ROV-operert friksjonsclamp 

ROV-operert friksjonsclamp 

Butler Solutions have a long track record in design and production of friction clamps for the offshore industry. The clamps are being used both top-side and subsea. Our latest delivery is a friction clamp being operated by an ROV. The design is made to make it easy to operate, lightweight but yet robust. 

The purpose of the clamp was to support and secure a bend stiffener (avstiver) at Asgard A FPSO, a vessel operating in the North Sea.  

Bend stiffeners are used to support flexible pipe, umbilicals and cables when connected to rigid structures or a floating production system where there is a requirement to control the minimum bend rad. A bend stiffener is heavy, so the clamp must be able to apply a very strong grip.  

Since the clamp had to be transported in a subsea basket and handled by an ROV, it had to be light to ease the operation by the ROV. We found that the best solution in this case was to use buoyance elements. Hence, the weight was reduced from 305/267 kg dry weight to 30/13 kg in water.  

En annen utfordring var betjeningen av clampen. Siden den skulle betjenes av en ROV, måtte den være med så få interaksjoner med ROV som mulig. Clampen opereres derfor hydraulisk med tilhørende mekanikk for å lette betjeningen. Kun ett enkelt punkt er koblet til verktøyet og det er klart for drift av ROV-piloten som vil ha en enkel teknisk prosedyre å følge.   

User benefits:  

• Leight weight in water  

• Easy operated by one hot stab  

• Speilvendt grensesnitt, clampen kan brukes opp-ned 

Filmen viser kort hvordan vi designet og testet den ROV-opererte friksjonsclampen.