Subsea turbines face some of the most severe weather conditions due to the offshore environment. Their reliability ultimately depends on the robustness and performance of the component parts that must withstand vibration, high bending, salt water, and high pressure. With this in mind, First Subsea’s Ballgrab connector provides a:
- reliable structural connection between the nacelle and the turbine base.
- connector significantly reduces installation times, and therefore vessel time, as each connection can be completed within minutes
The nacelle connector has no water depth limitation.
- Resistant to high bending moments to provide a secure connection to high load structures in a subsea environment.
- The installation is diverless and ROVless meaning not only can the installation be completed quickly, it also means fewer people are required on deck during installation.
Installation Scenarios
All of First Subsea's connectors are assembled and tested at First Subsea's head office in Lancaster. First Subsea's test facilities includes a test rig for proof load and Minimum Breaking Load (MBL) testing, which includes test facilities up to 2,600T to ensure we stay the class leading supplier for deep water projects. First Subsea also has a purpose-built Bend Stiffener Connector (BSC) test rig is specifically designed to demonstrate the operation and function of the complete pull-in system ahead of deployment offshore. The rig is capable of simulating a riser/umbilical weight of up to 100T and it can also evaluate the angle of connector approach with the maximum riser loads applied.
