Jumbo to Install 126 Gravity Anchors in Deep Water
Jumbo has been awarded a contract by Malaysian pipelay contractor, Sigur Ros. Under the contract Jumbo, with the HLV Fairplayer will oversee transportation and installation of 126 gravity anchor spreads in water depths up to 1,400 m, starting end 2013-beginning 2014.
Project management and Engineering will be carried out by Jumbo who will undertake collection of the materials in the port of Mersin Tasucu Seka in Turkey, transportation to the offshore location and installation.
The materials will be loaded on board using the vessel’s 900t mast cranes. The anchor spreads, which will consist of a 230t gravity anchor, tether wire and subsea buoy will be used to moor a pipeline with a 1,600 mm diameter, running 80 km from Turkey to Northern Cyprus. The pipeline, in spans of approximately 500m, will be suspended, floating at a depth of approximately 250 m.
The tether ropes, 116 mm in diameter, will be cut to varying lengths to match water depths along the pipeline’s route, up to 1,400 m. Towards the tops of the tether wires the sub-sea buoys, 8m in length, 3m in diameter and weighing 17 t each, will be positioned to moor the pipeline.
Carrying out the installation will require the Fairplayer’s DP2 system to maintain the vessel’s position. The anchor spreads will be lowered into position using both of the Fairplayer’s mast cranes. One of the cranes will oversee the deployment of the buoy and tensioning of the tether wire, whilst the other will lower the anchor. Both cranes will be equipped with the integrated deep water winch system allowing installation without the need for a wet handshake. 14km of crane wire will be applied to the winch, which can carry out installations to water depths of up to 3,000 m.
Removing the wet handshake from the process means less handling and offers greater control. This, in addition to increased efficiency, ensures a greater degree of safety; the main priority for Jumbo in everything we do.