Maritime Developments Limited has completed a deepwater project in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) for Subsea 7 and a supermajor (photo: MDL)

Global flex-lay equipment specialist Maritime Developments Limited (MDL) has completed a deepwater project in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) for Subsea 7 and a supermajor.

The project work scope included handling and installation of a deepwater umbilical using the MDL RDS-400-02, supported by the company’s experienced offshore personnel. The reel drive system is part of an MDL flex-lay spread, which has a permanent base in Delmar Systems’ Port Fourchon facility, including a 650-tonne ringer crane, as part of the recently announced partnership between the two companies.

Tom O’Mally, Project Manager at Subsea 7, says, “From start to finish MDL delivered a high-quality solution for the umbilical installation campaign. The service personnel operated safely and were responsive to any client requests offshore. We continue to be impressed with the technology and innovation that MDL brings to the industry and look forward to seeing what’s next.”

Mark Williamson, President MDL Americas, says, “This project gave MDL the ability to showcase just how portable our equipment is, how flexible our approach is to customer service, and the various ways this combination can add value to any offshore project.”

“Additionally, it was particularly pleasing for me to see the customer benefiting from us joining forces with Delmar, as we were able to demonstrate project cost savings as a direct result of the partnership, providing the most efficient flex-lay base services in the Gulf of Mexico for mob/demob activities. This project was a great example of the level of service MDL is able to deliver to our GoM customers moving forward as we continue to increase our local service capability,” Williamson adds.

This MDL maiden project in the Gulf will soon be followed by another deepwater flexible installation in the basin, using the MDL TTS-4/310 Series Tensioner, a 110-tonne 4-track system. The benefits of using an MDL reel drive system for flex-lay operations in the GoM include:

• Mobilisation: Due to MDL’s portable technology, the RDS – like all of the systems forming the flex-lay spread - can be transported by road, and then assembled and commissioned by MDL personnel within a 12-hour period. Depending on the mission requirements, the system can then be easily mobilised onto the installation vessel if present at port, or loaded onto a Platform Supply Vessel (PSV), transported to the installation vessel offshore and transferred onto the installation vessel by the vessel’s onboard crane.

For added peace of mind, MDL’s entire fleet carries Lloyds / DnV design approval. Following the project, the system is fully demobilised off the installation vessel within 12 hours. These features reduce, and in some cases, eliminate sea-transit of equipment, cutting out unnecessary costs of operations which are not mission-critical.

• Offshore Operations: The MDL offshore team, comprising of experienced supervisors, electrical, software and hydraulic technicians who participate in the complete system delivery at home, ensure the mobilisation, operation and management of the systems are carried out to the maximum safety and efficiency levels. The offshore team is fully supported by an in-house onshore team on 24/7 basis.

Additionally, MDL equipment integrates with other equipment on board the vessel, including third-party equipment, to ensure cohesive and safe operation throughout.

Tags: Maritime Developments Limited (MDL), Subsea 7