DNV Supports Development of New Offshore Rig Concepts (USA)

DNV in North America is awarded a USD 3 million US Department of Energy funded RPSEA project to evaluate and support the development of two cost competitive dry tree semi-submersible rig concepts, suitable for the Gulf Of Mexico in a minimum of 8,000 foot water depth with drilling and production capabilities.

The Research Partnership for Securing Energy for America (RPSEA) has awarded a subcontract to DNV to perform this work on two concepts developed by Houston Offshore Engineering and Kvaerner Field Development.

DNV’s role in the project is to act as an independent third party to evaluate the maturity level of each concept, define the further development scope based on critical design issues for each concept and manage the execution of this. Also part of DNV’s scope is to perform an approval-in-principal for each concept and technology qualification for the riser tensioners.

Prior to this project, DNV has been working with Deepstar on maturing these concepts. “We are drawing on all of DNV’s international deep water and technology knowledge and bringing it to Houston for the benefit of the local industry and development of floater concepts for the Gulf of Mexico,” says Jenny Lu, who heads DNV’s involvement in the project.

“DNV will also be updating its existing technical standards on deep draft floaters based on the experience from these projects and other work carried out for designers in Houston during the concept evaluation phase,” says Santhosh M. Kumar, DNV’s Director of Approval and Technology in North America.

[mappress]
March 6, 2013