Home / MOSES

Success Story | Transporting of 3×330 Class Barge Loaded with Jacket Onboard Semi-Submersible Vessel

Project Building and transporting heavy platform jackets is a complex process under normal conditions. However, Sapura Energy Berhad had just one year to build three jackets in Malaysia and transport them to Al Shaheed Field, Quatarā€™s largest offshore oil field. Managed by North Oil Company (NOC), this field includes 33 platforms spread across nine areas. To enhance production capacity, NOC initiated the USD 60 million Al Shaheen Phase 2 project, which involved installing seven new wellhead platforms (WHPs) in two batches. Sapura Energy Berhad, as the engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning (EPCIC) contractor, was responsible for delivering three WHP jackets, encompassing design, fabrication, transportation, and installation. The project faced a significant challenge: delivering the WHP jackets within a tight 12-month timeframe. All structures were to be fabricated in Malaysia, and traditional towing methods would require at least 40 days to reach Qatar, leaving only 10.5 months for design and construction. Sapura Energy Berhad was challenged with finding the best way to transport the jackets on time and within budget. Facts Reduced transportation time by over 50%, ensuring the project stayed on schedule. Lowered transportation costs by using a single semi-submersible heavy-lift vessel instead of multiple tugs. Ensured the safe

Read More >

New aerodynamic model revolutionizes wind turbine design and operation

Researchers at MIT have unveiled a groundbreaking aerodynamic theory for rotors that promises to transform the design and operation of wind turbines and wind farms. Published in the journal Nature Communications via anĀ open-access paperĀ by MIT postdoc Jaime Liew, doctoral student Kirby Heck and Michael Howland, the Esther and Harold E. Edgerton assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, this new model offers a more accurate way to determine the forces, flow velocities, and power of a rotor, whether it is extracting energy from the wind or applying energy as a propeller. The traditional momentum theory, developed in the late 19th century, has long been used to predict the performance of rotors. However, it has significant limitations, especially at higher rotation speeds and different blade angles. In 2019, Stanford University conducted studies showing that turbine wakes can result in a 40% loss of efficiency in downstream generators. The new model, developed at MIT, addresses these shortcomings and provides a more precise calculation of the Betz limit, showing that it is possible to extract slightly more power than previously thought. One of the most exciting aspects of this new model is its immediate applicability. Wind farm operators constantly adjust turbine parameters, such

Read More >

Subscribe to The Bentley Brief

Stay ahead of the curve with the latest infrastructure news and insights.