The Challenge

Our client was the primary marine contractor for the Woodfibre LNG project. They were responsible for the installation of all marine piles and the installation of the sub and superstructures.

The crux of the project execution was how the contractor would install twenty-nine 1524 mm permanent piles, ranging from 40-50 m in length in an extremely challenging environment. The seabed consisted of low overburden, fractured granite rock, with slopes often reaching 45 degrees, in a region where seismic effects are prevalent.

Traditional thinking initially concluded that pin pile templates would be the only approach. This approach would require 116 temporary piles to be painstakingly drilled, requiring a large amount of steel framing to be placed, leading to an enormous volume of in-situ fabrication and over-water manhours.

The scale and risk of this reality led to the engagement of RSE to deliver an alternative solution.

The Solution

It was clear that the primary drivers were to significantly reduce the number of drilled temporary piles and to drastically reduce or eliminate high-risk over-water manhours.

Our team’s solution was to develop a new concept which relied on a single drilled monopile for each permanent pile cluster. This single monopile would support a balanced rotating piling frame (named Spudnik), reducing the total drilled temporary piles from 116, to just 6.

This innovative solution would support a BUMA CR2500 casing rotator, the piling crews’ material and office seacans, manlifts and other equipment, with no over-water fabrication. This approach completely transformed the project’s timeline, risk, and execution planning.

RSE’s naval architecture team also developed a dynamic ballasting barge (named Pluto) which would allow the contractor to install the temporary monopiles with precision, neutralizing the high torque of the rotator, and further relieving the requirement for excessive pin piles.

Adding to the tool kit, we developed a number of 200 mt hydraulically controlled remote release lifting tools, allowing the monopiles and permanent piles to be pitched on deck, and safely placed inside completed casings.

The Result

Based on these creative designs, the contractor has been able to demonstrate significant gains in productivity while achieving a high level of confidence from a demanding client.

The initial success of Spudnik during the first piling season led to the commissioning of two further Spudniks by the Owner, further validating the concept and its impact on the project.

By demonstrating our ability to develop and deliver creative solutions to difficult problems, RSE has further established itself as the marine foundation specialist.