“One element of our design work success was our previous experience with mobile offshore production unit conversions. In the case of the Legendre project, we developed an innovative top-tensioned-riser concept that saved the client a lot of money by eliminating a large wellhead support platform. We also addressed the challenge of seabed scour, a common problem for mat-type units on hard bottoms, by developing an anti-scour system that could be quickly deployed by remoteoperated vehicle.”
Current projects include jack-up system design work. “We have performed many basic designs for FPSOs, jack-up units, and other offshore equipment. The aim of basic design is to establish the main characteristics of the unit and develop preliminary performance criteria and initial costing.” Heritage in Rig Design “As an example, the ‘Legendre’ mobile offshore production unit, as purchased by Oceaneering, was unsuited to its intended use in harsh environments.
During the basic design phase, we developed an innovative ‘pipe-in-pipe’ configuration for the legs that reconfigured the existing structure very cost-effectively to withstand the significantly-increased loads. Once we had shown it was doable we moved into the detail design phase. Our heritage in rig design has two roots: firstly our acquisition of Standard Engineering, a company that has designed numerous semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling units. Examples are latest-generation rigs such as the Aker H-6, the biggest semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling unit ever developed.”
Standard Engineering has been involved in semi-submersibles pretty much since their inception and has worked on all the industry’s “work-horses” such as the Aker H-3 for many years. “Our second root is Noble Denton, acknowledged as the world’s leading jack-up unit consultancy. Noble Denton has built up a huge breadth of knowledge in jack-up design and operation, which proved beneficial in the ‘Legendre’ example. We were able to turn this rig into a very efficient production unit after it had lain idle for years because of inherent design problems.”
The two main design competency centres are in Norway and Sharjah. The former is supported by a strong team based in Poland that is focused mostly on marine systems. The Group is considering expanding design centres into both the Far East and Brazil in response to client requests. “GL Noble Denton believes in putting the right person on the job.
Thanks to our large and geographicallydiverse staff we can place personnel where needed to best fit the requirements of the work at hand. This has two benefits: first it allows the ‘best for client’ person to be used, and second it offers our staff the ability to travel and advance their careers.” GL Noble Denton operates in a matrix structure with four regions - the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Far East - and four business segments: Technical Assurance, Advanced Engineering Consultancy, Marine Operations and Consultancy and Execution Services, complemented by a Major Accounts segment. Each region is further broken into countries, and each segment into individual service lines.
“This organisational structure will allow us to perform a much broader range of services and to be a single stop for clients. Our average job size is expected to increase noticeably,” says Mr Rowan.
GL Noble Denton Expert
David Rowan
Managing Director Execution Services
Phone: +713 543 4319
E-Mail: david.rowan@gl-group.com
