Installation Systems

For deepwater installation of our products, i.e. FPSOs and TLPs, SBM Offshore is building in a joint venture with Solstad Shipping A/S of Norway, a new installation vessel which will be ready early 2006. To make this vessel capable of performing installations to 3000 m internal developments are being carried out for pile driving and lowering means in these depths.

For pile driving a propellant burning pile driver is being developed in association with IHC Hydrohammer. This pile driver uses fast burning propellant to supply driving energy for piles and plate anchors at great depth. This fuel eliminates the need for a costly and hard to handle umbilical to supply driving energy.

For lowering of large subsea packages a Decoupled Air Vessel Installation Tool (DAVIT) is being developed. The DAVIT uses standard small diameter steel rope to lower a heave decoupled, variable buoyancy vessel with subsea payload to any depth up to 3000 meters. The decoupled air vessel is light as it is pressure balanced and fully reusable with any payload up to its maximum buoyancy.