US-based energy service company Chet Morrison Contractors has formed a strategic partnership with compatriot engineering specialist iSIMS to launch the iJacket – a new optimized method in jacket and foundation design.
The patented iJacket is said to be more structurally optimized than the conventional true X-braced jacket design, supporting the same deck load, conductor/riser count, drilling deck, wind turbine or other payload as its conventional counterpart.
The iJacket is engineered to provide cost savings and reduce material and labour requirements over traditional foundations and jackets by up to 30%.
3-D engineering design and analytical tools allow engineers to design and arrange bracing in a configuration that offers further structural optimization, while still meeting or exceeding the industry design requirements for strength and fatigue performance, the companies said.
DNV GL has awarded iSIMS with an Approval in Principle (AiP) for the iJacket design method and Morrison is the exclusive fabricator for North America, Mexico, the Caribbean and the north coast of South America.
“The modular nature of the iJacket dramatically reduces time and energy spent fabricating and makes available a wider choice of fabrication locations,” Greg Detiveaux , vice president business development, Morrison, said.
”Its lower weight and reduced footprint makes transport and offshore assembly quicker and more economical than ever before, with its shape and design allowing for more optimized cargo arrangement and less barge transportation cost. Furthermore, a more open design ensures the iJacket is 100% ROV and AUV accessible, which eliminates the need for divers to carry out inspections.”