Petrobras specifies Dyneema fibers for mooring ropes

April 28, 2011
DSM Dyneema says that Brazil’s Petrobras has specified its fibers for a complete set of mooring ropes for a semisubmersible mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU).

Offshore staff

THE NETHERLANDS – DSM Dyneema says that Brazil’s Petrobras has specified its fibers for a complete set of mooring ropes for a semisubmersible mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU). The company reports that Petrobras specifically asked for the ropes to be made with SK78 grade of UHMWPE (ultra high molecular weight polyethylene) fibers from DSM Dyneema, due to their high strength at low weight properties.

SK78 grade fiber was developed specifically for this type of mooring application, and while it has been successfully deployed in Asia, US and European waters, the Petrobras order marks the first time they will be used for MODU mooring in Brazil.

Petrobras is expected to use eight mooring ropes made with Dyneema SK78 fiber on a MODU in its new pre-salt deepwater fields off the southeastern coast of Brazil, site of one of the largest recent oil discoveries in the Western Hemisphere. Petrobras plans to start using the ropes around mid-year.

04/28/2011