Delivered two BOP Test pipe handlers and four BOP Access arrangements to four Transocean Cat D rigs


Four tailormade BOP test- and maintenance access arrangements
from Future Production help Transocean increase their Cat D rig safety and BOP maintenance efficiency significantly, says Rig Manager.

The four Transocean Cat D rigs Equinox , Endurance, Encourage and Enabler are all set to be equipped with new and streamlined BOP test and maintenance access facilities from Future Production.

Equinox and Endurance are also set to be provided with a new Test pipe handling system, increasing safety, efficiency and reducing the waiting on weather exposure.

The new equipment has already been installed and put into operation on the Transocean Endurance and Equinox rigs.

– Extremely important

 – The HSE aspect is extremely important for us and one of the pillars in every task we plan and execute. With these testing arrangements provided by Future Production, a safer and permanently customized access are provided to all the correct areas of our BOP`s.

– We are now able to perform set maintenance and testing tasks more efficiently – this without lowering our focus on personnel safety, says Geir Nornes, Transocean Rig Manager.

Previously the rigs handled the BOP test pipes by the use of the rig crane. This introduced limitations for handling in rough weather. Fair weather windows is often an issue in the rough North Sea environment.

– The new Access and testing equipment from Future Production provide our rig personnel with easier and safer access to perform set maintenance and testing activities. As such, the risk of potential personnel injuries is now reduced, and we can offer a better and more efficient working environment to our personell, Nornes says.

– The new test pipe handlling system, are increasing the safety and efficiency, and further also reduses the waiting on weather exposure.

 The testing arrangements – A technical look

The Future Production BOP Access Platform are designed to increase the safety of the working environment when BOP service and testing is carried out. The Access platforms reduce the number of man hours needed, and potential hazards met, when the service platform on top of the BOP is rigged up.

As the platform is hydraulically operated, any manual work involved with rig up is significantly reduced.

The Access platforms are installed on three different levels around the BOP. The lower platform are installed on the AFT side of the BOP stack, in level with the existing BOP platforms (approx. 5.6 meters above cellar deck). The platform itself is able to tilt approx. 90° to allow the BOP to be lifted in and out from its parking position in the FWD/ PORT side of the moonpool.

The BOP Test Pipe handler is designed and tailormade to enhance the efficiency and safety of test pipe handling, which previously has been handled by the rig crane itself onboard the Cat D rigs.  

The operational benefit of the BOP Test Pipe Handler is to be able to handle the test mandrels in a safer and more effective manner independently of the rig crane, and with full lateral guidance to and from the BOP.

The main rig effect of both is increased safety, and reduction in potential unproductive man hour through increased operational weather window. Put together the results are increased HSE, improved performance, which equals increased revenue.

No margin for error

The rig BOP area are usually not designed for supplementary equipment to be added and installed once they are built. With very limited space the Future Production design team was presented with a real challenge from Transocean, says Future Production Project Manager Øyvind Gundersen.

He labels the now-installed equipment «elegantly designed» and «a result of a typical Future Production delivery».

– We had to put a lot of effort into securing a tailor fit design for the Cat D rigs. Anything less would not have been good enough, as there are no margins for error when designing solutions for this particular rig area.

– Future Production has delivered products for the oil industry over the last 22 years for both mobile offshore drilling units and platform drilling. All the equipment is designed and fabricated according to class requirements, and certified by ABS or DNV GL as applicable.

– In total, our access and handling deliveries to these rigs have provided Transocean with the opportunity to perform safer and more efficient BOP maintenance operations, carried out in a safer rig environment, Gundersen states.