ON/OFF. Logistics in the Offshore Industry. Newsletter to the offshore industry in Denmark

Transcription

1 Offshore Center Danmark Newsletter ON/OFF 6 September 2005 Editor: Peter Blach pb@offshorecenter.dk Subscribtion: Berit Christensen bc@offshorecenter.dk Graphic production: Jan C Design & Kommunikation Printing: Newsletter to the offshore industry in Denmark ON/OFF Logistics in the Offshore Industry Offshore installations, whether they be oil and gas installations or offshore windturbine parks provide a complex environment for logistics. Providing resources to offshore personnel, such as water flooding additives, food and drinking water, spare parts, new offshore installations, the list is endless of the various material, equipment and personnel which are transported daily from and to the Danish economic zone. Esbjerg Harbour is the third largest offshore harbour in Europe after Aberdeen and Stavanger. A host of subcontractors, service companies and sub-suppliers are based at the harbour. Drilling rigs and production platforms are in constant need of supply. There are also facilities for transport of wind turbines which require broad quay areas and specialized ships. Specialized ships are in service for transporting equipment and supplies to the offshore installations. Cont. page 2 Logistics in the Offshore Industry... 1 Winter rescue in the Arctic... 3 The Snohvit experience... 4 SURVIVAL... 5 The training challenge for offshore logistical operations... 6 Kentish Flats - a logistic offshore wind task... 7 There is a woman behind (almost) everything... 8 The Blue University... 9 Boarding offshore wind turbines...10 Short News...12 Decommissioning of offshore platforms in Esbjerg...14 DanCopter A/S going worldwide

2 Cont. from page 1 Welcome Welcome to ON/OFF, the newsletter from Offshore Center Danmark to the Danish offshore companies, institutions and international partners. We have chosen in this issue to focus on the logistical aspects of the offshore industry. Offshore installations, whether they be oil and gas installations or offshore windturbine parks provide a complex environment for logistics. As goes in general within the offshore industry, safety and quality are vital parameters for success within transport of both personnel and equipment offshore, with a tremendous focus on these aspects by both operators and suppliers. Please enjoy the articles, which are all related to offshore logistical topics, and which are accompanied with a list of short news from Offshore Center Danmark. Also please take time to visit our new English-language website OffshoreBase.dk, where the Danish offshore companies and institutions present themselves to international partners. Also you may find information about what is written in the media which conferences are being held and you may get an insight into some of the many technologically challenging offshore development projects undertaken by members. At the airport, helicopters transport personnel and supplies while airplanes connect Aberdeen and other destinations to the offshore supply chain. The complexity of offshore logistics may be seen in the figure below where the supply chain is dependent on all agents working together: A break in the chain can lead to a complete halt in the supply system. Logistics is therefore about making sure that the system runs smoothly, and providing a cost effective transportation system which delivers on time. Safety and environmental issues are also involved so that resources and personnel are transported with a minimal safety risk. An example of specialized transport used to solve offshore logistical problems is the Esvagt Alpha, implemented to transport electricians and their equipment to the offshore wind turbines when work was at its height at Horns Rev. The ships capacity for special lifts was used to transport heavy loads and was used as a work platform for electricians and other personnel. Its ability to maintain a constant position close to the windmills was an enormous advantage. Oil/Gas platform Another example is the contract received by Blue Water to transport a gas production platform for the French contractor Technip from Singapore to the Caspian Sea in The platform was built in modules and shipped as such from Singapore through the Indian ocean, the Red Sea, the Suez canal, the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea and finally through the Russian Don Volga river system. The largest modules were 88 meters long, 16,7 meters broad and 13,5 meters high with a displacement of 3,15 meters. This maximum dimension was to take into consideration the dimensions of the river locks. The modules were transported on specialized heavylift ships and prams. Two quite different examples, but both demonstrating the complexity of offshore logistical operations, the topic of this newsletter. Wind turbine park platforms personnel supplies equipment machinery wind turbines Future issue of ON/OFF will at times select a main offshore topic for closer investigation and will at other times be of a more general news-related nature. Please feel free to download previous issues of ON/OFF from our web-site. We hope you will find our newsletter of interest. Supply ships Helicopters Harbour Operators Aircraft/Vessel Airport Owners Kind regards, Peter Blach Stevedoring Pilot/Tug Control Ground Crew 2 Offshore Center Denmark

3 Winter rescue in the Arctic By Technical Director Claus Omann, Viking Life-Saving Equipment Leading life-saving appliance supplier, VIKING Life-Saving Equipment, has developed a new evacuation system specifically designed for frozen waters and harsh arctic environments. Rescue difficulties in winter Arctic weather At present there is a great deal of international interest in the arctic regions, but severe winters limit rescue operations. Fog and winter ice make evacuation by helicopter unsafe and the use of free fall lifeboats impossible. In response, VIKING has modified its already proven offshore chute system to cope with the special conditions encountered when evacuating by chute directly onto a ship. Combined winter/warm season solution The new design incorporates a counterweight system that compensates for the heave of the vessel even in the heavy seas encountered in arctic waters. The chute is kept taut without the use of electrical power. The new solution uses a compensating weight integrated into the system s container onboard the platform. The boarding platform remains deactivated and the chute is stabilised by the counterweight. Evacuees directly board the rescue vessel swiftly and safely, says VIKING Norway s technical manager, Lars Bjoland. Lars Bjoland goes on to continue In warmer seasons when evacuation by liferaft is possible, the innovative VIKING system functions as other standard chute systems. The boarding platform, which is deactivated for direct vessel rescue, deploys and keeps the chute taut using weights. VIKING is the only company we know of that offers a system that is stable in all climatic conditions. Norway s sales manager, Liudmila Velichko said The oil and gas industry is increasing its activity in harsh Arctic waters. VIKING has successfully met new requirements for safety systems capable of operating in low temperature areas. Systems already on duty in the Sakhalin Fields VIKING has delivered four SES-2C Arctic evacuation systems for installation on fixed floating platforms operating in the Sakhalin Fields. The platforms will be equipped with chutes designed to evacuate 140 people in 10 minutes to sea level, some 28 metres below. Meets offshore regulations All VIKING offshore evacuation systems are constructed according to specifications outlined in SOLAS, MODU, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate rules and NORSOK in Scandinavia, where the systems are built. Local regulations are reviewed by VIKING before delivering equipment to other parts of the world. Offshore Center Denmark 3

4 The Snohvit experience - by a worldwide offshore logistics company By Director Jørn Bøllund, Blue Water Since the offshore industry came to Esbjerg in the early seventies, Blue Water has taken part in the North Sea Adventure. The Blue Water freight forwarders and shipping people soon adopted the challenge of serving the offshore industry with international transport and logistic solutions. The Blue Water Shipping is today represented with its own offices in 19 countries among which you will find many oil and offshore centres around the world. Close to the North Sea, Blue Water is present in Denmark, Scotland, England and the Netherlands. In the Caucasian and Caspian regions Blue Water offices are established in Azerbaijan, Kasakhstan and Georgia, and in the Middle East Blue Water started up its own office in Dubai back in Other offices working for the oil and gas industry are those situated in Houston, Texas and Singapore and the activities also involve Blue Water people in Brazil, Russia and France as well as a worldwide agency network. It is important for Blue Water to be an all-round freight forwarding and shipping supplier. It means that all kinds of freight services are offered such as airfreight, sea transport, road and rail services as well as warehouse handling, storage, stevedoring, customs broking etc. Whether a small courier envelope or a large heavy lift project you will easily find a Blue Water department capable of dealing with your job states director Jørn Bøllund of Blue Water. One of the heavy transports carried out lately is the so-called Snohvit project in Norway. Loading of the first of three shipments of coiled tubing reels took place in Houston on a cargo of 59 reels each weighing 49 tons and with a volume of 5000 m 3. It was indeed a large and very interesting assignment says Thomas Bek, the General Manager of Blue Water Houston, who had chartered the vessel m/s Hanna C for the project, through the shipping line BBC, destined for Technip s temporary base at Tromsø, Norway where the welding of the coils (intended for later use in the North Sea) will take place. Blue Water stevedore foreman, Per Jensen, was sent to Tromsø to attend the discharging operation. Discharging started immediately upon arrival and the reels were loaded directly on stepframe trailers, mainly by use of the vessel s crane and transported to the newly established base close to the quayside. The discharging took 26 hours - and not 4 days as expected according to the local newspaper, explains Per Jensen. The final user of the coils is Statoil who will to use them in connection with the LNG Snohvit project, which is in progress in the Barents Sea off Hammerfest in Norway. Two additional shipments were performed in April and May. Jørn Bøllund concludes Through regular training of the staff and continuous trimming of all logistic solutions, Blue Water Shipping will always be a professional transport partner for the oil and energy industry. Consequently the company received two certificates in late 2004 confirming that quality and environmental management correspond with ISO requirements. Loading of offshore equipment on vessel chartered by Blue Water 4 Offshore Center Denmark

5 SURVIVAL offshore transportation and the training aspect By Manager Stig Vide Petersen, Survival A/S A particular field of training expertise of the Survival Training Center in Esbjerg, is the safe transport of personnel to offshore installations. Manager Stig Vide Petersen from Survival A/S enlightens us: The normal way to get to oil-platforms is by helicopter. The helicopter journey to a platform can last between ½ 2½ hours - depending on where the platform is located. Anyone making this journey to work on the platform must take a training course. In Denmark this could be a two days Danish Basic Safety Course. A part of the course is to learn how to muster in case of an emergency situation and how to use the various extinguishing agents. Another part of the course is covering the situation where people have to leave an installation for safety reasons. Everybody must be thoroughly familiar with how the life jacket, life raft and other survival aids work. In Norway, UK and to a certain extent in Holland the focus on offshore safety training has changed. In Norway a new five days Basic Safety and Preparedness Course has been introduced. OLF is The Norwegian Oil Industry Association and their guidelines for safety and emergency training covers a range of subjects from Acts and Regulations governing the oil industry to Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET). A large number of employees from the Danish offshore industry work in Norway under the new guidelines for obtaining an OLF certificate after July At Survival Training Center A/S in Esbjerg HUET-training has been carried out successfully since February The purpose of the training is to expound the human factors of escape and HUET Training at Survival A/S survival from a ditched helicopter. Stig Vide Petersen explains: In order to understand this it is important to lead the participant through a typical ditching. It is important to understand that just a simple action such as closing the immersion suits or tucking the loose end of the seat belt inside the fastened belt can save your life. During the practical training the participants will learn by experience in the simulator used in Survivals training pool. Learning how to survive from a helicopter-ditching situation. Step by step covering pre-flight, in-flight, accident ditching-impact, escape, in the life raft and rescue. Based on experience from this type of training all over the world the safety in connection with the training has been improved under the new OLF guidelines. One example is a participant/instructor ratio of 1:1, meaning one instructor per course participant in the simulator. Survival A/S has had no major accidents reported during the HUET training on the Survival Training Center in Esbjerg, concludes Stig Vide Petersen. The Center is an international Education Center which offers standard Courses including among other things fire and rescue for offshore, shipping, wind turbines, industry and service. Furthermore a long line of special courses within maritime security and ISPS security, chemical training, crisis management and safety advise are available. Offshore Center Denmark 5

6 The training challenge for offshore logistical operations By Manager Eigil Jensen, STMS A/S Working offshore is a very different work environment, and is not only technically challenging in itself, but also presents a challenge as to how personnel are transported to and from work. As the work site is placed far away from where onshore normal emergency procedures are applicable, offshore companies are obliged to work out procedures and measures, which ensure that their personnel are prepared to encounter any possible situation offshore. The offshore sector is well known for safety, and the sector has created an environment and a safety level, which although located far from shore, is a very safe place to work, as compared to working on shore. The Danish Offshore School, today named Survival Training Maritime Safety, has participated in such training since the beginning of the offshore industry. The school is one of the examples in Denmark of men of foresight who launched fruitful initiatives already at the beginning of the Danish offshore era. At Survival Training Maritime Safety, trainees receive basic safety training before going offshore. The training centre has followed the general development within the industry and hence training can be achieved in different kinds of rescue boats used offshore, from small petrol boats to larger diesel driven boats and jet boats. The training is as practical as possible; fore example exercises carried out in the dark are a natural part of the education, as is training with water jet. How can you gain confidence with the equipment in the compacted but effective courses? Learning by doing and Individual training are the keywords, according to Eigil Jensen. The people appointed to Man over board crews or lifeboat captains, are individuals who already have a good experience with machinery and are often responsible for maintenance of equipment. In the courses How are such excellent results achieved? The answer is first of all Education and Training! according to Eigil Jensen, the manager of Survival Training Maritime Safety (STMS). Eigil Jensen adds: Education and training of staff members in this context relates not only to actual accomplishments, but also to a display of correct safety attitudes, and this training is the best investment offshore companies have ever done until today and for the future. STMS Man over board exercise. 6 Offshore Center Denmark

7 Kentish Flats - a logistic offshore wind task By Director Kaj Lindvig, A2SEA A/S The Kentish Flats Offshore Wind Farm consists of 30 Vestas V90, 3 MW wind turbines. A2SEA was awarded the order for transportation of all components as well as the installation of the turbines at the site. they will therefore achieve knowledge of communication, behaviour of the lifeboat captain in stress situations, precautions before launching and manoeuvring of the boats. The aims of the exercises, are to give the students sufficient confidence which enable the individuals to conduct their job in a safe way. This basic training should be seen in connection with the training which is performed on the job. Terms such as Life boat captain and Man over board, are terms which literally tell people which responsibilities are placed on the shoulder of the each personnel with an assigned duty. And by maintaining the training and regular exercises, offshore personnel can be sure that individuals on standby alert can carry out a vital job should an accident occur. Summarizing Eigil Jensen states STMS uses skilled instructors and seamen who work in the standby fleet in the North Sea. The seamen carry with them knowledge from their jobs at sea and use this knowledge in the practical training. Logistically this was a new and big task. The assignment was to transport the components from the port of disembarkation to the base harbour of the project in a steady flow, ensuring a constant availability of components for assembly and loading onto the installation vessel. The logistics solution, coordinated with the customer, is outlined in the figure below. The task is characterized by alternating responsibility for the transportation of goods of large volume as well as heavy weight. Key figures for the task include: truck loads - Transportation of 7,400 tons of goods (approximately 59,000 m 3 ) - 17 shiploads - Lift of components with bunny ears (nacelle with 2 pre-mounted blades) weighing up to 110 tons as the heaviest, blades measuring 44 m as the longest, and tower sections measuring 60 m and weighing 107 tons when assembled. Task A2SEA vessel during installation of Kentish Flats Offshore Wind Farm - photo courtesy of A2SEA - Handling of each component 6 times, from loading at production facilities to the final crane lift on the wind farm site. Safety, defined as no accidents, no incidents, no damage to components and no damage to own or third party equipment and property, Loading and transportation of components from production facilities to port of disembarkation (transportation from Ringkøbing, Varde, Esbjerg and Rostock to Tauruskaj in Esbjerg) Unloading, storage and loading of components on Tauruskaj Transportation of components to Felixstowe Responsible Customer Customer A2SEA Unloading and storage of components in Felixstowe Assembly of components in Felixstowe and loading of installation vessel Transportation of components with installation vessel to wind farm site Installation of wind turbines on site including mechanical assembly Commissioning, test etc. of turbines Customer Customer A2SEA A2SEA Customer Offshore Center Denmark 7

8 There is a woman behind (almost) everything has been of highest priority and has been the overall goal of the project. In addition, fast and efficient transportation has been necessary to ensure the most optimal economy in the project. The task has been completed, all components were transported without damages and the installation on site was completed in late August. The installation was completed with two minor incidents and on two occasions minor damages to components and equipment. What has been the key element in the completion of the task? Of course, this is difficult to sum up in a few words, but the most important elements are: - A detailed contract where SOW (Scope of Work) is well-defined and the areas of responsibilities are determined. - A document following the components all the way, and a reporting system that clearly indicates what has been moved from where to where and when. - Signed receipts of loaded as well as unloaded components. - Communication with delegated responsibility and flexibility from both sides when deviations from the initial plans occur. - Daily reports from all involved in the assignment, sub-suppliers as well as own means of transportation. - Minimization of the number of people involved when solving deviations wich arise to ensure a quick and efficient clarification with focus on the overall project. By Kim Haagen Andersen, Danish Air Transport (DAT) There is a woman behind everything almost. In any case, flight attendant Vibeke Broeng and pilot Sylvia Dank are some of those staff members from the relatively young Danish airline company, Danish Air Transport, who many of the passengers between the oil towns Esbjerg in Denmark and Stavanger in Norway have already come to know. Yes, there was a time when people really noticed you and if both the captain and the first officer were woman, they would say: What? A whole female crew! But now it is much more common and in the cockpit it makes no difference whether you are a man or a woman, Sylvia Dank says with a smile. She is captain on the company s Beech 1900D, which is still active on the route even though a larger plane was introduced on several routes on Norway s national day, 17 May The new plane is a Saab 340A with room for 33 passengers and this almost doubles the capacity on the route and enhances the service and comfort significantly, which is a great advantage to the increasing number of passengers that has discovered this fast and comfortable route between the Danish and Norwegian oil towns. On the new plane you are being served by Vibeke Broeng and her colleagues. She has worked as an au pair in the US, been backpacking in Australia, and has worked as a bartender in a Danish provincial town. She has also sailed with her father on a freighter from Amsterdam to Africa, and spent eight weeks at a guide training school. But she is at her best in the air and came to DAT after eight years with My Travel. When you set up an airline company in Denmark, you really have to have drive and adventure in your blood. That was exactly what Jesper and Kirsten Rungholm had when they founded DAT in 1989, and the spirit from those days still has a great impact on the staff. It was also that spirit which attracted Vibeke Broeng. The conclusion is that even a small company is capable of handling large scale transportation and logistics tasks, provided that the jobs are well-defined and only a limited number of people are given the sufficient responsibility and additional authority. This is to be combined with efficient handling of reports and communication. In other words - don t complicate what can be done simply! 8 Offshore Center Denmark

9 The Blue University innovation across maritime disciplines By Kristen D. Nedergaard, Director of Dep. of Maritime Research and Innovation, University of Southern Denmark Across is ahead that is the philosophy behind a new initiative which is will be launched shortly. The Department for Maritime Innovation and Research, which has just begun its activities at the University of Southern Denmark Esbjerg, has as one of its finest tasks to be the driving force behind the setting-up of the Blue University of Denmark. I have experienced more at DAT than during my eight years with a large airline company, so I m really happy here. You fly from A to B like the others do, but you have much more contact with the passengers than on a charter plane. You often meet old acquaintances from previous flights and that gives a wider sense of presence, a sense that pervades the entire company. Sometimes it is almost like a family outing because many of the passengers fly the route regularly, Vibeke Broeng explains. Danish Air Transport s headquarters lies in Kolding Airport near the east coast of Jutland, but many of the planes depart from the airport in Esbjerg on the west coast. The fleet of aircrafts, which consists of 13 planes, both operates scheduled service and charter service as well as air freight service, and it is also possible to launch a plane on short notice for air transport demanding tasks of any kind. Thus both the Beech and the SAAB are ready for new tasks when they are not flying the popular route between Esbjerg/Billund and Stavanger. The aim of The Blue University is to become an exciting and creative platform for collaboration between all the various knowledge environments in Denmark active in the maritime field in some way or another. This could for instance be fields like maritime medicine, engine design, marine environment or maritime economics, but also spilling over to the offshore sector particularly within offshore transport logistics, which relates to the maritime sector. Innovation and creative thinking is the key to Denmark s future. These are the magic words that can be heard everywhere today. Given the fact that Danish knowledge environments in general are focused from an international perspective, it is important to create dynamic synergies through collaboration across the boundaries of traditional disciplines. Furthermore, new challenges in the maritime field call for inter-disciplinary ways of thinking and doing. Examples given by director Kristen D. Nedergaard are safety and security, optimising the multiple use of the sea and increasing its value as a resource within transportation, fishing, energy production, aquatic activities, natural habitats, integration of information flows from multiple sources and much more. Cont. page 10 We have no concrete plans regarding new routes, but with this quality-increasing step on our route to Stavanger we hope to maintain our present passengers and attract new ones who will continue to choose the fastest route between Esbjerg/Billund and the Norwegian western land says Bjarne Rasmussen, Route Manager of DAT. Offshore Center Denmark 9

10 Boarding offshore wind turbines - a logistic challenge By Civil engineer Morten Madsen, Offshore Center Danmark Cont. from page 9 Creating an inspiring environment for the meeting between economists, engineers, natural scientists, psychologists and other experts from universities and leading consulting companies who work with the maritime perspective, that is what the Blue University is about. The role of the Department for Maritime Research and Innovation will be to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and ideas between the various knowledge environments through structuring the platform of collaboration. Director Kristen D. Nedergaard states: This can be done for instance by organizing an annual Blue University conference and founding a journal both having this inter-disciplinary vision as their particular value. Another interesting perspective could be linking research and education resources in new ways. Kristen D. Nedergaard continues The first steps taken after the summer holidays will be to contact all relevant stakeholders with the scope to form working groups that can help realising the vision of the Blue University. The Department of Maritime Research and Innovation in Esbjerg will facilitate and support all these activities in an open and iterative process to ensure full support and engagement by all. The harsh environment offshore has proven a major challenge to maintainers of offshore wind turbines. Not only do the conditions imply a greater focus on the service aspects of the operation, it could also mean lower availability of the turbines due to access challenges. Increasing availability to offshore wind turbines can have a direct impact of the earnings of the turbines. With this motivation Offshore Center Danmark seized the initiative to initiate and coordinate a logistical development project aimed at finding safe and economical methods for transportation of service personnel and material to the offshore wind turbines. The project, partly financed by the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Development (VTU), was completed in 2004, after a project period of more than one year. The results of the project were made available to the offshore wind turbine industry and the educational institutions, on a session attended by more than 100 attendees at the Offshore Wind turbine Surrounding Facilities conference at Aalborg University in Esbjerg. Offshore wind turbines are a segment of the wind turbine business growing rapidly these years. It is also a type of installation that holds great logistical, technical, environmental and economical challenges. Considerable knowledge from the offshore oil & gas related business can be used during the installation of offshore wind turbines, but the area also holds its unique challenges. An excellent example is boarding of the wind turbines, which is partly similar to what is known from oil drilling platforms, but partly has it own characteristic features. During the task of making offshore wind turbines a reliable and cost-effective energy source, safe access to the installations is an essential component. Fig. 1 Hydraulic crane by Grumsens Maskinfabrik In connection with the considerations to be made, it is vital to take into mind that the transfer of personnel and equipment to the wind turbines should be done as safely as possible taken into account the heavy sea conditions that often exist at an offshore wind farm. Additionally the economic part of an optimal transfer mode is significant. Availability figures for an onshore wind farm is typically more than 97%, whereas the figures offshore can be substantially lower due to the relatively complex current and wave conditions at sea. In case the access conditions can be improved and hence the availability figures offshore, can be increased just a few percentages, this would have a direct impact to the earnings of the wind farm and the total pay-back period of the wind farm. Given that an offshore wind farm such as the the new and extended Horns Rev farm will produce app. 4% of Denmark s total electrical power consumption, this is a key element. A series of Danish and foreign firms have participated in the development project, with focus on boarding offshore wind turbines and with a large Danish wind farm producer as the reference participant and anchor for the project. During a panel discussion with the audience, the developers presented and argued for their solutions. 10 Offshore Center Denmark

11 Fig. 3 Wave compensated boat by Sea Service One of the firms was Grumsens Maskinfabrik in Esbjerg (fig. 1), who has developed a crane for wind turbines. The crane has a hydraulic, pressure-compensated winch, which can catch and lift the service crew s landing boat. The company stated that they were positive on the project outcome and the possibilities they were given to analyse the advantages and drawbacks of their method. Fig. 4 Offshore Access System by Fabricom Another company who made a presentation was the significant Danish supplier of Life- Fig. 2 Selstair by Viking Saving Equipment for marine usage - Viking Life-Saving Equipment (fig. 2). The company has recently bought a Norwegian company specialised in offshore evacuation and landing systems. It was within this company that an exciting solution of the problematic nature of secure and easy access to the offshore wind turbine was found. The offshore access system consisted of a collapsible spiral stair case, which would be adapted from oil & gas installations to offshore wind farms. Viking stated: The advantage of our development project is that is has been tested successfully over several years within the very demanding offshore oil & gas industry. During the course of the development project, we have made some adjustments in order to develop a more generic method, and it is this method we think can be used for offshore wind farms. A number of other methods were also presented, among these a boat with some quite incredible stability characteristics from the Danish company Sea Service (fig. 3). Finally, the Dutch company Fabricom gave a presentation of their OAS - Offshore Access System (fig. 4). This method had been successfully tested on an oilrig installation in Qatar for transfer of personnel, and the inventor Reinout Prins, informed the audience that the project had given him some valuable future input on down-sizing the solution to smaller scale offshore wind turbine installations. In addition to the access methods developed in connection with the project, the traditional access method via boat landing was examined in order to have a reference. The results from the development project were not envisaged as the suggested solution for actual projects, but as a description of generic methods of landing including advantages and drawbacks, which later will be adapted to actual conditions. Conclusive findings for the different access methods are summarized in the table below: Selstair Vindturbine crane Wave compensated Traditional boat landing Offshore Access System Advantages No serial production Nonsensitive to marine growth No serial production Non-dependent on offshore No serial production Nonsensitive to marine growth Flexible Flexible mechanical systems Nonsensitive to marine growth Flexible DP class vessel not required Non-dependent on offshore Simple structure Non-dependent on offshore Easy inspection Non-dependent on tide mechanical systems Less offshore maintenance required mechanical systems Not site specific Less offshore maintenance required May be used omnidirectional Less offshore maintenance required Can be used omnidirectional Not site specific DP class vessel not required Not site specific Non-dependent on tide DP class vessel not required May be used omnidirectional 100% redundant Non-dependent on tide Non-dependent on tide Disadvantages DP class vessel required Serial production Traditional boat landing required Serial production Back-up vessel required Remote control of crane Remote control of crane Back-up vessel required Marine growth Maintenance offshore required Maintenance offshore required Marine growth Supply vessel required Back-up vessel required Supply vessel required Training of personnel required Interface between stair and platform Training of personnel required Offshore Center Denmark 11

12 Short News Short News Short News Sho Short News Short News Short News Sho Automation and Surveillance Systems Offshore On June 2nd sixty Offshore Center Danmark members, partners and interested parties joined a conference at Esbjerg Performing Arts Centre. The conference was hosted by Offshore Center Danmark with organizing help from the Confederation of Danish Industries. The conference focused on Automation and Surveillance Systems Offshore, and speeches were made by representatives from operators and suppliers, consulting agencies as well as universities. All presentations from the conference are available at Increased Oil Recovery from the Danish Chalk fields The increased oil recovery pilot project reported in OnOff 5, has now passed the first milestone; the completion of the project s prerequisite report, describing the boundaries and limits of the development project. While there is an emphasis on all aspects of increased oil recovery including well engineering, in fill drilling and topside solutions, the project participants have decided to concentrate on new enhanced oil recovery injection fluids such as supercritical CO2, microbial enhanced oil recovery methods, chemical surfactants, and/or polymer systems. In combination with engineering solutions a maximum of five concepts will be chosen from the screening report, which will be published in the coming months. Project participants are Amerada Hess, Dong E & P, Denerco Oil, Baker Oil Tools, Rambøll, Aalborg University Esbjerg, GEUS, and Offshore Center Danmark. Small Scale LNG Transport A pilot project in LNG small scale transport has been initiated. This project will look at the feasibility of transporting natural gas as a cryogenic liquid from production site or terminal to relatively small locations other than what occurs today. Currently LNG transport is based on economies of scale with huge transport ships supplying large terminals with natural gas for further transport by pipeline. This is the case at terminals in France and Spain (among many others). Natural gas will supplant oil as the main energy source in the future and this poses the question of how this energy source can be supplied to smaller terminals by ship, rail, or truck. The project intends to form the basis of a larger Nordic or EU project in the near future. Participants are the Danish Hydraulic Institute, COWI A/S, Aalborg University Esbjerg, York refrigeration and Offshore Center Danmark as project coordinator. Companies interested in learning more about the project should contact OCD. International focus Offshore Center Danmark has recently increased its focus on the international markets. The long term aim is to be able to profile the competences of OCD members to other countries, in close corporation with Danish export organizations including the Confederation of Danish Industries. In June OCD had a visit from the Brazilian industry organization PETRO-RS. The company is a member based organization similar to Offshore Center Danmark and represents 150 Brazilian offshore related companies. OCD has been invited to visit PETRO-RS in the near future. June also featured a status meeting in Esbjerg for development project POWER ( At this meeting UK based member organization EEEGR (East of England Energy GRoup) participated and shared their views with Offshore Center Danmark. EEEGR is an organization similar to OCD and counts approximately 180 members and supporters within the industry sector, with a key focus on the offshore sector. OCD intent is to establish collaborations with both PETRO-RS and EEEGR in order to increase networking and business opportunities for OCD members in Brazil and the UK, complementing the corporation Offshore Center Danmark already has with similar offshore hubs in Stavanger and Aberdeen. Also in May, OCD had the pleasure of meeting with a delegation from the Kyrgyzstan government, who visited the regional organization EUVest and who had asked to visit and learn about the work form of OCD. Copenhagen Offshore Wind In early 2004 Offshore Center Danmark hosted a work shop where major Danish wind turbine manufactures, developers and other offshore wind companies were represented. This work shop spawned the idea of what has 12 Offshore Center Denmark

13 rt News Short News Short News Short New rt News Short News Short News Short New today evolved into the World s biggest conference for Offshore Wind - Copenhagen Offshore Wind. within the offshore sector. These included: Ib Larsen (director for the Danish Energy Authority), Jørgen Hammer Hansen (director for the Danish Maritime Authority), Birger T. Madsen (director for BTM Consult A/S focusing on offshore wind) and Per Resen Steenstrup (director for Wave Star Energy). The conference takes place from October and is expected to be visited by more than 1,000 international visitors and exhibitors. In connection with the conference OCD has arranged a pre conference course, aimed at newcomers to the offshore wind industry. The course takes place on October 25. Please contact OCD for more info and registration to the course. OffshoreBase Offshore Wind development project nearing completion OCD coordinated development project Offshore wind Turbines Situated In Strong Sea Currents is nearing it s completion. The project has examined development of scour around monopiles under various conditions. Partners in the project include RAMBØLL, Aalborg University, Aalborg University Esbjerg, DHI, Vestas and A2SEA. The results will be made available at a seminar in the near future. Details will follow on www. offshorecenter.dk. Day two of the meeting was aimed at networking and featured workshop activities focusing on the offshore industry needs and requirements to Offshore Center Danmark in the years to come. Offshore Center Danmark would like to thank all who participated in the meetings, for all the valuable inputs received during the two splendid days. IADC Drilling Conference Offshore Center Danmark yearly membership meeting Offshore Center Danmark maintains two websites. While the main website (www. offshorecenter.dk) is aimed at news and technical information for the Danish offshore industry, OffshoreBase ( dk) is more commercially focused and aimed at the international community. Offshore- Base has recently undergone a major update. Besides the extensive searchable database of Danish offshore companies, the website now features additional sections such as possibility to advertise, tenders and available job positions. OffshoreBase has been translated into English in order to reflect the international focus. On September 2nd and 3rd OCD hosted it s yearly meeting for members of the organization. As last year, the beautiful Skarrildhus manor set the scene for the event. 60 delegates and a handful of speakers helped make the two days a success. Day one focused on the board reporting of the activities of OCD and discussions related to the future of Danish offshore activities. In the afternoon four notable speakers gave their input to each of their areas of expertise The International Association of Drilling Contractors held its annual European HSE conference in Esbjerg from May 19-20, The theme for the conference this year was HSE: Health, Safety and Environment. There was participation of 212 drilling representatives from 86 companies from 20 different countries at the 2 day conference held at the Esbjerg Performing Arts Centre. Offshore Center Danmark and many of its members participated in the exciting and innovative conference where many new ideas and experiences where presented around the three themes. It also was an opportunity for many to show their colours and network with international partners. Offshore Center Denmark 13

14 Decommissioning of offshore platforms in Esbjerg Esbjerg in Denmark has for many years been known as a reliable and competent partner, when it comes to repair and revamping of offshore oil rigs. In the latest development, the companies in Esbjerg have decided to look into reserving a large permanent quay site alongside the harbour area in Esbjerg for rig repair work. Also an investigation is being made to reserve a neighbouring area for decommissioning of small and medium-sized platforms. Rig-repair has for many years been a wellestablished trademark of Esbjerg, and hence decommissioning of platforms is also considered interesting. The Danish oil and gas industry is well-known in relation to good standards for environmental, safety, working environment and certification deliveries to the offshore operators. In a series of development projects over the past five years, undertaken with Offshore Center Danmark as umbrella organization, decommissioning has been investigated. A number of Esbjerg companies and institutions have been involved, with the goal of preparing low-cost, safe and environmental friendly methods for disposal of worn-out offshore platforms. A number of these companies are now considering joining forces to scrap the platforms in the most efficient and environmental- DanCopter A/S going worldwide By Controller Dorte Juhl Petersen, DanCopter A/S in parallel with the activities out of Esbjerg Airport. The most commonly used method of transporting personnel to offshore installations is the helicopter. The Danish company DanCopter combines passenger transport to oil rigs and ships in the North Sea. As stated by Dorthe Juhl Petersen with employees, who have business experience at all levels and a positive attitude to life and the result is a company, which gives priority to safety, quality, honesty and a high degree of flexibility at all levels. DanCopter was founded in February The company is based in Esbjerg Airport, where new office facilities and two hangars totalling 1,300 square meters were built two years ago. In spite of the company s young age its number of employees has doubled from 18 to 36, with good annual results, and with activities at a level higher than anticipated by the management. Today DanCopter is running a growing number of operations offshore and onshore for authorities and companies from the home base in Esbjerg primarily for the Danish oil company DONG and the American oil company Amerada Hess. DanCopter recently operates two Eurocopter EC155 B1 helicopters and one brand new Dauphin N3 from its modern base in Esbjerg Airport where a well equipped and clean maintenance hangar ensures the safety and reliability levels required for all types of material. A short period with reduction in flights to the offshore bases in the Danish sector has challenged DanCopter to think of other ways to make a living. This has been a challenge, but with very flexible employees DanCopter has been assigned to contracts all over the world, Early this summer DanCopter sent a helicopter to Brønnøysund in the northern part of Norway. The assignment was to fly to offshore bases in the Norwegian Sector. This challenge - to send not only the helicopter but also staff to work out of a foreign airport has been working excellently by the experienced DanCopter staff, according to Dorte Juhl Petersen. The adventure in Norway is not the only one. One example was this summer, when Dan- Copter invested 50 million DKK in a French Dauphin N3 helicopter, to replace a leased Dauphin N2. Normally it would take around 18 months from ordering to delivery, but DanCopter succeeded in finding a brand-new helicopter ready to be delivered at short notice. Even before the paper had dried after taking over the helicopter, DanCopter had the first contract for the aircraft. The new helicopter was sent in 5 boxes by air-freight to Santiago, Chile. The assignment in Chile, for the manufacturer of the helicopter Eurocopter, was to promote the helicopter type for possible buyers in Chile 14 Offshore Center Denmark

15 Members of Offshore Center Denmark friendly way. As a result, Ribe County has just launched an initial environmental hearing in respect of establishing a permanent rig-repair site and a possible decommissioning site. Until now only positive feed-back has been received. Also on a pilot project already several companies have joined forces, to decommission a smaller offshore structure on the quay side of Esbjerg Harbour. The experiences from this case will be used to improve the solutions envisaged by the development project. by flying to several airports all over Chile for a period of one month. In the next year a Danish DanCopter helicopter will be based in Netherlands and England. The DanCopter staff has to serve Shell with offshore flying to the oil-rigs in the North Sea. Also from Brazil there have been enquiries. During the first 30 months of DanCopter s life, its helicopters flew to the offshore installation no less than 3500 times. According to Dorte Juhl Petersen, part of the company s success seems to be based on the fact, that even if the contract called for a maximum of 2% delays of the flights DanCopter s flexibility and very high standard of maintenance offered results like an impressively small percentage of only 0,53% of the flights being delayed due to DanCopter. A/S Oil Power A2SEA A/S ABB A/S, Offshore Amerada Hess AM-gruppen AMU-Vest AN GROUP A/S Atcom A/S Atkins Danmark A/S BG bank, offshore afd. Esbjerg Billund Kommune Blue Water Shipping Blaabjerg Kommune Blåvandshuk Kommune Bramming Kommune Brørup Kommune BTM Consult ApS Bureau Veritas Carl Bro A/S, Havne og Vandbygnings afdeling CT Offshore ApS COWI Dan-Equip A/S DAN-EX Electric A/S Danish Air Transport Danish Marine & Offshore Group Dansk Industri Dansk Svejse Teknik A/S DDH Consulting a/s (Hedeselskabet, Miljø & Energi A/S) Deloitte, Offshore Afd. Den Danske Vedligeholdsforening Denerco Oil Det Norske Veritas DHI, Havne & Offshore Afd. DONG DTU - mek Endress+Hauser A/S Energi E2 A/S Erhvervs Akademi Vest Erhvervsuddannelsescenter Vest, EUC Vest Esbjerg Erhvervscenter Esbjerg Havn Esbjerg Kommune Esbjerg Oilfield Services A/S Esbjerg Oiltool A/S Esbjerg Safety Consult Esvagt A/S EU Vest Fanø Kommune FH-MONTAGE Fire-Protect Fiskeri- og Søfartsmuseet Fjord & Fjord Foga ApS Force Technology Forskningsenheden for Maritim Medicin Fyns Kran Udstyr Gardit A/S GEUS, Danmarks og Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse Grindsted Kommune Gulf Offshore Leasing H.H. Consult A/S H.J. Hansen Genvindingsindustri A/S Helle Kommune Hempel A/S Holsted Kommune Hydropower Grene A/S Hytor A/S IFU - The Industrialization Fund for Developing Countries ISC Rådgivende Ingeniører A/S JobInVest ApS Jutlandia Terminal A/S Jørgen Kynde Isoleringsfirma Kommuneforeningen i Ribe Amt Kongstad Safeman Laybourn Trading & Technology, L.T & T LHJ Consult ApS LICengineering A/S Lindpro Madsens Maskinfabrik Aps Maersk Contractors, Esbjerg Maritimt Uddannelsescenter Vest Ministeriet for Videnskab, Teknologi og Udvikling Mærsk Olie og Gas AS NIRAS A/S Nordsø Elektronik A/S Ocean Team Scandinavia Odfjell Well Services Olesen & Jensen, Offshore Persolit Peter Harbo A/S PNE Teknik A/S Pon Power A/S (Enmaco Motorer A/S, offshore afd.) Promecon QA Consulting Rambøll Ribe Amt Ribe Kommune Ribe Maskinfabrik Rovsing Dynamics A/S Sanistål A/S Score Danmark A/S Semco Maritime SGS Danmark A/S Siemens Siemens Wind Power A/S Solar Offshore STMS - Survival Training Maritime Safety SURVIVAL A/S Training Center Esbjerg Syddansk Universitet Uni-Safe Electronics A/S Uniscrap A/S Valtor Offshore A/S Varde Kommune Vejen Kommune Vestas Northern Europe, Offshore Afd. Vetco Gray Denmark Viking Life-Saving Equipment A/S Vindmølleindustrien VSB Industri- og Stålmontage A/S Welcon A/S YIT A/S Ølgod Kommune Aalborg Universitet Esbjerg Last year the Managing Director, founder and co-owner of DanCopter, Susanne H. Lastein, received the Ellehammer Award by Danish Aviation Journalists Club, quote for her contribution to Danish aviation and all that she till now has achieved on the West coast concerning helicopter traffic She is the thirteenth person receiving the award, but only the second woman being honoured this way by Danish aviation journalists. How to become a member If you want to become a member of Offshore Center Danmark please fill out the registration form you find at our web-site Click Medlemslogin Click Indmeldelse Fill out the registration form Click Send Membership fees can be found by clicking Kontingentsatser at the left. You can always phone or mail us for help. Offshore Center Danmark Tel: Mail: info@offshorecenter.dk Offshore Center Denmark 15 Newsletter ON/OFF 5 - April 2005

16 The board of Offshore Center Danmark: Rambøll A/S, Force Technology A/S, Pon Power A/S, Aalborg Universitet Esbjerg and Esbjerg Kommune. Offshore Center Danmark was created through corporation between the Danish offshore industry, universities, Ribe County, the 14 municipalities in the county and the Danish ministry for Research, Technology and Development. Roles and responsibilities of personnel Peter Blach Director Peter s responsibilities are the overall strategies and contacts to the members. Using his background as an offshore engineer and HD, he also backs up with regards to technical and marketing issues, innovative development projects and net working activities. Berit Christensen Secretary Berit takes care of the practical issues, is the daily link to the members, calls in the meetings, seminars etc. and furthermore takes care of in-house office tasks, including project reporting. Berit is a former employee of the Danish Safety Technology Authority. Morten is in charge of growing, systematizing and informing the offshore industry of our knowledge data base. Besides this he participates in development projects and ERFA groups. Morten holds a masters degree from Aalborg University, Esbjerg, with focus on chemical and process engineering. Christian M. Schovsbo Engineer, Oil and Gas Christian participates as project co-ordinator in several of our development projects and ERFA groups. Christian holds a BA in economics and political science from Simon Fraser University, Canada and from Aalborg University Esbjerg. Christian holds a Masters of Oil and Gas Technology. Allan S. Christensen Consultant Morten H. Madsen Knowledge & Renewables engineer Allan works as an external consultant for Offshore Center Danmark and backs up on financing of development projects and tutor for courses. Allan has earlier worked as an engineer with EU-Vest and RAMBØLL. Your every day tool within offshore Offshore Center Denmark Niels Bohrs Vej Esbjerg Tlf info@offshorecenter.dk is the place to find information of relevance to the Danish offshore industry. Here you will find a general presentation of Offshore Center Denmark and its services.