ABB Wins Engineering Contract for McDermott’s New Deepwater Pipelay Vessel

Swiss power and automation group ABB has announced a $12 million order to supply electrical power and propulsion systems for a newly designed deepwater pipe laying vessel.

The vessel, tentatively named Derrick Lay Vessel 2000 (“DLV2000”), will be constructed at Keppel Singmarine in Singapore and delivered in 2015 to Hydro Marine Services, Inc., a subsidiary of McDermott International, Inc.

Developed by Keppel’s ship design arm, Marine Technology Development (MTD), the DP-3 equipped DLV2000 is designed to support advanced deepwater pipe laying operations that will allow pipelines from 4.5 to 60 inches in diameter to be installed at depths of up to 10,000 feet.  It is also capable of achieving efficient pipe lay rates for long trunk lines, operating in severe weather conditions, and providing significant thrust output and power distribution. An economical vessel transit speed is expected to be 12 knots with a top speed of 14 knots. On completion, the vessel will be able to accommodate up to 400 personnel.

ABB will supply an advanced complete power and diesel electric system package, consisting of medium voltage switchboards, generators, diesel generator monitoring systems, transformers, frequency converters, motors and remote diagnostic system. The systems will provide reliable and fuel efficient propulsion for the ships.

Vessel Specifications:

Official Flag: Panama
Built/Year: Available mid 2015
Class: ABS

HULL
Dimensions:
LOA: 184 m
LWL: 180 m
Width: 38.6 m
Operating Draft: 7.7 m
Deck Area: Approximately 4,000 sq m

COMMUNICATION & NAVIGATION
Radio: GMDSS radio system suitable for sea area A1, A2 and A3 service UHF, VHF, NAVTEX, EPIRB, SSAS, SART and Vessel LAN systems

ACCOMMODATION
Berths: 330 persons (2-man rooms), or 396 persons (4-man rooms)
Medical: clinic with 3 beds

POWER
Main Generator: 33 MW (6 @ 5.5 kW in two engine rooms)
Emergency Generator: 1.5 kW
Distribution: 6.6 kV (switchboard in “Ring Main” configuration to minimize worst case failure loss of thrusters)

DYNAMIC POSITIONING
DP Class: DP3 – Kongsberg

PROPULSION
Total Power: 24.5 MW
Main Propulsion: 2 @ 5,500 kW
Thrusters:
Drop Down: 6 @ 2,000 kW
Tunnel: 2 @ 1,250 kW
Transit Speed:
Maximum: 13.5 knots
Economical: 12 knots

SAFETY
Life Boat: 4 @ 106-man
Life Raft: 6 @ 35-man and 2 @ 20-man
Rescue Boat: 15-man capacity FRC and 6-man support boat
Safety System: In accordance with SOLAS and other regulatory body requirements

CRANES
Main Crane: 2,000 MT (NOV / Am Clyde) on stern
Auxiliary: 600 MT
Whip: 250 MT
Secondary Cranes: 250-MT knuckle boom crane with Active Heave
Compensation on starboard side, with wire to accomodate a 3,000-meter water depth; 100 MT SWL fixed boom deck crane mounted on main deck port side
Lowering System: Large A&R wire can also be used for lowering
with a capacity of 425 MT at the surface.

PIPELAY EQUIPMENT
Tension Capacity: 450 MT (3 @ 150 MT)
A & R Winch: 500 MT/250 MT (cable length
to suit 3,000 m water depth)
Bottom Tension: 175 MT (DP2 rating in worst case failure)
Single Work Stations: 12
Double Joint Work Stations: 6 (able to run prefabricated double joints)
Stinger length: 100 m
Min and Max OD: 4.5 inches to 60 inches (114.3 mm to 1,500 mm)