Hiretech Completes Successful Subsea Shears Cutting Trials

Hiretech Limited has completed successful yard trials with its new 5 tonne subsea shears.

The cutting trials were conducted ahead of a client’s recent cable repair project.

The trials were carried out to verify the required flows and pressures and confirm the cut times on 130mm, 203mm and 213mm diameter 3-core submarine export cables. The shears performed to expectation, delivering fast and efficient cuts to all three cables, utilising only 50-60% of the available hydraulic power.

Additional test cuts were performed on 9 5/8" drill casing, further demonstrating the powerful cutting abilities of the shears on tubular materials.

Hiretech added the shears to its rental offering following positive feedback from its client base. Available with 950t (5 tonne) and 1700t (10 tonne) shear force, the shears have been specified by Hiretech to provide safe, high performance cutting solutions on a variety of materials.

Performance, reliability, ease of operation and maintenance were the key considerations at the specification stage. The shears have been designed for water depths of up to 10,000ft and can be powered and controlled from the surface, or from an ROV with hot stab and intensifier.

Duncan Duthie, Subsea and Decommissioning Business Development Manager at Hiretech, has been overseeing the product integration into the firm’s rental portfolio.

Mr Duthie commented, “This very significant investment by Hiretech demonstrates our continued commitment to deliver robust, reliable, and high performing rental products across a variety of sectors both domestically and internationally.

As efforts shift towards a focus on efficiencies and sustainable energies, Hiretech strives to ensure it continues to meet evolving industry and client requirements.”

The company made two six-figure investments in 2020, adding subsea shears and air winches to its fleet, as

progress continues to diversify and expand its rental equipment offering.

Hiretech also offers a range of pumps, powered reels, HPUs, overboard chutes, subsea grabs, air compressors and personnel to provide fully integrated rental solutions.

Video footage of the cable and casing cutting is available on the Hiretech website at: www.hiretech.rentals/ rentals/subsea-tooling/