McDermott International Inc. recently mobilized its dive support vessel (DSV) Thebaud Sea for an emergency pipeline repair offshore the United Arab Emirates. This is the third time in recent months that the DSV has been fast tracked to an emergency response.
“Pipeline failures can often result in significant production loss, which is why reaction speed to these cases is critical,” said Scott Cummins, executive vice president, Offshore.
Although, with emergency repair work, there is added pressure due to the impact in oil revenues, Cummins noted that McDermott keeps health, safety, and environment concerns at the forefront for emergency pipeline repair systems.
“The pipeline must be safely isolated and then stabilized before any repairs can be executed, to ensure the safety of the diver and the environment,” he explained. “Every case is unique, which is why the approach must be robust enough to handle any given situation.”