First Subsea Drives Deepwater Connector Innovation
The UK's leading supplier of subsea connection systems, BSW Ltd, is now called First Subsea Ltd, reflecting the company's growing role as an innovator in subsea connection and mooring systems for deepwater platforms, FPSOs, subsea field buoy, pipeline and turret architectures and marine energy.
The first company to develop and deploy ball and taper-based mooring technology, First Subsea's Ballgrab connector has been used in over 200 subsea mooring installations worldwide. As demand for flexible connection and tethering devices has increased, the company has led the field with the development of innovative solutions. Ballgrabs were used on the first polymer rope mooring system to tether a drilling platform in 6,000 feet water depth, the BP Ocean Confidence program.
The first Ballgrab with an integrated camera has been developed for use in FPSO and STP buoy production operations, providing easy retrieval of the buoys without ROVs. The first ball and taper, diverless bend stiffener connector, was developed in collaboration with Trelleborg Offshore, using a Ballgrab male connector to support umbilicals and cabling in existing risers. Recently a Ballgrab connector allowed the first use of a disconnect-able driven pile subsea mooring system for a mid-water arch, creating more flexible deepwater production facilities and subsea architectures.
General Manager Brian Green points to the increasing sophistication of the subsea connector market as a key factor behind the announcement of 'First Subsea.' "Connector and mooring systems are evolving. Getting the fundamentals right of delivering a reliable and easy to install connector and mooring system is just the starting point. Now it's how the connector can take a more active role in production operations. First Subsea marks the coming-of-age of the Ballgrab connector. Our aim is to continue to lead the subsea connector and mooring markets through innovation underpinned by a commitment to quality management at every level from design to commissioning," he said.
First Subsea connection systems are currently used for buoy moorings to FPSOs and deep water SPAR buoys diver-less bend stiffener connectors, pipeline recovery tools, and production risers including SCRs. New markets include marine energy moorings and handling solutions for wind, wave and tidal devices.
Designed and tested in accordance with certifying authority standards, Ballgrabs are available in a range of sizes up to 2,500mT MBL. Recent projects include BP's Mad Dog SPAR, Ocean Confidence Drilling Program and Thunder Horse PLET Tie-back systems, ExxonMobil's Erha and Kizomba Drilling programs, Kerr McGee's Constitution, Gunnison and Red Hawk SPARs, Murphy's Kikeh and Thunder Hawk projects, Total's Dalia and Akpo projects, Nexen U.K.'s Ettrick and Shell's Perdido development.
- Falcon Oil Declares Commercial Flow Test Results for Shenandoah Well
- Macquarie Strategists Expect Brent Oil Price to Grind Higher
- Japan Failing to Meet Corporate Demand for Clean Power: Amazon
- UK Oil Regulator Publishes New Emissions Reduction Plan
- Pennsylvania County Joins List of Local Govts Suing Big Oil over Climate
- PetroChina Posts Higher Annual Profit on Higher Production
- US, SKorea Launch Task Force to Stop Illicit Refined Oil Flows into NKorea
- McDermott Settles Reficar Dispute
- Russian Navy Enters Warship-Crowded Red Sea Amid Houthi Attacks
- USA Commercial Crude Oil Inventories Increase
- New China Climate Chief Says Fossil Fuels Must Keep a Role
- Oil Demand Outpaces Expectations, Testing Calculus on Peak Crude
- House Passes Protecting American Energy Production Act
- TotalEnergies Restarts Production in Denmark's Biggest Gas Field
- USA Oil and Gas Job Figures Jump
- Republican Lawmakers Say IEA Has Abandoned Energy Security Mission
- Blockchain Demands Attention in Oil and Gas
- Houthis Warn Saudi Arabia of Retaliation If It Backs USA Attacks
- Macquarie Sees USA Oil Production Exiting 2024 at 14MM Barrels Per Day
- Summer Pump Prices Set to Hit $4 a Gallon Just as Americans Hit the Road
- Chinese Mega Company Makes Major Oilfield Discovery
- VIDEO: Missile Attack Kills Crew Transiting Gulf of Aden
- Norway Regulator Blasts Proposal to Halt New Oil and Gas Permits
- Chinese Mega Company Makes Another Major Oilfield Discovery
- New China Climate Chief Says Fossil Fuels Must Keep a Role
- What Is the Biggest Risk to Offshore Oil and Gas Personnel in 2024?
- Vessel Sinks in Red Sea After Missile Strike
- Exxon Rights in Stabroek Do Not Apply to Hess Merger with Chevron: Hess
- Analysts Reveal Latest Oil Price Outlook Following OPEC+ Cut Extension
- Equinor Makes Discovery in North Sea