The two first Aker H-6e semi-submersible rigs, "Aker Barents" and "Aker Spitsbergen", are now operational. The rigs are the sixth generation drilling rigs from Aker Solutions. With a displacement of 56,900 tonnes and a deck area of 6,300 m², these are the largest drilling rigs ever built. With the H-6e rigs Aker Solutions takes offshore drilling into harsher environment at high latitudes and greater water depths.
Aker Spitsbergen and Aker Barents are now fully operational in the North Atlantic and the North Sea after an initial period of offshore testing and commissioning.
“We are proud and honoured to have been a part of this cutting edge technology project”, says Engineering Manager Tor Lonnerod of GL Noble Denton. “Hull design has been the basis for our company since it was founded in 1978. Our long time collaboration with Aker has been a key factor in bringing us to where we are today.”
For several decades, GL Noble Denton’s design department in Brevik / Norway has been one of Aker Solutions’ preferred partners for hull design. In the Aker H-6e project GL Noble Denton has been responsible for all detailed design, engineering and strength analysis for the sub structure (everything below top of columns). GL Noble Denton has also played an important role in following up of the construction of the pontoons, columns and bracings that was done at Dubai Drydocks (now Drydocks World-Dubai).
At the peak of the project, 56 engineers where engaged, involving naval architecture-, machinery/piping-, structure and EIT-disciplines. After completion of the sub structure the hulls were towed to Norway for assembly of the topside.
In 2009 the design department in Norwegian Brevik merged operations with their former competitor Standard Engineering in the neighbouring town Sandefjord. Today, the joint GL Noble Denton Brevik-Sandefjord team represents a unique technology environment in the field of mobile offshore units. Over the last 25 years the two companies have been involved in the design of 175 mobile offshore units. “Hardly anywhere is such an accumulation of experience to be found”, says Lonnerod.
