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FEATURED PROJECT
A
laska derives its wealth from its crude oil and nat-
ural gas deposits, and most of them are located in
the Cook Inlet. Exploitation started in early 1960s,
but there is still a strong potential for development.
In March 2015 MV Svenja was chartered for the instal-
lation of the development platform within the Kitchen
Lights Unit #3, a petroleum exploitation area of Deutsche
Oel & Gas AG. Covering 337 square kilometers, this is
the largest development region in the Cook Inlet.
The development platform consists of three main
parts: The
Monopod
, a 45 m high steel base which,
ultimately, will bear the load of the whole construction. It
is stabilized by the
King Pile
, which works as a central
pole, driven into the seabed. The other two main parts
are the
Topside
and the
Helideck
.
For this scope of work MV Svenja required an exten-
sive and technically challenging and time-constrained
mobilization in Singapore. Extra living quarters were
needed for the
60 supporting team members
neces-
sary to complete the project working and living on board
for almost five months.
Because of the extremely strong surface sea cur-
rents at the installation site, a special mooring arrange-
ment was designed for the vessel which comprised of
ten pre-installed anchors
strategically located on the
seabed. The shipboard component of this arrangement
THE
BIGGEST
MARINE
ASSET
MV Svenja at the KLU Project
ADDITIONAL GALLEY, MESSROOM
& LIVING QUARTERS FOR
60 TEAM MEMBERS
SPECIAL MOORING WINCHES
comprised
10 winches
and wires which were connected
to the pre-laid arrangement. This configuration provided
safe and secure mooring along with precise positioning
of the vessel despite the strong tidal currents.
Once the MV Svenja was secured within the moor-
ing pattern, the first job was to drive the King Pile to the
required depth. This was achieved with the use of a large
hydro hammer
. The King Pile not only holds the Mono-
pod securely on the seabed but it also acts as a guide
ensuring exact positioning of the Monopod.
With the King Pile in place, the Monopod was trans-
ported to MV Svenja by a barge and then lifted onto
her deck for additional preparations. Subsequently the
two 1000 t cranes of MV Svenja lowered the
Monopod,
which weighs 1100 t,
accurately down to the seabed.
Once the Monopod was landed and the cranes freed,
eight additional piles
were driven through guides on
the Monopod securing it to the seabed.
The Monopod was installed successfully on June 2,
four days prior to planning. Next steps will now be the
installation of the Topside and Helideck.
D
To be continued in the next NEWSBREEZE issue …
“MV Svenja is the biggest marine
asset which we have available to us
at this time. With her two cranes we
were able to successfully install the
monopod on the seabed.”
Oliver Arnold, FURIE,
project manager of KLU
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