02 Mar

Offspring International and First Subsea to Develop Next Generation of Deepwater Mooring Systems

Offspring International Ltd and subsea mooring connector specialist, First Subsea Ltd, have announced plans to jointly develop the next generation of subsea mooring systems, designed specifically for deepwater projects.

With offshore production moving to increasingly deeper waters, the ease and speed of mooring installation has become critical. Until now operators and installation contractors have relied on mooring technologies originally developed for shallower waters. As a result they are often faced with unnecessary and costly delays as the mooring systems fail to keep pace with the challenges posed by deepwater mooring environments. The Offspring International and First Subsea joint development is intended to produce mooring systems and connectors that are easier and simpler to install than current products.

Both Offspring International and First Subsea are proven suppliers to deepwater moored production facilities. Offspring International has provided the deepwater mooring rope, chain and shackles for the Dominion Devils Tower Spar, at 5600ft in the Mississippi Canyon of the Gulf of Mexico; and the Chevron Tahiti Project at 4,200ft – First Subsea supplied the Ballgrab subsea mooring connectors for this project.

David Rowley, director, Offspring International said, “Our experience tells us that we need to find a way of making deepwater connections easier to install than existing technology. Although there are other companies offering subsea connectors, they lack First Subsea’s engineering skills, project management, technical know-how and commitment to quality. Working with First Subsea will make Offspring International a more complete supplier of deepwater mooring systems.”

First Subsea, general manager, Brian Green commented, “There is a real need for mooring systems that better reflect the rigours of installing in deepwater. They need to be designed specifically for this environment, lighter and less complex and, as a result, delivering higher performance demands than existing systems. Working with Offspring International we are able to bring together the complementary skills and technologies in mooring and connector technology that will allow us to develop the next generation of deepwater mooring systems.”