Connectors for Offshore: Why Modular + Mobile + Flexible =Economic

Related Vendors

DÜPERTHAL Sicherheitstechnik GmbH & Co. KG

Once construction at Deggendorf was completed, the rig was broken down and shipped to Norway to enter service on the Heimdal gas platform operated by Norwegian energy company Statoil. At peak production, Heimdal handles 15–20 percent of all Norway’s gas, sourced from the Huldra, Oseberg, Skirne and Vale fields. Production from the Heimdal field itself has fallen considerably in recent years, which is why wells needed to be plugged.

Electrical Connectors for Easy Assembly

The modular design of the VDD 400.2 rig means a lot of power and instrument cables running between the modules. For small and medium-sized cables, Max Streicher chose Instrum Ex and Control Ex connectors from Hawke International to ease the process of dismantling and re-assembly.

“Of course we could also clamp all the cables in place,” says Robert Paternoster, who is responsible for electrical equipment at the Streicher Group. “But this would generate two separate issues. As well as increasing the number of potential sources for a fault, it also leads to increased offshore wage costs.” The Hawke connectors, on the other hand, are quick and easy to make or break. Each connector is color-coded to reduce the risks of mistakes during assembly. For dismantling, the operator needs only to make sure that the protective cover is screwed back on to each connector; a warning notice and a security chain make this step hard to forget.

Additional Information

The Companys at a Glance

Specialists working together

With a company history dating back more than 100 years, the Streicher Group combines quality and specialist knowledge with many years of experience in the specialist fields of pipe engineering, rig engineering, mechanical engineering, deep mining, civil engineering, raw materials, and construction materials. As part of the parent company Max Streicher, Deggendorf, Germany, the company employs around 3,000 staff at home and abroad.

Jacob, based in Kernen, near Stuttgart, Germany, develops, produces and sells cable glands made from brass, stainless steel and plastic using state-of-the-art production technology. The other core business area is the manufacture of level measurement technology, such as floating switches and suction lances. Jacob also offers customer-specific solutions. The product portfolio includes components for potentially explosive areas, VDE-approved cable glands for use in Europe and UL-approved versions for the US market.

Based in the UK, Hawke International has been one of the world’s leading providers of cable glands and connectors for potentially explosive environments. Hawke cable glands and connectors are used in the oil, gas and petrochemicals industry, as well as other onshore and offshore applications.

Ideal for Tough Environments

Hawke connectors are ideally suited to use in tough environments, including offshore. Certified for Ex d and Ex e protection, they are extremely robust, maintenance-free, and suitable for temperatures from –40°C to +60°C. They also feature all the necessary approvals for Ex operation in accordance with ATEX, IECEX and GOST-R.

The connectors were supplied by Jacob of Kernen, near Stuttgart, Germany. As an official Hawke stockist, Jacob keeps a wide assortment of connectors suitable for cables carrying from four to 60 cores, ready for immediate dispatch.

Alongside the connectors, the VDD 400.2 rig also uses large numbers of Hawke cable glands on terminal boxes and cable inlets. Hawke cable glands are practically the standard product where Ex d and Ex e protection is required, Jacob says.

* * The author is Hawke Product Manager at Jacob GmbH, Rommelshausen , Germany

(ID:43271631)

Explosion Proof Connectors

Connectors for Offshore: Why Modular + Mobile + Flexible =Economic

Electrical Connectors for Easy Assembly

Ideal for Tough Environments