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www.seadiscovery.com Marine Technology Reporter 21 the distance between ribs and strengthened several decks. While the deck could previ- ously support 3 tons per square meter, it is now able to support 10 tons per square meter," said Lillerovde. Upgrading of DP2 "A moon pool has been installed in the deck to enable equipment to be lowered down for subsea operations. For such assignments, the vessel must have strong motors and propellers, as well as a dynamic positioning system (DP) that guarantees the vessel's positional stability, regardless of weather or conditions at sea. The vessel was already equipped with a DP2 system, but this has been upgraded with new reference equipment and other features. In order to manage construction and pipe-laying assignments, the bridge has been rearranged, the DP desks on the bridge have been moved aft, and new maneuvering desks have been fitted in aft for complete control. With future demands from author- ities in mind, we have also mounted a Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) on the bridge, which processes signals, through 70 different cables, from all machinery onboard," he said. The converted Normand Clipper is due to leave Ulstein Verft in the end of May this year, bound for Newcastle, where the vessel will report for duty on four assignments for Technip Offshore. "We will take on board two ROVs and four drums for umbilicals and flexi pipes," said Captain Sandviknes. The umbilicals are cables that provide sub-sea and other instal- lations with among other hydraulic, fiber optic and electric power. Flexi pipes are designed to conduct gas and oil between installations on the sea bed. "Three of the assignments are inside the English sector, and involve laying umbilicals and flexi pipes. The key project is the laying of the principal umbilical from Melkøya off Hammerfest, Norway, and out to the Snøkvit oil field. We will have a 65.6 ft (20- m) diameter carousel mounted for this assignment, around which we will wrap the umbilical. This assignment will last just under a month and a half." These assignments came to an end mid August. The vessel will then head for Kristiansand, Norway, where National Oilwell will deliver and mount the fully integrated 250-ton crane. "The crane will undergo testing, after which we will probably begin another assignment which will take us up to the 1st of November. As of that date, we will have a 180-day contract with the Australian com- pany, Clough Ltd. We will take onboard complete deck equipment, i.e. eight flexi- pipe rails and new ROVs. Thereafter, we head for the East coast of India to lay flexi pipes. The agreement with Clough Ltd. contains an option to extend the agreement for up to five more years, in direct continu- ation of the fixed period," said Sandviknes. For more information visit www.maritimee- quipment.com/mt & Click No. 9 news Normand Clipper in April. Cable Layer Converted Into Pipe Layer (Continued from page 17) MTR#2 (17-32).qxd 8/30/2005 5:06 PM Page 21
