Subsea export cable transpooling solutions
Overview
OEG’s cables team was engaged as a principal contractor and designer for the transpool and temporary storage of 18,000 meters of high-voltage (HV) subsea export cable from a transport vessel at Belfast Harbour. With an experienced design and project management team, all operations was successfully performed on time allowing the vessel to vacate the quayside as scheduled.
Challenges
Our client requested 18,000 meters of subsea export cable to be transpooled and temporarily stored at port. This required careful planning and specialised equipment to ensure the cable’s integrity and safety, with the added challenge of limited quayside berthing.
Handling two different lengths of cable (7 km and 11 km) required different techniques and careful coordination to ensure proper tension and alignment. With a tight timeline from the vessel’s arrival to departure, all planning and coordination needed to be prepared in advance and executed upon arrival for smooth port operations.
Workscope
OEG, as principal contractor and designer, managed the transpooling and temporary storage of 18,000 metres of HV subsea export cable (7km and 11km) at Belfast Harbour.
Solution
OEG successfully provided a swift turnaround for the client, including the design and construction of a temporary cable storage facility.
As the principal contractor for the project, OEG handled all pre-engineering requirements. Due to the large length of cable, an entirely new solution needed to be constructed to accommodate the amount of cable and limited space quayside.
To ensure the safe delivery and storage, our design team adhered to the Construction Design and Management (CDM) regulations to create a bespoke temporary cable storage facility. OEG sourced all necessary materials for construction, as well as the equipment and experienced personnel required for operation.
With the facility constructed and transpooling equipment and personnel on standby, everything was in place to initiate upon the vessel’s arrival. The operation was successfully completed after 14 days.
OEG completed the project on time, delivering the safe and successful transpooling and storage of subsea export cable, allowing the vessel to depart the quayside as scheduled with no disruption to Belfast Harbour.