Tailored Refit Recommissioned and Back in Operation
Earlier this year, Outreach Offshore undertook a tailored refit on a Palfinger PKM700T Pipe handler crane. This crane was originally taken from a North sea offshore platform and brought to Outreach Offshore’s facility in Falkirk to undergo work as part of a plan to relocate the crane to a different platform to support ongoing drilling operations.
The tailored refurbishment consisted of identifying the condition of each critical load path component and the need for replacement or the possibility of continued use after rework. This process clearly highlighted all the consumable parts to be replaced. You can read more about this stage in our previous news release here.
After leaving the Outreach Offshore facility in Falkirk, the crane was carefully re-installed onto a bespoke mounting seat, designed to withstand the overturning moments and forces that will be generated during crane operations. Figure A demonstrates the operational position onboard the drilling platform as the crane arrived at its new destination ready to be fixed to the platform.
During this installation and set to work/load test process, Outreach Offshore ensured that the crane column was correctly torqued and levelled to the new seat which had been adapted to suit the crane and its pedestal. Figure B shows the crane boom in the process of being lifted to connect to the pedestal.
The crane boom was lifted at a predetermined angle which was used to ensure that it would dock with the pedestal’s upper pivot point while ensuring the boom tip had clearance during the connection process, as and can be seen in Figure C.
This project, overall, provided a turnkey service for the initial removal, tailored refit, recommissioning and return to service of a Palfinger PKM700T hydraulic crane. This showcases the diverse and adaptable services Outreach Offshore is capable of providing, for the maintenance, refurbishment and ongoing compliance for hydraulic cranes. This adds to a life extension mindset of capital equipment versus replacement, against a need for value for money when budgets can be challenging in today’s environment.