13 Sep 2024
Foxdrill Team Complete Another Successful Cylinder Change on Drillship in West Africa.
Topics: cylinder replacement, drillship, HeavyLiftNews, ingenious rigging solution, knuckle boom cranes, Wagenborg Foxdrill
Following the successful replacement of knuckle boom crane hydraulic cylinders on a drillship this summer Foxdrill return to west Africa for a similar challenge in the same region.
Again, several cylinders on different knuckle boom cranes had to be replaced.
However, the conditions on this drillship were very different and presented new challenges. For example, the two knuckle boom cranes at the rear of the drillship could not reach each other. Foxdrill came up with an ingenious rigging solution to lower the cylinders and lift the replacement cylinder without the use of a crane. In addition, the drillship’s drilling operations had to continue uninterrupted, which meant that the knuckle boom cranes had to be out of service for as short a time as possible.
Under these conditions, good consultation and cooperation with the client is essential, and this is where Foxdrill excels. Detailed planning and close coordination with the customer resulted in a knuckle boom crane being out of service for only three days during the cylinder replacement. This contributed significantly to the client’s operational efficiency.
As with all Foxdrill operations, safe and effective execution was paramount on this project. Together with the client, the best approach for the cylinder replacement was carefully considered, both operationally and in terms of safety measures. Once again, the team’s experience of complex offshore rig projects came into play.
Foxdrill’s service goes beyond the preparation and operational execution of such cylinder replacement projects: by working with a specialist cylinder manufacturer and maintenance company, we offer our customers not only technical expertise but also the guarantee of high quality materials and parts.
And so Foxdrill adds another special project to their track record of cylinder replacement on knuckle boom cranes. Since 2019, we have been carrying out these challenging rigging projects both in port environments and offshore.
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