Scana Ramnas in line for clean sweep of Åsgard mooring systems
Following successful delivery of the world's largest and heaviest studless offshore mooring chains for the Schiehallion FPSO, Scana Ramnas has received an order from Statoil for mooring chain with accessories for the Åsgard A production ship. With an initial value of SKr60 million, the order includes options for the B platform which could bring the figure to more than SKr180 million. Statoil has also secured an option under the contract for its Åsgard C storage vessel.
Offering an overall weight saving of 9%, the Ramnas studless chain benefits from the same static strength and fatigue life characteristics as studded links. Two studless chain designs are available: a standard link with straight sides, and one with the link slightly pinched at the waist giving less stress in the weld area and increased fatigue life. The Ramnas studless chain is delivered untwisted in bundles offering greater ease of use.
Approvals
The Scana Ramnas studless link mooring chain is now approved by ABS, DNV, Lloyds and RINA for flash butt welded lengths in grades R3, R3S and R4. According to company president Thomas Norrthon, Scana Ramnas has an impressively clean record for its chain over the past 10 years. "Last year we asked DNV to verify our quality record. They were able to respond in writing that, to the best of their knowledge, no mooring line failures involving Ramnas-produced chain had been recorded."
Scana Stavanger has recently achieved type approval by DNV for shackles and accessories at 40% above mean break load. After fatigue testing of D-type shackles in 1993 demonstrated occasionally a shorter fatigue life for the shackles than the chain, Scana Ramnas developed a new in-house standard for D-type shackles intended for long-term moorings. In the new design, the locking mechanism has been placed on the outside of the shackle body, thus minimizing the risk of fatigue problems. The Ramnas D-type shackle can be fixed to any common link, giving the operator a greater degree of flexibility.
This January Scana Ramnas merged with Scana Ljusne, located 200 km north of Stockholm. The new single entity gives Scana Ramnas three production lines: one at the Ljusne plant for diameters between 1 3/4 and 4-in.; and two lines at Ramnas which will concentrate on diameters of 4-in. and over. "This merger gives us a greater flexibility," says Norrthon. "We anticipate good production for 1997 with over 20,000 tons of chain destined for offshore customers alone."
For more information contact Thomas Norrthon, Scana Ramnas: telephone +46 220 22000 or fax +46 220 35837.
