Three massive pipe tensioners have been shipped to Singapore for installation aboard the M/V Solitaire, a 285 m, 125,000 dwt pipe-lay vessel.
Allseas Engineering B.V., The Netherlands, is converting Solitaire from a bulk carrier and, upon commissioning later this year, will own and operate it (OGJ, Feb. 6, p. 58; Nov. 1, 1993, p. 77).
WORLD'S LARGEST
WesTech Gear Corp., Lynwood, Calif., supplied three LPT-220 linear pipe tensioners as part of its latest pipe-laying system. The company says these are the largest caterpillar-type tensioners ever built.
Each of the identical tensioning units is 24 ft tall, 15.5 ft wide, and 45 ft long and weighs more than 180 tons. It is designed to hold 100 metric tons of constant tension.
A 400 metric ton capacity abandonment-and-recovery winch along with two storage reels and instrumented sheaves are included in the pipe-laying system.
The tensioners and winch are powered by an all-electric drive and controlled by an electronics control system, both manufactured by Reliance Electric. The control system is tied into the pipelaying vessel's dynamic positioning system and operated from either the dual-redundant master or the local control consoles.
The LPT-220 will accommodate up to 60-in. OD pipe, with outhaul speeds of up to 75 m/min. WesTech says the system is designed for year-round use in both tropical and arctic conditions.
The M/V Solitaire's storage capacity will allow installation of up to 1,000 km of pipeline in one season with a sustained lay rate of 6 km/day on large-diameter pipe.
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