James Fisher Subsea Excavation Embarks on Hurricane Salvage Works

Global subsea excavation specialist James Fisher Subsea Excavation (JFSE) is embarking on its 80th decommissioning/salvage job in the Gulf of Mexico.

The platform was destroyed during Hurricane Ike in 2008. The region has been hard-hit by hurricanes in the past decade and the recent extreme weather saw this project delayed for a number of weeks.

JFSE, the world’s most experienced, trusted and innovative provider of M/CFE services, has deployed its T4000 spread which will clear the platform jacket to give access for rigging and removal before excavating around the rig’s legs to 18ft below the mud line to allow for the safe access of a diamond wire saw.

The T4000 has a small deck footprint, an output of 4000 liters per second and can easily manoeovre around subsea structures. JFSE’s tools also create a ‘3 to 1’ slope for safe diver access. It is a powerful solution in a compact package.

Steven Kaub, business development manager Americas at JFSE, said:

“The US Gulf of Mexico is an important marketplace, both in terms of generating energy and for decommissioning due to ageing infrastructure, old fields or the effects of extreme weather. “There is an immediate impact felt by the energy industry of hurricane season. There are also ongoing challenges. This project shows what our clients continue to face many years after a storm wreaks its havoc and how we can ease the burden.

“This is our expert team’s 80th decommissioning/salvage project in the region. This is a key milestone in our extremely strong track record of delivering bespoke solutions for clients who are facing taxing demands to deliver time and cost-efficient decommissioning solutions.”

JFSE recently designed, developed and implemented a patented internal jetting system which means its tools can now cut through soils up to 280+kPa which were previously considered too hard for M/CFE. This technology will benefit additional projects in the decommissioning/salvage sector.

JFSE’s non-contact M/CFE systems can perform deburial of pipelines and cables for inspection and repair, locate and uncover pipelines which have moved, correct free-spanning and lower existing pipelines to limit stress.

As well as 80 decommissioning/salvage projects, its market-leading fleet of tools has also performed numerous pipeline trenching and IRM projects in the US Gulf of Mexico.

Its versatile spreads can work in water depths of between 1.5m and 3000m and the company’s innovative approach means clients are presented with bespoke solutions to their requirements. Contact us for more information on how we can support your next project.