[UKDIVER3383]

Hi guys, i was wandering if anybody could run through the umbilical deployment procedure when diving from a DSV in the North Sea.

Basket at depth
Leak check
Wait to be told to leave basket
Pull slack through
Swim to GG
Pull through slack
Secure umbilical to GG
Wait to be told to transit to worksite

Dose this sounds right guys?

 

[diverstu]

If you're referring to extended umbilical procedures, you're in the right ballpark, but there are a variety of different procedures, usually company specific. The most important thing is to hold your hand up in the project brief when the superintendant or supervisor asks 'anybody not done extended umbilicals with us before?' This will ensure you get the exact lowdown on the sequence they want you to use, and just as importantly, gives them a heads up to take your first dive slow.

Just have the basic point of Extended Umbilical procedures clear in your head. It is to never have enough untethered umbilical to allow you to go through a thruster. I have seen guys get complacent after long jobs, and unclip their karibiners at the Gate and just swim back, the argument being that they are only following the tram wires back to the basket, so nothing's likely to happen. Not worth the risk, and no one pushes the times on these dives, so there's no reason to not go by the book. Also ask, and get clear in your head, what the procedure for jumping the standby is, too.

 

[diverstu]

(But as you asked, there are usually two divers in the basked, get to depth, D1 will get out, and place, or re-place the tram-lines. When they are fixed, and the golden gate is in place, he will clip his 1st Karibiner onto his wire, and swim over to the GG. Tended from the basket by D2, who clips on his second Krab as it comes through. He then pulls D1's umbilical down to the stopper. D1, meanwhile, undoes his 1st Krab when the 2nd is on, and pulls his umbilical through until all his slack is with him (the 2nd Krab is usually at the golden gate by this time, so some sup's are happy to clip the Krab to a welding rod, or other breakaway, just to keep all his umbilical on the right side of the GG in tide. He can then head to the job, while D2 clips his 1st Krab on, pulls through his slack until the 2nd Krab, attaches that, then heads over to the basket. As soon as his 2nd Krab is on, the 1st can usually come off, and he heads over to the GG, pulls all the slack through until the stopper is at the basket, ties off at the GG if he can, and over to the job.)
Coming back, everything is reversed. D1 to the GG, (ask the tenders to come up on as much as they can. When happy, attach his 1st Krab, then swim back to the basket. Disconnect 2nd crab so the slack can come up, then off with the other cram and tend D2 from the basket, which is the same, only when his 2nd Krab gets to the basket, D1 can disconnect it, and keep coming up on the umbilical, while D2 attaches his 1st Krab and gets back. Finally, he usually disconnects the wires from the basket, and puts them down on the clump weight for turnaround.

 

[UKDIVER3383]

Many thanks for your response Stu. As you can tell i am relatively new to the DSV way, most of my diving has been inland. Recently i was with technip for 3 months working on a FPSO but that was just a straight dip and you was on location, the umbilical slack just ran up through the basket. I have spoken to a few lads and there ways all seem to vary from company to company. What exactly do you mean when you say down D2 pulls D1 umbilical down to the stopper?

 

[diverstu]

I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark and guess that this will be on a Bibby boat, so we'll see if you've been listening!

 

[UKDIVER3383]

Hi Stu, no mate am in transit to just now for Halul Offshore, 8 on 4 off there telling me.

 

[diverstu]

Halul? Christ, they'll let anyone in nowadays! Only joking. Same applies anywhere- if the supervisor doesn't explain it well enough, or if something doesn't make sense to you, no splash until it's sorted- too many things will go wrong if extended umbilicals are done wrong. Like all diving, it's inherently 'risky' so to do it at all, you have to identify and manage the risk.

 

[UKDIVER3383]

thanks for the vote of confidence stu haha, was lucky enough to get offered a 1 week slot with iss this week so was all set for that, then had a mail Nelsa as halul which was a 8/4 rota, iss was a week job halul is a steady rotation. Not a hard one for me mate

 

[UKDIVER3383]

Thanks for your advice stu been here 11 days and haven't dived yet because the piles aren't ready. Easy money