(With extra pictures) Damen Shipyards Group has announced its latest concept design: the Damen Decommissioning Series.
The vessel will specialise in three core areas of the oil and gas decommissioning sector: topside decommissioning offshore platform removal, and subsea cleaning and removal.
The design is based on in-house research carried out at Damen by one of its undergraduate interns: Justin Rietveld, studying Maritime Technology at the Rotterdam Mainport University of Applied Sciences. His brief was to investigate the potential niche markets for new vessel designs in the oil and gas decommissioning sector.
Split Stern Removal
Although the decommissioning vessel was initially to be based on Damen’s existing portfolio, this proved insufficient as the vessel has to be able to accommodate many different activities. The new vessel’s monohull design now has a split stern; a characteristic that will come into play during platform removal operations. The ship will be able to reverse up to a jacket, where it will be ballasted to sink below the platform. Upon deballasting, the vessel can pick up the platform.
Up to 1600 Tonnes
The preliminary estimations of the vessel’s capabilities show that it will be able to perform decommissioning of fixed platforms of up to 1600 tonnes in weight. This figure signifies a significant amount of global fixed platforms, and over half of those located in the North Sea.
Modular Add-ons
In order to deliver maximum flexibility, the concept design includes modular add-ons. This will address the possibility that such a vessel will not be solely active in the decommissioning market.
The modular add-ons to the existing design include the (temporary) installation of a crane or a helideck. Functionality can be further boosted with the addition of accommodation modules to increase personnel capacity. Another option will be the addition of a temporary platform to create a solid stern. The subsequent increase in deck capacity could be used for transporting and installing monopiles and foundations for the offshore wind industry.
Damen plans to develop the project further.
