History Of Rope Work The rope has been used since prehistoric times. It is used throughout construction, seafaring, exploration, sports, theatre, and communications. Many types of knots have been developed to fasten with rope, join ropes, and utilize rope to generate mechanical advantage. Pulleys can redirect the pulling force of a rope in another direction,…

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History Of Rope Work

The rope has been used since prehistoric times. It is used throughout construction, seafaring, exploration, sports, theatre, and communications. Many types of knots have been developed to fasten with rope, join ropes, and utilize rope to generate mechanical advantage. Pulleys can redirect the pulling force of a rope in another direction, multiply its lifting or pulling power, and distribute a load over multiple parts of the same rope to increase safety and decrease wear.

The ancient Egyptians were the first civilization to develop special tools to make rope. Egyptian rope dates to 4000 – 3500 BC and was generally made of water reed fibers. Other ropes in antiquity were made from fibers of date palms, flax, grass, papyrus, leather, or animal hair. The use of such ropes pulled by thousands of workers allowed the Egyptians to move the heavy stones required to build their monuments.

How Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA) formed?

IRATA was formed in the UK in the late 1980s. It was set up to solve maintenance challenges in the offshore oil and gas industry. Its formation was the result of an initiative of several leading companies, who had begun to use industrial rope access techniques, to provide a safe working environment for the industry.

The IRATA two-rope, fail-to-safe technique developed by IRATA is used in a wide range of repair, maintenance, inspection, and access work. Rope access methodology boasts an unrivaled safety record, short set-up and dismantling time, positive environmental benefits, and removes the need for invasive access equipment or disruption to a worksite.

What is the future of rope access?

With the rising demand for natural energy, wind turbines are being installed around the world. Thus, Rope access workers are in demand as they will be required to work in the high element of the wind turbines. Work such as repairing the spinner requires rope access knowledge. 

Legislation in health and safety and working at height are far stricter than in previous years. If a company fails to follow safety rules, it could tar its reputation. Seeking professional help from a qualified work-at-height company with a proven safety record will mitigate any potential safety risks.

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History of ballast on vessels In the earlier times, solid ballast such as sandbags, rocks, iron blocks were used to load onto the vessels once the cargo loading was completed. This method helped to maintain the stability of the ship and its seaworthiness. In the nineteenth century, cargo boats returning from Europe to North America…

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History of ballast on vessels

In the earlier times, solid ballast such as sandbags, rocks, iron blocks were used to load onto the vessels once the cargo loading was completed. This method helped to maintain the stability of the ship and its seaworthiness. In the nineteenth century, cargo boats returning from Europe to North America would carry quarried stone as ballast. They contribute to the architectural heritage of some east coast cities (for example Montreal), where this stone was used in building.

As soon steam-powered ships appeared during the modern industrial revolution, their design changed to a metal-hulled type. They started to carry water for the steam machine but also developed the use of water as stabilization ballast.

Today cargo vessels, such as tankers, bulk carriers, or container ships carry liquid ballast. It includes freshwater, saltwater, or brackish water in various ballast tanks. If the cargo vessel wishes to travel empty or partially empty to collect cargo, it must travel in ballast. It keeps the vessel in trim and keeps the propeller and rudder submerged. Typically, being “in ballast” will mean flooding the ballast tanks with seawater as ships get bigger in size. The cargo carried by the vessels varies from one port to another. Water ballast tanks are used to compensate for maintaining the trim and stability of the vessel for a safe sea passage.

Why is ballast water an issue?

The process of loading and unloading untreated ballast water poses a major threat to the environment. Ships become a medium for the transfer of organisms between ecosystems from one part of the world to another.

When ballast water is pumped into a ship many microscopic organisms and sediments can be introduced into a ship’s ballast tanks. These organisms include bacteria, microbes, small invertebrates, eggs, cysts, and larvae of various species. Many of these organisms can survive in a ship’s ballast tanks. When the ballast water is discharged, the organisms are released into new environments. If suitable conditions exist in the new environment into which they are released, these species can survive, reproduce, and become aquatic invasive species.

How ballast water treatment solve invasive species issues?

Ballast water treatment systems are used to maintain the balance of the marine ecosystem by filtering and disinfecting ballast water. Several technologies are used in ballast water treatment systems to avoid polluting seawater. As time has passed, companies are favoring chemical-free ways of treating ballast water. Thus, physical treatment is gaining importance.

The International Marine Organization (IMO) has imposed strict regulations to check potential harm to seawater. By checking on foreign toxic species such as pathogens, these regulations and their strict enforcement are making owners install ballast water treatment systems on ships.

A number of factors are taken into account for choosing a ballast water treatment system for a ship.

Some of the main factors taken into consideration are 

• 1) Effectiveness of ballast water organisms
• 2) Environment-friendliness
• 3) Safety of the crew
• 4) Cost-effectiveness
• 5) Ease of installation and operation
• 6) Space availability on board

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Online Event Date & Time: September 29, 2021, 7pm - 12 am (SGT) Register Today There are many challenges associated with maintaining the effective integrity of assets to improve operational performance and maintain offshore production levels in Brazil. Companies specializing in offshore asset maintenance are predicting an increase in demand from 2021/22 when the effects of the…

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There are many challenges associated with maintaining the effective integrity of assets to improve operational performance and maintain offshore production levels in Brazil.

Companies specializing in offshore asset maintenance are predicting an increase in demand from 2021/22 when the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are expected to be mitigated and activities reheated.

There is a new entry of players in the market for predictive, preventive, and corrective maintenance. Until 2015, this type of service was dominated by a relatively small group of companies. The understanding is that the emergence of other companies reflects a complete change in this situation that, in recent years, has suffered from the fall in much of the country’s industrial activities.

Good examples of asset integrity and maintenance are focused on current industry best practices, which have been developed over the years. Such practices note how innovation and technology can help shape the future of offshore maintenance.

In 2019 and 2020, with the oil crisis and the pandemic, Petrobras decided to hibernate platforms of lower productivity. Some units will be sold and others decommissioned. Platforms that will be hibernated will need to have appropriate procedures, for example, with corrosion protection. Both the new offshore units to be built, and those that will be sold, will have to be fully maintained until the destination is completed.

Based on these principles, SOBENA promotes the 4th Event on Integrity and Maintenance of Offshore Assets to be held on September 29, 2021.

It is a common fact that maintenance should be a priority from now on. In this webinar, we will bring together key stakeholders, including operators, regulators, supply chains, and industry experts, to discuss some of the key challenges facing the industry today and how we can use our knowledge, technologies, and expertise to find new, cost-effective and secure solutions for the future.

Eng. Prof. Ronald Carreteiro – Webinar Coordinator

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What is SPS? SPSTM is a patented structural composite comprising two metal plates bonded with a solid polyurethane elastomer core. The elastomer core provides support to the plates. It enhances buckling capacity and fatigue life of the structure. Benefits of using SPS repair technology - Local and global strength reinstatement and strengthening- Superior to conventional crop…

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What is SPS?

SPS^TM is a patented structural composite comprising two metal plates bonded with a solid polyurethane elastomer core. The elastomer core provides support to the plates. It enhances buckling capacity and fatigue life of the structure.

Benefits of using SPS repair technology

• – Local and global strength reinstatement and strengthening
• – Superior to conventional crop and replace
• – Extremely fast process with no structural removal (up to 4x faster than conventional methods)
• – Non-disruptive
• – Better than the new structural performance
• – Minimises labour content and downtime

Cold Work SPS for FPSO Capixaba

Using the SPS® Cold Work solution to reinstate the deck of the FPSO Capixaba ensured:

• – 100% operational capacity was maintained throughout – tank below remained operational
• – A non-disruptive repair was completed much faster than crop and renew repair
• – Reinstated deck plate stronger than the original
• – Fire risk eliminated
• – No crude oil tank cleaning required
• – No under deck scaffolding required in confined space

Our well-trained SPS team proposed SPS Cold Work installation to deliver this permanent repair. We reinstated the existing deck and created a new composite section. A combination of bolts and structural adhesive was used to fit and join the steel components to form airtight cavities. The elastomer core was injected between the cavities. All steel components were prefabricated before being shipped on board for installation. This reduced the cost of the project. Welding requirements were eliminated. Time was reduced for the installation team, which in turn simplified project logistics. The design and process were evaluated and approved by ABS Brazil. 

The SPS cold work solution reduced the amount of in-situ offshore work and POB requirements, allowing the FPSO to remain in operation. The fire-related risk was eliminated during the repair. SPS cold work was a great solution, as well as being class approved, for steel repairs where both hot work and POB are a constraint.

Andrea Galter, Operability Lead Engineer, SBM Offshore

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