Total deck machinery solutions supplied to support changing industry
Having the right type of deck machinery to support subsea projects may improve operational time, improved efficiencies and potential cost savings.
However, every project will have its own challenges that need to be resolved. This can include issues such as operational location, sea conditions, vessel type, deck space, load requirements, footprint available and compatibility with other equipment being used alongside the deck machinery.
Aberdeenshire-based, ACE Winches is a global supplier in the design, manufacture and hire of winches, marine deck machinery and the provision of associated hire personnel for the offshore oil and gas, marine and renewable energy industries.
As an expert partner in managing the total project deck machinery solution from concept design through to manufacture, testing, installation, commissioning, operation, training and ongoing customer support, ACE Winches can tailor bespoke equipment to match requirements.
This expert service is paramount for working in collaboration with the client’s engineering team on product specifications and product design that will ensure that the equipment is fit for purpose for that one specific operation.
Integrating technological advances which recognise the importance of subsea technology and developing products to support subsea projects is vital when providing specialised deck equipment solutions.
The deck solution provided will vary according to the type of project, the project location and even the type of sea conditions expected.
One recent project resulted in improved operational time by utilising Active Heave Compensation (AHC) winches, the AHC filtered the heave movement of the vessel keeping the load motionless in relation to the seabed or fixed installations. By using AHC the vessel’s operational uptime was improved and meant that the operations were able to continue despite potential poor weather conditions.
High tension spooling and recovery of subsea products including umbilicals, risers and flow lines, flexible pipelines, power cables and mooring lines could mean the utilisation of a Reel Drive System. The ACE 400te Reel Drive System has recently worked on several projects which involved the spooling and deployment of subsea products, the latest one being the deployment of mooring lines from a single reel.
A 4-Track Tensioner, engineered by ACE Winches, has also been used in the deployment and retrieval of subsea products. The 4-Track Tensioner has a maximum line pull of 50Te to support varying types of reel spooled products, The 4 Track Tensioner utilises caterpillar track type systems for hauling or veering cable, umbilical, steel pipe or similar round tubular products, designed for horizontal and vertical deployment and are enclosed within a lift frame. The Tensioner can be operated in either two or four track mode with track links fitted with “V” shaped pads. The 4-Track Tensioner is operated through a separate PLC control station, with the electrical controls hard wired to electrical junction boxes located on the tensioner framework.
The 50te SWL 4-Track Tensioner solution, supported by an additional winch package, was previously deployed on-board the “Olympic Ares” for the recovery of subsea cables including electric cable. The products recovered ranged in size from 160mm to 344mm using a single size of track pads.
