Offshore Cable End Jointing with Land-Prepared Platform Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of offshore cables to platforms is challenging due to space restrictions and complex pull-in operations, requiring significant time, resources, and equipment for offshore jointing.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a pull-in head to pull the offshore cable onto a platform, fixate it with a hang-off device, and connect it to a platform cable using a connector, followed by enclosing the joint with a joint body to ensure insulation, which can be prepared on land to simplify and accelerate the offshore jointing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If offshore cable jointing is performed directly on the platform, then the connection can be completed in one operation, but it requires significant time, space, equipment, and resources offshore
Solution Approach 1:
The cable ends are prepared in advance on land before being pulled onto the platform. This includes stripping, cleaning, and pre-assembly of cable components in a controlled dockyard environment, eliminating the need for these complex preparation steps to be performed offshore and reducing overall jointing time and resource requirements
2Ease of operation
If cable preparation is done on land, then the offshore jointing process is simplified, but additional land-based preparation steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The cable installation process is divided into distinct segments: land-based preparation phase and offshore connection phase. By separating these operations, the complex preparation work is performed in the advantageous land environment while the offshore phase is simplified to primarily involve pulling and final connection, making each phase more manageable and efficient
3Area of stationary object
If cable ends are prepared on land, then space requirements on the platform are reduced, but land-based preparation space is needed
Solution Approach 1:
All space-intensive preparation activities including cable stripping, cleaning, and component assembly are performed on land where space is abundant and accessible. This transfers the space requirement from the constrained platform environment to the available dockyard space, minimizing the equipment and space needed during the critical offshore installation phase
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for connecting an offshore cable end and a platform cable end on a platform comprises the steps of a) pulling the offshore cable end, which is covered by a pull-in head, onto the platform through the pull-in head, b) fixating the offshore cable end in a platform-mounted hang-off device, c) removing the pull-in head from the offshore cable end, d) placing the platform cable end in a predefined position relative to the fixated offshore cable end, e) connecting the offshore cable conductor and the platform cable conductor by attaching an offshore cable conductor and a platform cable conductor to a connector, and f) enclosing the offshore cable end, the platform cable end and the connector by a joint body.