Shell grants Delmar Systems several mooring contracts in remote Arctic coast off Alaska
Delmar Systems was contracted by Shell for a number of engineering, design, analysis, and installation campaigns in the remote Arctic coast off Alaska.
These campaigns included a three-point mooring system for the City of Unalaska, engineering design and analysis for the Discoverer and Kulluk drilling rig mooring systems, and mooring design and analysis for work on the Noble Discoverer and Polar Pioneer in the Chukchi Sea.
The purpose of the three-point mooring buoy system is to provide distressed vessels a safe mooring point in Dutch Harbor.
The mooring system utilized drag anchors on all three lines with a three-inch (eight-centimeter) chain running from the anchors to the buoy. High modulus polyethylene (HMPE) rope was utilized on top of the buoy for vessels to retrieve and connect to existing equipment onboard their vessel.
The mooring system was installed using Shell’s Aiviq IceBreaker anchor handling vessel (AHV) at the end of the Shell Alaska drilling season.
Delmar Systems was also contracted by Shell to perform all engineering design and analysis for the Discoverer and Kulluk drilling rig mooring systems. The work included the development of all procedures, the provision of mooring equipment, and installation and connecting/disconnecting the systems.
Unique environmental and wildlife regulations along with ice management concerns were considered and addressed in the engineering and operational phases.
The third assignment concerned the supply of the mooring design and analysis work for the Noble Discoverer and Polar Pioneer in the Chukchi Sea.
The Noble Discoverer was the primary drilling vessel, and the Polar Pioneer was the designated relief well rig. The Discoverer has an internal turret located midship that results in unique response characteristics that were captured with extensive high-end time-domain analysis techniques.
Mooring designs and analyses were performed for the various locations at Burger in the Chukchi Sea and also the standby locations near Dutch Harbor.
Delmar Systems supplied the mooring equipment, procedures, and extensive logistical planning associated with all mooring aspects of Shell’s drilling campaign in the Arctic off the coast of Alaska.
