Udupi, Karnataka
2013-14
Fugro N.V., a global leader in geotechnical and offshore survey services, commissioned the construction of two specialised Geo-Technical Research Vessels (GTRVs) at TEBMA Shipyards in Udupi — Fugro Voyager and Fugro Scout.
Designed for offshore drilling, seabed investigation and geotechnical survey operations, the vessels incorporated sophisticated hydraulic equipment including drilling systems, high-capacity winches, offshore cranes, pipe handling systems and auxiliary hydraulic machinery.
Cenergy Offshore, in partnership with Tube-Mac Industries (TMI), was selected to execute the hydraulic and high-pressure piping systems for the vessels.
The project required detailed engineering, vessel surveys, on-site pipe fabrication, installation of non-welded piping systems, flushing, pressure testing and commissioning, all within a demanding shipbuilding schedule.
The hydraulic piping installation presented several challenges associated with building a complex hydraulic system within a working vessel.
A significant portion of the piping had to be routed through confined spaces, tanks, machinery rooms and difficult-to-access vessel compartments. The routing had to accommodate existing equipment and vessel structures while maintaining accessibility for operation and maintenance.
Unlike a conventional workshop installation, much of the piping had to be fabricated based on actual as-built vessel conditions. This meant that accurate measurement, fabrication and fit-up were critical, with limited scope for adjustment once the piping was installed.
The hydraulic systems also had stringent cleanliness requirements because they were connected to sophisticated drilling and hydraulic equipment.
At the same time, engineering, fabrication, installation, flushing, testing and commissioning had to be completed within a compressed project schedule.
Cenergy Offshore delivered an end-to-end hydraulic piping solution in partnership with TMI, covering engineering, fabrication, installation, flushing, pressure testing and commissioning.
The solution combined on-site hydraulic pipe fabrication with TMI’s non-welded piping technologies, allowing the system to be installed efficiently while reducing the need for hot work aboard the vessel.
The piping system incorporated:
The combination of engineered routing, accurate on-site fabrication and non-welded connections provided a practical solution for the complex installation environment.
Cenergy Offshore engineers carried out vessel surveys and developed the piping routes based on the hydraulic schematics and equipment requirements.
The design process involved close coordination with Fugro and TEBMA Shipyards to resolve routing, equipment interface and installation challenges.
Particular attention was given to piping routes through restricted areas of the vessel, including machinery spaces, tanks and other difficult-to-access compartments.
The engineering team developed routing solutions that allowed the hydraulic piping to be installed within the available space while maintaining the required connections, accessibility and serviceability.
Due to the complexity of the vessel and the need to accommodate actual as-built conditions, a significant portion of the hydraulic piping was fabricated directly on site.
Cenergy Offshore used specialised equipment including:
Pipe bends up to 4 inches were completed on site. Larger-diameter and specialised bends were manufactured through TMI’s facilities.
The ability to fabricate and accurately fit piping on site was particularly important when routing through tanks, machinery spaces and other restricted areas where conventional prefabrication would have provided limited tolerance for variations in the vessel’s as-built condition.
The project incorporated several non-welded piping technologies supplied by TMI.
The use of mechanically connected piping systems reduced the requirement for hot work during installation and provided advantages in the confined environment of a vessel.
The non-welded connections also supported efficient installation and future maintainability of the hydraulic systems.
By combining non-welded technology with accurate on-site fabrication, Cenergy Offshore was able to address the practical challenges of installing high-pressure hydraulic piping within a complex marine environment.
The hydraulic piping was installed throughout the vessel under the supervision of experienced Cenergy Offshore and TMI technicians.
Installation required careful coordination with the vessel’s machinery, structural elements and other onboard systems.
Piping was fabricated, positioned and connected according to the approved routing while maintaining the required cleanliness standards.
The installation included hydraulic connections for critical onboard equipment such as:
Following installation, the hydraulic systems were flushed using carefully planned looping arrangements to achieve the cleanliness levels required by the hydraulic equipment manufacturers.
The mechanically cleaned and protected piping supplied as part of the TMI system helped reduce contamination during installation and allowed the flushing process to be completed efficiently.
The final NAS cleanliness results exceeded the project requirements and were reviewed and accepted by the client.
Following successful flushing, the pressure lines were proof-tested up to 4,000 PSI using established hydraulic pressure-testing procedures and safety protocols.
The testing was completed successfully without leakage or system failures.
Following successful flushing and pressure testing, the hydraulic machinery and associated equipment were commissioned.
The systems were brought into operation without hydraulic leaks, allowing the commissioning process to proceed smoothly.
The successful execution of the Fugro Voyager project demonstrated Cenergy Offshore’s ability to deliver complex hydraulic piping systems within a specialised marine environment.
Following the successful completion of the first vessel, the same project team was subsequently entrusted with the hydraulic piping requirements for the Fugro Scout.
Both vessels were successfully delivered within the required project schedules.
Cenergy Offshore successfully delivered the hydraulic and high-pressure piping systems for Fugro’s specialised Geo-Technical Research Vessels.
The project demonstrated the ability to execute complex hydraulic installations where restricted routing, as-built fabrication, stringent cleanliness requirements and demanding schedules had to be managed simultaneously.
The extensive use of non-welded piping technologies reduced hot work requirements and supported efficient installation within the vessel environment, while on-site fabrication provided the flexibility required to accommodate actual vessel conditions.
The completed systems were flushed to the required cleanliness levels, pressure tested up to 4,000 PSI and commissioned successfully without hydraulic leaks or system failures.
The successful delivery of Fugro Voyager directly contributed to the award of the second vessel, Fugro Scout, to the same project team.
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