The plastic energy chain guides 200kg/m cables on an offshore drilling vessel

Modular drilling rigs are required, for example, when additional drilling equipment needs to be added to fixed drilling platforms.
The mobile drill ships are equipped with all the necessary equipment for mooring to the drilling station and the exact positioning of the extended drill pipe. For this purpose, a huge cantilever moves over the drilling platform above which the drill pipe is to be set up and precisely positioned. Large cable guides are required to ensure that the entire mobile scaffolding for setting up and positioning the equipment moves smoothly and without failure. In this application, the boom should be able to travel 17.5 metres, while the mobile drilling platform (drilling floor) covers a travel distance of 8 metres. The cables being moved here reach an additional load of 200 kg/m and therefore represent a major challenge for the cable routing. Not least due to the harsh conditions on the high seas, a particularly robust and durable solution had to be found that would withstand corrosion and have the lowest possible dead weight.

Two of our plastic-energy chains from the E4.1 series are being used today to safely move the cable load of the cantilever. Specifically, the decision was made in favour of the e-chain® des Typs E4.350 was chosen. With its large dimensions, it is the largest plastic-energy chain that has been installed on a boom and drilling floor. It is not only stable, but also designed to optimise the use of installation space. This saves weight and reduces the drive energy required on the drilling rig. The heavy-duty chains can easily handle the high weight of the boom's cable. Good preparation is also important when carrying out a project like this: both energy chains were pre-assembled for quick installation on the drilling platform at our factory in Cologne.