New Clamp Technology for Subsea Well Intervention

New clamp technology developed by RED Engineering promises to improve subsea well intervention operations.

The two, first of a kind modular subsea clamps have been delivered to TechnipFMC for operation from the specialist well intervention vessel Island Constructor.

The modular design will allow the capacity of the clamps to be adjusted for both shallow and deep-water operations, providing TechnipFMC with a flexible solution for use across a range of well intervention projects, RED Engineering said.

The U.K. based firm has been working with TechnipFMC for over 10 years and completed this latest project in under six months. This included the design, build and testing of the clamps on a turnkey basis, with RED’s in-house test facility being used for rapid proof of concept and factory testing prior to delivery.

The project offered a challenge to produce a pair of adaptable clamps that would safely retain two side-by-side umbilical cables, said RED’s engineer, Mike Stobbart.

“As with previous clamps, these new ones feature spring applied pads to ensure a consistent and reliable clamping force is applied to the umbilical,” Stobbart said. “However, we have now added a hydraulic actuation system to improve the efficiency of deployment.”

Joe Orrell, RED Engineering’s managing director, said, “Having worked closely with TechnipFMC for a number of years, we have gained an in-depth understanding of their offshore operations and business drivers. This allows us to optimize our designs to meet their specific requirements and include the learning from previous projects.

“The result, as demonstrated by these new clamps, is the capability to rapidly develop and deliver effective new equipment that will be key to successful operations, both now, and in the future.”