Subsea foundations installer Large Diameter Drilling (LDD) and subsea services firm Acteon Group have completed drilling operations using a diving support and construction vessel (DSCV).
The two companies claim drilling from an SDCV, in waters up to 270m-deep on a seabed slope of 17°, is a ‘world first’.
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The project, the Limetree Bay Installation, took place approximately 2km off the coast of the US Virgin Islands. The contract was for SBM Offshore subsidiary Imodco Terminals.
LDD deployed its reverse circulation LD2500 drill rig, which includes a Barge Master motion compensation platform BM-T700. The rig installed seven anchor mooring piles for a Catenary Anchor Leg Mooring Buoy.
Engineers mounted the drill rig to a cantilever beam, then joined it to the motion compensation platform.
The company mobilised this on-board the SBM Installer vessel in Rotterdam, Netherlands, during Q1 2019. After this, the ship sailed to the Caribbean.
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By GlobalDataThe company said the technique could have applications across the industry.
In a statement, LDD said: “The project works, namely the installation of seven anchor piles, were successfully completed by LDD to the client’s satisfaction – this included not only the drilling element but also the design and engineering pertaining to the installation, pile handling and anchor grouting elements.”
Nine companies within the Acteon Group worked on the project with a single point of contact throughout the process.
In July last year, Acteon acquired the international field technology services and survey business units of Proserv.
