DCV Balder
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The DCV Balder is a Deepwater Construction Vessel (DCV) operated by Heerema Marine Contractors. It was constructed in 1978 by Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. as semi-submersible crane vessel. In 2001 it was converted to a DCV by Verolme Botlek BV in the Netherlands[1].
The Balder has two cranes (3600 t, 2700 t). In the course of the conversion it was equipped with a class III Dynamic Positioning system for position keeping. It is fitted with seven 3,500 kW azimuth thrusters and two propellers.
During the conversion, a Mooring Line Deployment winch was installed, the largest in the world,[2] with a diameter of 10.5 meters and a Safe Working Load (SWL) of 275 t.
In 2002 a J-Lay tower, designed and constructed by Huisman Itrec, was installed. It is capable of laying pipe in water depths to 3,000 m (10,000 ft).
The hull consists of two floaters with three columns each. Transit draught is ±12 meters. For lifting operations it will normally be ballasted down to 25 meters, so the floaters (with a draught of 12 meters) are well-submerged, to reduce the effect of waves and swell.
It is able to accommodate 350 persons.
Particulars
| Length overall | 154 meters |
| Breadth | 86 meters |
| Breadth (incl. J-Lay) | 118 meters |
| Max. draught | 27 meters |
| Depth to workdeck | 42 meters |
| Height J-Lay tower to workdeck | 101 meters |
| Lightship weight | 49,631 tonnes |
| Max. displacement | 104,355 tonnes |
Remarkable projects
- In 1978 Occidental’s Piper Alpha was the first platform installation with a Semi Submersible Crane Vessel.
- In 2005 the world's largest semi-submersible platform, BP's Thunder Horse, was installed.[3]
- In 2005 it assisted in the uprighting of BP’s Thunder Horse, found listing dramatically after hurricane Dennis.[4]
- In 2006 it installed BP’s Mardi Gras Atlantis gas export pipeline (0.6 m / 24 in diameter) in a record breaking water depth of 2220 meters (7217 feet).[5]
- in 2007 it moored the Independence Hub Facility in a record breaking water depth of 2438 m (8000 ft), with a world record for the deepest flow line installation of 2743 m (9000 ft).[6]
See also
References
- ↑ Keppel Verolme Projects - Balder : http://www.keppelverolme.com/increasingly-complex-conversion-projects/
- ↑ "Heerema Mooring Line Deployment Winch". http://www.heerema.com/content/hmc/equipment/balder/mldw.htm.[dead link]
- ↑ "OilOnline, Making deepwater history". http://www.oilonline.com/news/features/oe/20050426.Making_d.17784.asp.[dead link]
- ↑ "Oil Online, Back from the Brink". http://www.oilonline.com/news/features/oe/20050801.Back_fro.18695.asp.[dead link]
- ↑ "World Pipelines, Installing on Time". http://www.heerema.com/content/hmc/inthenews/editorials/items/200602worldpipelines.pdf.[dead link]
- ↑ "Rigzone, Heerema Sets World Records in Independence Hub Installation Tuesday, April 17, 2007". http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=43978.
External links
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- Ships of Japan
- Ships of the Netherlands
- Service vessels
- Crane vessels
- Semi-submersibles
- Coastal construction
