Introducing ODIM Smart AHTS

As the offshore industry continues to move towards operations in deeper, remote and challenging waters, there is a need for a new generation of safer anchor handling vessels that are self-contained and have the capacity to perform pre-set anchoring (pre-set mooring) with polyester ropes. The industry climate of growing regulation and improving safety requires new solutions. As well, steel wire anchor ropes are increasingly being replaced by lightweight polyester ropes.
There is a vital need on today’s offshore anchor handling vessels for efficient and safe operation at reduced cost. The ODIM Smart AHTS, based on ODIM’s CTCU technology (Cable Traction Control Unit), is the answer to these challenges.
– This is a quantum leap in anchor handling technology, and this aligns very well with our ambition to expand our involvement in the deep water market, says Jogeir Romestrand, ODIM’s CEO.
Mr. Romestrand points out that there have been quite a number of minor improvements on the aft deck of vessels over the past few years, driven by increased safety demands, but that additional improvements are urgently needed.
With the ODIM Smart AHTS concept, the traditional anchor handling winches are replaced by the ODIM CTCU deep water technology that, together with a complete winch system, will handle and install all that a drilling rig needs in order to complete a safe and quick anchorage in all depths and waters. To meet stability and safety demands, the offshore industry is now moving towards using more synthetic fibre rope for anchorage as supposed to heavy steel cable. This can result in huge amounts of fibre rope on deck that must be handled correctly and safely.
With storage capacity for polyester line three times that of competing solutions, and a capacity to perform operations at extreme depth, a Smart AHTS solution can perform the same work as three traditional anchor handling vessels, depending on the operation being performed. The ODIM CTCU solution will also perform complex deepwater installations of seabed modules with active heave compensation. This can also be used in combination with an ODIM deep water crane and ODIM LARS (launch and recovery systems) for handling ROVs (remotely operated vehicles).
ODIM sees a significant potential in new solutions for anchor handling vessels based on the unique ODIM CTCU technology that lets the client handle vast amounts of fibre rope for anchorage for both mooring for FPSO and for deep water installations, from one vessel only. The overall efficiencies gained from the lower weight using fibre rope, along with reduction in equipment needs using the ODIM CTCU will make deep water projects significantly more cost efficient.
– We are proud to introduce a whole new standard within this industry that contributes to cost reductions, added safety for the crew and significant reductions in environmental effluents, remarked Mr. Romestrand.
– We will now go broadly into the market and promote the ODIM Smart AHTS. It is ODIM’s ambition to establish the future standard for complete automated systems for anchor handling. We offer a unique technology that makes our customers more efficient in their operations. By choosing our automated handling systems for anchor handling, our customers will be able to accomplish their job quicker and safer, as well as multi-task, particularly in deeper waters. Their operations will also be done in a more environmental and cost efficient manner, ends Jogeir Romestrand.
Co-operation
During the development phase for the new concept, ODIM has collaborated with STX Europe in a project known as One Ship – One Trip. This partnership has maintained an active dialogue with leading international oil companies such as Shell, BP, Petrobras, StatoilHydro and Aker Exploration.
– These discussions have revealed a growing need for next-generation anchorhandling vessels, which can cut costs, explains ODIM chief executive Jogeir Romestrand. – ODIM Smart AHTS provides a complete automated anchorhandling system, which addresses oil company needs for cost-effective solutions in future exploration and production drilling. – It offers big efficiency gains for anchorhandling operations while also improving crew safety and substantially reducing both carbon and nitrogen oxide emissions.
Calculated for a single rig over one year, utilizing the ODIM Smart AHTS concept could boost value creation by NOK 200-300 million. Annual emissions should also be cut by up to 50-100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide – corresponding to about 15-30,000 Norwegian cars per year – and 1-2,000 tonnes of nitrogen oxides.
– Our groundbreaking concept takes work on demanding anchorhandling operations in both deep and shallow water many steps forward, says Mr Romestrand. – Interest in the market is great. The long-term market potential for anchorhandling vessels indicates a need for about 20 ODIM Smart AHTS systems towards 2015.