Long-life magnets delivered for mooring line monitoring on the Barossa FPSO
Blumags have designed and delivered tailored magnets with extended lifetime for Volue's mooring line monitoring system. The system will be deployed on the mooring lines of NOV APL's turret for the Barossa FPSO. We were able to tweak our design to meet the specific requirements through enhanced metal alloys, improved assembly design and custom-made top plate interface.
Mooring line monitoring (MLM) is a concept for reducing the need for costly inspections of mooring lines of permanent offshore structures, such as production platforms or FPSOs. The MLM system consists of inclinometers that transmit signals to a receiver at the surface, giving the operator real-time information about the condition of the mooring system and the forces acting on it.
Volue, a leading provider of digital technology within energy and infrastructure, came to Blumags early in 2022 with a special request for custom magnets that could be used for mooring line monitoring. They needed magnets that would last as long as possible - maybe decades - since the sensors would be installed once, and possibly never replaced again during the 25-year lifetime of the FPSO.
In response to this challenge, we tweaked the design of the magnets with improved material alloys and assembly design, protecting the magnetic core from exposure to seawater. There is a cost-benefit aspect to such a design, because what protects the core, also reduces the magnetic strength, requiring larger magnets to achieve the same strength. In this particular case, the improved longevity was an essential feature of the magnets, making it worth the extra cost. Volue also wanted the standard eye nut assembly on the top plate to be replaced by a fixed M10 stud.
The result was 16 tailor-made magnets with extended lifetime and custom interface. We're pleased to announce that Volue has now integrated these magnets into their tool, which holds the inclinometer and a robust ROV interface, making it possible to install them onto the mooring line by ROV. The system has been through a successful factory acceptance test and delivered to their customer, NOV APL. Once the Barossa FPSO reaches its final destination offshore of Australia, the system will be deployed on mooring lines of the submerged turret production (STP) system.
If you're interested in customized magnets for your next project, please don't hesitate to contact us. At Blumags, we're committed to providing top-notch magnetic products that help our clients achieve their goals.