Decommissioning Pipe Cutter IHC Handling Systems
IHC Handling Systems, has introduced a new pipe cutter; the unique tool can be repositioned underwater and has been developed in response to the increasing demand for the decommissioning of offshore structures. The pipe cutter is able to create smaller pieces of pipe for transportation in the process of decommissioning jackets. It can be used on a pipe range of 10-36″, a maximum wall thickness of 1.125″ (28 mm) and has a cutting capacity of 1,000 t.
The rapidly growing demand for the decommissioning of offshore structures is being driven by governments and authorities forcing oil companies to remove production facilities once resources have been depleted. IHC Handling Systems has an impressive track record in this relatively young market in recent years. This began in 2005 with the removal of the flare tower at Shell’s world-famous Brent Spar – since then, more specialised equipment has been designed.
Initially, offshore contractors used standard IHC equipment, such as internal lifting tools with small modifications. However, as the market continues to develop, the demand for dedicated and even custom-made tools is increasing. During offshore dismantling, for example, custom designed internal and external lifting tools, with capacities up to 2,000 t, are used for lifting jacket segments.