ABB Breakthrough for Enhanced Reliability Drillship

ABB, a power and automation technology group, has secured an offshore marine industry contract covering electrical power and propulsion systems onboard a DP class 3 Drill Ship to be conferred with "Enhanced Reliability" and  Dynpos Autro notation from Det Norske Veritas(DNV).

The contract covers installations onboard a BT-UDS dynamic positioned ultra-deep water drill ship ordered by Sigma Drilling, the joint venture between Norway’s Skeie Technology and Houston-based Vantage Drilling, from STX Offshore and Shipbuilding. The vessel, to be built at South Korea’s STX Jinhae yard, is scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2015.

The new Dynpos ER class notation for Enhanced Reliability from DNV recognizes advances made in flexibility, redundancy and fuel-efficiency in the structuring of DP systems. The notation covers connected power systems with standby start-up capabilities in specific conditions and the seamless and redundant change-over of generators and thrusters, via closed bus ties.

To meet Dynpos ER  and the Dynpos Autro with closed ring requirements, the Sigma Drilling ship will feature ABB’s protection devices; fast bus communications based on IEC 61850 standards and integrated blackout prevention functions. Dynpos ER  has specific requirements for operational flexibility and the safe operation of the power and thruster plant onboard.

ABB will supply a package of power and propulsion plant and preventive maintenance systems onboard, including generator sets, switchboards, thruster motors, thruster drives, the drilling drive systems, Diesel Generator Monitoring System (DGMS) and Remote Diagnostic System (RDS).

The BT-UDS is a new design of drillship which has been developed by Bassoe Technology. Capable of drilling wells down to 40,000ft (12,190m) in water depths of up to 12,000ft (3650m), the 232m long, 38m wide vessel will have a payload capacity of 25,000 tonnes. Six azimuthing thrusters combined with the Bassoe-developed hull form will provide a transit speed up to 16 knots.