During particularly bad weather, our clients’ drilling vessel collided with the Pedestrian Access Ramp (PAR) from an offshore tower causing it to snap the supporting wire rope and fall into the sea.  Fortunately, no one was hurt during the incident.

The PAR was out of action, no one could move between the vessel and the platform and the damage to the structure needed extensive repair work with many of the cross sections being badly mashed.  With the PAR hanging precariously into the sea, urgent action was required to get the structure detached from the vessel and onshore for repair.

Global Energy Ventures Rope Access NDT technicians and Rigging Specialists were mobilised immediately to create a lifting plan that meant that the PAR structure could be removed safely, sent onshore for analysis and fully repaired.

Once onshore the Global Energy Ventures Fabrication crew worked day and night shifts to cut out the damaged sections and repair the structure to offshore standards.  High grade materials were sent from Singapore for the sections needing replacing and the welding team worked tirelessly to get the job done.  Then the whole structure had to undergo extensive NDT to ensure that all sections we’re fully compliant prior to the PAR being sent for blasting and painting ready for re-installation.

Our team managed the lift to get the structure on the supply vessel and also the subsequent re-installation plan back into position on the vessel offshore.  The client was delighted at the rapid response from the Global team who delivered this emergency response project with no warning.

Global Energy Ventures were responsible for providing the following resources:

  • Rope Access NDT Team to survey the damaged structure offshore
  • OPITO Rigging crew to supervise the removal and re-installation of the PAR
  • Onshore lifting team managing the load out to shore side repair location and load out following repair
  • Day and night fabrication crew to cut out and repair the damaged sections
  • Specialist team to carry out full NDT of the whole structure to ensure that any damage was identified
  • Manage the blasting and painting contractor
  • Full project management of all activities

From the time of the incident, the new PAR (pictured) was re-installed within 4 weeks.