Offshore deaeration vessel successfully weighed

An offshore deaeration vessel, destined for use on the Johan Sverdrup oilfield on the Norwegian shelf, has been successfully weighed by lifting and rigging equipment expert Rope and Sling Specialists (RSS). The company also provided rigging equipment (including roundslings and shackles) and load cells (from load cell manufacturer Straightpoint) for the operation. In addition it proof-tested a spreader beam which will be used to place the deaeration vessel in its final offshore location.

Measuring 28.3 metres in length by 5.6 metres in diameter, the deaeration vessel was calculated to weigh 116.1 tonnes. These calculations were made utilising a Mega Lift from engineering solutions provider Ainscough Industrial Services to help temporarily lift the vessel. Then four 150-tonne capacity wired compression load cells from Straightpoint were placed beneath it at predetermined positions. The vessel was then lowered onto the load cells and weight and centre of gravity measurements were taken using Straightpoint’s desktop controller datalogging software package. Two temporary stools weighing 2.4 tonnes each also had to be factored into the final calculations. 

A number of high profile companies were involved in the project as a whole. For example, offshore plant equipment manufacturer, Charles Thompson, loaded out the vessel, which was manufactured for deaeration specialist ETA Process Plant, part of the Koch-Glitsch group. Koch-Glitsch is an international expert in mass transfer and separations technology and specialty plant services. The vessel will be installed in its end application by international energy conglomerate Statoil.

According to Steve Hutin, managing director at RSS, “The myriad leading global brands that were associated with the manufacture, transportation, lift and use of the vessel made it an extremely rewarding project. It’s fascinating, and uplifting, that the onward journey of this hulking offshore unit was reliant upon the safe and efficient application of our below-the-hook technologies, expertise and equipment.”