This week, Technip officially opened its new, state-of-the-art automated vertical helix assembly machine on Walker Riverside, Newcastle. Elaine Maslin went to see why and how it works.
Umbilical and flexible pipe manufacture has become an established and visible presence on the banks of the River Tyne in Newcastle, north-east England.
Now, growth in deepwater developments is driving demand for steel tube umbilicals and for deepwater flexible pipe, leading to an increase in capacity at this hub.
Umbilicals form the links between subsea production systems and remote control, power, communications, and chemical supply services. They can be static or dynamic (when through the water column) and based on thermoplastic or steel tube design.
According to global engineering group Technip, around 70% of global subsea developments now require steel tube umbilicals, as the subsea sector moves into deeper waters.
To meet demand, DUCO, part of Technip Umbilical Systems, has built a new automated vertical helix assembly machine (VHAM), housed in a dedicated building, to manufacture steel tube umbilicals.
The facility, officially opened this week, (May 19) is flanked by two new storage carousels, new quayside, and reel transporters, all controlled via a wireless network.
DUCO, created through a joint venture between Dunlop and Coflexip, and manufacturing at Walker Riverside in Newcastle since 1990, was reaching capacity for steel tube umbilicals manufacture on its existing horizontal helix assembly machine, says Ian Probyn, research and development business development manager, Technip Umbilical Systems.
"Over the years we have extended the helix machine as requirements have increased. But a few years ago, we could see we would need greater capacity, to meet market needs," he says. “We went back to the drawing board and designed the dream machine."
The result is a 50m-high, 10 level, VHAM tower, fabricated by Brazil’s BRASTEC Technologies. By moving to vertical assembly, following a design used for DUCO’s Houston facility, the firm is able to incorporate a greater number of larger component product bobbins, increasing capacity, and maximizing space and production line efficiency.
- Vertical manufacturing
To create an umbilical system using the VHAM, a large-bore center tube, or a center bundle (“first pass bundle”), is fed on polymer rollers into the building, then into the centre of the VHAM, via a pit beneath the machine.
The chain-driven revolving VHAM deck, houses and pays out the umbilical components on counter rotating, individually tension-controlled bobbins. High capacity bobbins carry steel tube, for hydraulic and chemical fluid, and fiber optic and electrical cables, and smaller bobbins contain product such as “filler”, typically polyethylene (PE) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), but also cross-linked PE (XLPE), for use in higher temperature applications, used as packing between functional components, to keep product in place and to maintain the umbilical’s overall circular shape.
Operational, the VHAM’s linear speed at its widest point is as fast as an Olympic runner—although in reality the speed is not likely to need to be this high.
The VHAM has a SCADA-based system, to ensure control and traceability of the process parameters and product quality, on product ranging from complex stiff umbilicals, to light fragile designs, with tension and pay-out speed pre-set and monitored.
Due to the amount of instrumentation and control this required, DUCO opted for a wireless network. As the umbilical bundle moves up the tower, pulled by two automated and slip and grip pressure monitored caterpillar tensioners, it passes through a welding bay, where steel tube sections are welded or electrical cable spliced, and for digitally processed X-ray inspection.
Pre-forming rollers then put the helical shape into the umbilical tubes, before the multiple components are wound together and then wrapped in fiber-reinforced tape. Finally, a measurement head, including a six-head laser, measures the outer diameter (OD) and the umbilical then runs out on rollers, via a set of points, to either the south or north swan necks, sending the product down and out to either the north or south of the site.
Large bore center tubes (typically 2-4in.) will arrive in straight lengths to be welded together on site, before being reeled to enter the VHAM. The VHAM building also contains an extrusion line, able to coat metal tubes with mm-thick sheath (PE, XLPE or nylon) on half inch bore tubes or outer sheaths on umbilicals over and beyond the current record of 325mm OD for BP Skarv.
- Carousels
DUCO’s investment included two new, automated, chain-driven, large diameter basket storage carousels, north and south of the VHAM (pictured), both controlled by a wireless network, interconnected to the VHAM.
In theory, umbilical lengths created on the VHAM could be unlimited, says Probyn. Carousel size, for spooling the product on to, is the only limit.
The two new carousels increase DUCO’s storage capacity, allowing storage of up to four separate umbilical systems in each, including their termination pieces, and have been built with capability to be easily upgraded if needed.
The larger basket size also means steel tube does not have to be wound on under tension, minimizing any plastic strain on the umbilical. An automated accumulator is also used to accommodate slack or tension, in the event of a power failure or emergency shutdown, to avoid strain on the product, while it is being loaded into the carousel using caterpillar tensioners.
The carousel loading equipment is based on designs already installed at DUCO’s recently upgraded Angoflex plant, west Africa. From storage, umbilicals are then either spooled direct on to vessels, via a quayside roller path, or on to reels, which are then lifted on to vessels. DUCO has a contract backlog of more than one year for the VHAM, including the Egina and Moho Nord projects, for Total, to be installed offshore West Africa.
- Thermoplastics
DUCO's facility at Walker also produces thermoplastic and power cable umbilicals on its existing Helix and S-Z lines, named due to the helical alternating process used to create the bundles, which creates S-Z shapes.
The site also has existing vertical spool and basket carousels. It also has an armoring machine, with more than 100 bobbins, for thermoplastic umbilicals requiring armoring for tensile strength and steel tube umbilicals made on the new VHAM where the client requires additional mechanical protection or weight.
- Steel tube record
To date, the longest steel tube umbilical manufactured by DUCO was a 126km-long system for Shell’s Mensa project, 140mi. south-east of New Orleans in Mississippi canyon blocks 686, 687, 730 and 731. The Newcastle facility also created what it believes is the world’s largest subsea umbilical, in terms of outer diameter, at 325mm, and weight, at 205kilos/m, for BP’s Skarv development in the Norwegian North Sea.
- Upgrades
To make way for the VHAM and to upgrade the quayside foundations, DUCO’s research and development facility and laboratory, which had been on the site, was moved to a new building nearby.
The facility is the group’s global research and development center, performing testing and qualification as well as product research, design, and development. Recent work has seen the center researching and fully qualifying replacing copper power cables with light weight, high strength aluminum conductors.
Part of the work on the quayside site also included upgrading a 250-tonne Hammerhead crane, built in 1930, to 325-tonne (pictured). The crane, owned and operated by quayside owner Shepherd Offshore, was built for the former Naval Yard at Walker, where it worked on vessels including battleship King George V and the aircraft carriers Ark Royal and Illustrious. It is a revolving cantilever jib type crane, with a maximum 325-tonnes capacity at 25.25m radius, ranging to 100-tonnes at 55.75m radius.
The quayside is deep water, and could accommodate Technip’s largest vessel, Deep Energy.
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