Robust energy chains for moving the drill floor skid on drilling vessels

High mobility and flexibility in the oil and gas industry: as mobile drilling platforms, drillships are an important addition to fixed drilling sites. Also known as modular drilling rigs (MDRs), they can travel to drilling platforms and drill holes there. This is made possible by a boom that moves over the hole from the ship with the help of a sliding frame, the drill skid. In order to move the drilling platform, also known as the drill floor, safely and reliably even in rough sea conditions, a special solution had to be found for the energy supply. The extremely high cable weight, coupled with corrosive sea air and strong winds, called for robust and lightweight guidance.

The customer, a major service provider and manufacturer of technologies for the oil and gas industry, relies on the lightweight but robust E4.1 plastic-energy chain from Serie E600. The E4.1 model is suitable for use on onshore and offshore installations, as it offers the necessary stability for heavy-duty applications and even allows additional loads of 250 kg/m and more. The low dead weight of the sliding e-chain® reduces the overall weight of the solution. The cable chains are also space-optimised, allowing compact installation along the drill floor. Finally, the material of the chains, which are made from high-performance polymers, also played an important role. The material used protects them against corrosion and therefore proves particularly effective on offshore systems in sometimes aggressive environmental conditions.