High speed turnaround of development of an access platform for stringer toe repairs on FPSO in Canada

The Challenge

During a repair campaign on FPSO Terra Nova, a number of repairs needed to be completed on the stringer toes. The area immediately below the worksite was fully coated, sloped hopper plating with no attachment points for access systems.

The usual solution to access the worksite would be to construct scaffolding. However, time constraints and risk of damage to the hopper plate coatings drove the decision to seek an alternative solution. Operational requirements meant that the repairs needed to be executed very efficiently to return the tanks to service before the winter period.

The Solution

In conjunction with AEC Technology Ltd., MTL designed a bespoke composite platform. Within 6 weeks, it had been built, tested and crated for shipment to Canada.

“Innovative design to enhance productivity“

The platform was constructed using small GRP components, each weighing less than 50kg. Once assembled, the platform was held in place using Tirfors from above and magnets against the hopper plating. Although lightweight, the platform and attachments were designed with loading in mind and rated to carry two people plus equipment.

  • No scaffold required
  • Light GRP components
  • Easy to assemble
  • Easy to manoeuvre
  • Can be used in multiple locations
  • GRP less likely to damage coatings than steel
  • Load bearing tested and certified

The Outcome

In terms of meeting performance expectations during the repair campaign, there were a number of benefits in using the quick erect access system. As the platform was built using small, GRP (glass re-inforced plastic) components, it was very easy to load into the tank using rope access equipment. Once the components were at the worksite, they were easily assembled using standard tools available to the repair team. This eliminated the need to specifically include certified scaffolders in the repair team.

The lightweight GRP components posed less risk of damage to the tanks. By using Tirfors and magnets to hold the platform in place, the hopper plate coating remained undamaged.

Finally, the use of the platform increased efficiency on the job. The work within the tanks involved a repeat repair at various locations. The platform was easy to manoeuvre and resulted in significant time savings compared to the use of scaffolding.

“Bespoke solutions to meet the operational requirements of our client”