Lewek Constellation sets industry pipelay record in deepwater GoM

SINGAPORE -- EMAS AMC, the subsea division of EMAS, has announced that its flagship subsea construction vessel, Lewek Constellation, has established an industry record for pipelay in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GoM).

The Lewek Constellation set the record in 7,368 ft of water during her sea trials. In preparation for the execution of three subsea tie-back projects for Noble Energy, she performed her final pipelay trial in the GoM and during the deployment of the 3.2 km, 16 in. diameter, 28 mm wall thickness pipeline, complete with the second end pipeline end termination (PLET), the tension recorded was 632mT, rendering this the highest tension ever experienced in the history of rigid reeled-lay operations.

Lionel Lee, chairman, EMAS AMC, said, “Successfully laying the test pipe at this record-breaking top tension during pipelay trials is a significant achievement for EMAS and an industry first. It's a testament to the experience and expertise of our people combined with the quality of our new vessel built by EMAS Group’s subsidiary TRIYARDS in Vietnam.”

John Meenaghan V.P. of Global Operations, said, “What this record means for clients going forward is that we can offer a more efficient pipelay solution in ultra-deep water for pipelines up to 16 in. in diameter when compared to traditional S-Lay or J-Lay methods, even with thick insulation coatings, thereby giving our clients more options to consider.”