IHC Sea Steel was engaged by NorWind to provide engineering services to design and implement a method to install jacket foundations for wind turbines, consisting of 4 piles to be installed within a tolerance of 250mm to one another.
This led to the development of an alignment template, used in conjunction with the 72” Slotted Frame (72SF), to accurately position the piles. Due to soft soil conditions, the 72SF was fitted with bolt-on mudmat extensions to assist stability.
A total of 24 piles were successfully installed, within the required tolerances,
between May and September 2009.
In a new association, TS Marine Pty Ltd contracted IHC Sea Steel to provide a 60” Fast Frame (60FF) for the installation of 6 – No. 60” diameter mooring anchor piles. All piles were successfully deployed and installed.
The 60FF was deployed from Singapore and work was carried out between April and June 2009.
The 72” Slotted Frame (72SF) was fitted with a removable sleeve insert to enable the installation of both 60” mooring piles and 48” backdown piles with the deployment of just one piling frame. The removable sleeve insert was a new endeavour for IHC Sea Steel, and all piles were effectively installed. The 72SF was mobilised from Singapore to the Al Shaheen oil field, North East of Qatar.
IHC Sea Steel was also contracted by Acergy Singapore Pte Ltd to supply 1 – No. 48” Pile Upending Tool and 1 – No. 60” Pile Upending Tool. Work was completed between April and June 2009.
IHC Sea Steel was contacted by Saipem UK (Sonsub Division) to rent 2 – No. 24″ Pile Upending Tools for a fixed term of 6 months.
IHC Sea Steel was contracted by Technip Offshore Norge AS to supply 1 – No. 36” Fast Frame with folding mudmat extensions (36FFX), 2 – No. 36” Followers and 2 – No. 36” Pile Upending Tools for the installation of 6 – No. 36” mooring anchor piles for the Gjoa Project. In addition to this, IHC Sea Steel was also contracted to provide the mooring anchor piles for the project.
The 36FFX was transported by road from the IHC Sea Steel storage yard in Dundee to Aberdeen for mobilisation to the field from Clipper Quay. All work was completed successfully between August and September 2008.
In April 2008 IHC Merwede B.V. purchased 100% shares in Sea Steel Ltd and its subsidiaries. The company will now operate under the name of IHC Sea Steel Ltd.
Mr Carl Mogg has been appointed the new director, and Mr Clive Jones will continue working with Carl and his team in a business development and marketing role.
IHC Sea Steel has extensive knowledge and a proven track record in engineering solutions for supporting piles in difficult soil conditions. IHC Merwede plan to utilise the experience of IHC Sea Steel to compliment its pile driving and handling companies, IHC Hydrohammer and IHC Handling Systems. IHC Sea Steel and its new sister companies can together offer a full pile driving package, ensuring a smooth operation whilst offshore.