The Future of Well Intervention
Herrenknecht and Ulstein are due to present their vision of the future of heavy well intervention at the Offshore Energy 2015 exhibition in Amsterdam this week.
Germany’s Herrenknecht Vertical GmbH (HVG) and the Netherland’s Ulstein Design & Solutions B.V. (UDS BV) will present ULSTEIN DX105, a heavy well intervention vessel design for water depths up to 2,500m, featuring the HVG Terra Invader 750 drill tower.
The integration of the Herrenknecht equipment resulted in a compact, fully integrated vessel design aimed at cost efficiency in medium and heavy well intervention operations, punching well over its weight with regards to drilling capabilities, according to the vessel’s developers.
The large, free work deck of the ULSTEIN DX105 with direct access to the moonpool allows the vessel to carry a large diversity of additional well equipment, like coiled tubing equipment; wireline equipment; storage of multiple X-mas trees and other subsea equipment; cementing equipment and storage of extra drill pipes, risers and casings; well testing equipment and future well technologies.
The HVG drill tower consist of an A-frame structure, allowing for easy access to the drill floor. “By using an automated horizontal racking system, a light substructure could be realized, which in combination with the weight saving A-frame solution resulted in a lower CoG,” said Dennis Vollmar of Herrenknecht Vertical. “And that of course improves also the operational envelope of the vessel.”
“Over the last decade, deepwater drilling has taken a flight, meaning that in the near future these wells will need servicing and maintenance,” added Bram Lambregts, deputy director at Ulstein Design & Solutions B.V. “Its higher payloads and mobilization speed compared to semi-submersibles ensure that the ULSTEIN DX105 is less dependent on nearby infrastructures. This is of great importance for well intervention operations in remote areas and harsh environments, which is further enhanced by applying the proven ULSTEIN X-BOW to increase the operational window of the vessel.”
Loa: 154.4 m
Loa: 148.2 m
Beam (molded): 29.4 m
Depth: 11.2 m
Draught (operational): 7.5 m
Deadweight ca: 13,000 t
Speed: 15 kn
Installed power: 6 x 4,200 kW
Positioning: DP3
Free deck space: 1,500 m
Cargo hold: 850 m
Complement: 100 p