Offshore staff

ABERDEEN, UK --BJ Tubular Services has expanded its fleet of hydraulic hydrohammers by adding the S-280, its most powerful hydrohammer. It can drive bigger piles and achieve deeper penetration for the larger caissons used on many Gulf of Mexico construction projects.

Beyond construction, the hydrohammer may be used to drive well conductors. Operators exploring for deep gas on the continental shelf often require longer, heavier casing strings for their wells. This means the conductors must support much more weight. As a result, the conductors being driven are much larger, many measuring 2.4 m (96 in) x 1.5 m (60in).

"Given that this new hydrohammer has a maximum energy rate of 206,400 pounds per blow, and can deliver 45 blows per minute, we can now achieve the greater penetration required for the larger caissons and piles," says Brad Pellegrin, area manager-the Americas.

BJ has used its new hammer to install monopod and tripod platforms. These projects were completed from derrick barges working in the Ship Shoal and Grand Isle areas of the Gulf of Mexico.

Planned installations include deep conductors and structure installations from both derrick barges and lift boats.

"We're not completely surprised at the amount of interest in this new hammer due to recent trends we've seen in the offshore pile-driving market," says Dow Drobish, country manager-USA, who manages operations in the Gulf of Mexico. "We knew once engineers found out about this new tool, it would be the hammer of choice for many projects."

Although the new hydrohammer can be used anywhere in the world, BJ plans to maintain it at the division's base in Broussard, Louisiana, for the foreseeable future so it will be readily available for use on the many construction operations and deep gas wells in the Gulf of Mexico.

5/14/2007