For offshore operators looking to decommission ageing infrastructure efficiently and cost-effectively, Decom Engineering offers a comprehensive suite of patented tools and solutions.
The Aberdeen and Ireland-based company is arguably one of the very few decommissioning specialists capable of delivering a “full-lifecycle” service – from cutting and removal of pipes, to coating materials removal for repurposing steel which can be reused in construction projects, and dramatically reduces the carbon footprint.
At the heart of Decom’s R&D output is the C1 Chopsaw – a range of cutting tools which provide unmatched speed, reliability and cut quality – which can be deployed in the harshest subsea conditions and are proven to save vessel time and to minimise operators’ downtime.
Successfully deployed on projects in the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Thailand and West Africa, the versatility of the C1 Chopsaw means it can successfully cut large cable bundles, pipelines with any coating, anchoring chains, umbilicals, assorted subsea structures, conductors, risers and interconnections.
On top of oil and gas workscopes, the C1 is also in demand from an increasing number of windfarm operators engaged in subsea IRM work – most recently demonstrated on a project offshore Taiwan where a 290mm windfarm electric cable was cut, with an average cut time of six minutes.
Decom Engineering commercial director, Nick McNally, said: “The Chopsaw range allows remote deployment via downlines or WROVs, enabling subsea cutting operations while saving significant time and costs compared to traditional methods.
“A key advantage is the tools’ ability to cut through even the most stubborn materials with ease, including super duplex steel, inconels, concrete, and PU coatings which other technologies such as diamond wire saws and shears simply can’t cut.”
The C1 Chopsaw offers more cuts per blade (20 to 100 depending on application) meaning less time on each project, and can be supplied in a number of configurations to suit the workscope requirements.
Fully certified to operate in water depths of up to 2,000 metres, a customised clamping system allows the flexibility to clamp a vast array of shapes and sizes, with blade changes typically taking only 15 minutes.
The versatility of the C1 Chopsaw range is demonstrated in these different projects:
- 508mm carbon steel/inner duplex offshore Africa; five cuts performed; two cuts per blade; five cuts; average cut time, 30 minutes.
- 610mm two string inner carbon steel, onshore Aberdeen, two cuts performed; 10 cuts per blade; average cut time, 25 minutes.
- 133mm umbilical, steel rope outer, duplex inner; offshore Africa; 68 cuts performed; 57 cuts per blade; average cut time, two minutes.
- 345mm polypropylene, carbon steel flexi-riser, Aberdeen; one cut performed; 10-plus cuts per blade; average cut time, 10 minutes.
- 288mm studless mooring chain, offshore Africa 800m depth; nine cuts performed; three cuts per blade; average cut time, 18 minutes.
Investment in continually improving technology and expanding the capability of Decom’s tools is central to Decom’s philosophy and a recent £1.5 million investment was made in developing the largest Chopsaw to date, the C1-46 – which can cut tubulars and other materials up to 46in diameter – and a C1-32 lightweight saw designed to be neutrally buoyant and flown into cut locations by a WROV.
On its first decommissioning project in the Northern North Sea, the C1-46 cut a wide range of pipe sizes, from 1,042mm OD concrete-coated carbon steel pipes to 220mm OD super duplex pipes, exceeding all expectations and completed 79 cuts with a 100% success rate, achieving an estimated 300% in time savings compared to traditional cutting.
The C1-32 will be launched this month and be deployed straight onto a major subsea conductor cutting campaign in the North Sea.
Beyond its cutting prowess, Decom Engineering also provides a complete “green” decommissioning solution for operators committed to sustainability.
The company’s Pipe Coating Removal Machine (CRM) fully removes exterior pipeline coatings, including FBE Adhesive and Polyethylene, allowing the bare steel pipe to be reused for a variety of construction applications rather than being scrapped or left to rack up storage costs over many years.
Nick McNally added: “Preparing decommissioned pipelines for reuse delivers tremendous environmental benefits by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the depletion of raw materials.
“By recycling pipe into a reusable product which can be used in a variety of construction projects, we are delivering safe, efficient and eco-friendly solutions across the full decommissioning lifecycle.
“The combination of our clean cutting technologies and CRM capability makes a huge dent in the carbon footprint of projects. Our CRM has delivered recycled pipe across many European building projects and we are currently in talks with a major energy operator in Australia who sees the environmental and financial value in this dual approach to decommissioning.”
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