the shipment of pipes with the office when required
  • Verify the sequence of the pipes to be installed according to the project
  • Engineering support for the construction team producing drawings and procedures necessary for any carpentry job or operation
  • Perform the daily report on-board with the production of dpr, flash reports, task plans

CLIENT: CHEVRON