Congo: operations at depths of up to 1,200 m
At the site of the Moho Nord project off the coast of the Congo, BOURBON is operating for Total, with a PSV Bourbon Explorer which has been transformed into an MPSV upon client request. Details from Patrick Bourhis, Contracts Manager.
In September 2014, Total Congo began drilling operations at Moho Nord, its exploration/production site located 75 km off the coast of Pointe-Noire. BOURBON immediately became involved in this deep offshore project. “Initially, 3 of the group’s vessels were assigned to transport mud and drilling equipment, the Bourbon Liberty 152, the Bourbon Liberty 111, and lastly, the Bourbon Explorer 504, which was later chartered for the production phase. The Bourbon Explorer 504 is a latest-generation PSV, designed to supply equipment to offshore facilities, that we transformed into an MPSV vessel and equipped with ROVs,” Patrick Bourhis explains. Since the launch of the production phase in early 2017, BOURBON has been carrying out assignments involving inspection, maintenance and repairs of subsea facilities, including the entire length of pipelines. At depths reaching 1,200 m below water, power and precision are even more necessary than ever.
" We adhere to the strictest safety procedures, not only for generic protocols, but also for exceptional situations where specific interventions are required."patrick bourhiscontracts manager
FLEXIBILITY AND VERSATILITY
“We added a mezzanine to the Bourbon Explorer 504 in order to accommodate the 2 ROVs. In this context, speed of execution and flexibility are both essential. In order to meet client requirements, the ability to tailor our approach is also key,” the Contracts Manager points out. “In order to operate in such deep waters, the ROVs must be high-tech, extremely reliable and sturdy, and fitted with deep positioning equipment in order to ensure stability. Skilled personnel is also needed to operate them.” On board, a team of 6 people operate the ROVs via fiber optic link.
The aim of this support mission: to assist the client with their operations, “anticipating any issues, never acting in haste, because the slightest error can be very costly, at the technical, environmental, financial and operational levels.” To achieve this delicate balance, it is necessary to have an experienced crew and the latest-generation equipment, both for the vessel & ROV.
