MDL supporting Saipem flex-lay campaigns in West Africa

MDL was awarded a contract by Saipem to provide specialist equipment and operational support for two recent flex-lay campaigns offshore Ivory Coast, Senegal and Mauritania. The two scopes awarded to MDL entails provision of equipment to enable Saipem’s vessels.

On the first project in the Baleine field, an MDL spread consisting of a Generation 3 Reel Dive System and a Horizontal Lay System enabled with a 60-ton 4-track tensioner was deployed to lay 16 flexible jumpers in 1400 m water depth.

The gas production from Baleine is expected to increase domestic and regional supply, while oil production will be instrumental in boosting exports.

The second project – the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project offshore Mauritania and Senegal – saw MDL Generation 1 RDS integrated with a set of linear cable engines to install a 33 mm OD fibre optic cable.

The GTA project is an offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) project on the maritime border of Mauritania and Senegal, with wells located in water depths of up to 2,850 m, making it one of the deepest subsea developments in Africa.