November 28 - ALE has successfully installed a Riser Access Tower (RAT) weighing 800 tonnes using an innovative design for offshore installation.
ALE was contracted to install the RAT on the K15-FA-1 gas field. This RAT was built in sections which were assembled by ALE using mobile cranes (pictured below).
After assembly the RAT was loaded out by means of ALE's SPMT trailers onto acargo barge. After seafastening the barge was towed to the installation point in the K15-FA-1 gas field.
The barge is equipped with a heavy duty grillage for the skidding system; this grillage also contains the main rotation point of the upending frame and the connections for the upending strand jacks and cylinders.
ALE design engineers created the bespoke upending frame that is used to support and guide the RAT during skidding, upending and lowering. The skidding was performed by a hydraulic compensated and self propelled skidding system. After upending, the RAT was lowered on the sea bed by means of two strand jacks.
Full control during the positioning, the self penetration, suction and final positioning was managed by the ALE team using the expertise of suction pile foundation specialist SPT.
Kees Kompier executive director at ALE said "Projects such as this demonstrate the expertise and innovation that ALE can offer our customers; we strive to find new and increasingly efficient solutions rather than constricting ourselves and our clients by following the norm."
