Ampelmann

Offshore Access Gangway

The Ampelmann is a ship-based self stabilizing platform that actively compensates all vessel motions to make offshore access safe, easy and fast. The base of the Ampelmann is mounted on the deck of the vessel or barge and takes care of the motion compensation, keeping the top side of the Ampelmann stationary. The gangway, which is mounted on the top side, can now be easily deployed onto the offshore structure enabling safe offshore crew transfer. Click here for more information on the Ampelmann technology.

The combination of an Ampelmann on an accommodation vessel has turned out to be a very safe and cost effective alternative for any installation, maintenance, intervention or decommissioning job as opposed to the expensive jack-up rigs, semi-submersibles or helicopters.

Moreover, the Ampelmann also eliminates crew transfer by crew baskets, swing ropes and boat landings, especially in marginal weather conditions.

Oil & Gas

More and more offshore exploration and production companies are dealing with ageing of assets, stabilization of productivity and increase of QHSE requirements. Flexible and low cost solutions are required in order to keep the offshore structures operable and productive. And off course, all operations necessary to obtain these goals have to be QHSE compliant.

Looking for solutions for the challenges mentioned above, E&P companies start to believe in the combination of a supply vessel with an offshore access gangway system like the Ampelmann. Just recently, Total and the NAM (Shell) have executed a trial with the Ampelmann in the North Sea which resulted in a job for the NAM this summer and a serious interest for Total for a longer term contract in 2011. Also other E&P companies have used the Ampelmann system with success. For instance: Total the Netherlands, Wintershall the Netherlands, Shell Brunei, Origin Energy Australia, Saipem Italy and BP Trinidad & Tobago.

Access to NAM L2 platform

The key to success of the combination of a vessel with an Ampelmann system is the efficiency of how a lot of work can be done in a short period of time. While the vessel stays in the field with sufficient accommodation and workshop facilities for an optimal job execution, the Ampelmann provides access to the offshore structure every day. Within 10 minutes, the whole crew are transferred in the morning and picked-up again in the evening. There is practically no loss of working hours due to sailing or flying from the shore. The vessel can also carry all required equipment and exchange parts required for the job, leaving out the necessity of ordering a supply vessel.

Case calculations have shown a cost reduction of 17-25 % and a time reduction of 30-60% using the Ampelmann technology rather than conventional methods as jack-up rigs and helicopters.

So far, the Ampelmann system has been used for executing commissioning jobs of new platforms, maintenance campaigns, wellhead intervention jobs and even platform removal jobs. Click here for an overview of the projects executed.

Offshore wind

The Offshore Wind Energy industry is expected to make giant leaps in the next coming years. I n a recent study, the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) expects the Annul installations of Offshore Wind Energy to increase from 1,099 MW in 2010 to 13,690 MW in 2030. With 5 MW turbines (the largest offshore turbines so far built), that comes down to 220 new offshore turbines in 2010 up to approx. 2500 in 2030. Annual Offshore Wind Energy investments are estimated around 2.5 € billion in 2010 up to 16.5 5 billion in 2030.

The best technologies for installation and operation and maintenance (o&m) for offshore turbines are introducing themselves more and more. The Ampelmann system has already shown its value in both the installation and o&m area.

Mounted on a heavy lift vessel, the Ampelmann provides access and supports the installation process of transition pieces for new turbines. The transition pieces are grouted to their foundations and the Ampelmann access gangway supports the grout hose from the vessel onto the monopole structure. For a detailed description of this job, click here.

Ampelmann supporting Wind turbine installation

Mounted on a fast crew supply boat, the Ampelmann system can easily provide quick access to several wind turbines within a offshore wind farm. This way, service or maintenance to several wind turbines can be provided simultaneously. Ampelmann have started executing tests with Damen Shipyards to supply this solution to the market.

Ampelmann on the Damen FCS 5009 for a test