Some time ago I was very surprised to learn that there were, like that in history, round ships of Admiral Popov. Now look at another original triangular ship.
Can you guess roughly why he needs this form? Now I will tell you more …
Some time ago, the seismic company Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS) issued a preliminary order for the construction of two W-class Ramform vessels from the Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The vessels are representatives of the new, or rather, the fifth generation of the Ramform series.
The cost of each of the vessels is estimated at $ 250 million. Commissioning of the first of them is scheduled for the first half of 2013, the second - in the second half.
Safety, efficiency and performance are key features of the new Ramform Titan equipped with 24 streamers, which was recently unveiled at the MHI shipyard in Nagasaki, Japan. The new ship will be the most powerful and efficient marine seismic vessel ever built. It is also the widest (at the waterline) ship in the world. When designing the vessel, safety and performance were the main considerations. This is the first of four ships to be built in Japan.
The new vessel brings together the advanced marine technology and marine seismic capabilities of GeoStreamer technology. The entire stern of the vessel, 70 m wide, is occupied by 24 drums with seismic streamers. 16 of them are located on the same line, and another 8 are slightly ahead. The increased work space and advanced equipment make operations with the new ship safer and more functional.
For PGS and its customers, faster deployment and retrieval of equipment and longer stay at sea mean faster completion of seismic surveys and increased uptime in adverse weather conditions. The period between visits to the shipyard for repairs has also been increased by 50%.
Promotional video:
The Ramform Titan is setting new standards for seismic surveys for the next 20 years.
John Erik Reinhardsen, President and CEO of PGS, commented, “Ramform Titan is taking seismic exploration to the next level. We have combined the most advanced technology with the most powerful and efficient vessel in the industry. Ramform Titan will add to our fleet and further strengthen the company's position in the market, giving us an edge over the next 10 years."
The novelty is equipped with 24 drums, each of which "carries" a seismic streamer 12 km long. This gives the ship excellent flexibility and reserves to carry out even the most demanding jobs. The vessel carries over 6 thousand tons of fuel and equipment. Typically, it will tow a network of several hundred thousand seismic sensors, covering an area of more than 12 square meters. km, which is the equivalent of 1,500 soccer fields or three and a half Central Parks in New York.
Ramform Titan provides a safe and comfortable living and working environment for 80 crew members. There are 60 single cabins on board, as well as 10 double visitor cabins with separate bathrooms.
The Ramform type is characterized by an unusual deltoid hull in plan with a wide stern. The first vessel of this type was the Marjata long-range hydroacoustic observation vessel, built for the Norwegian Navy back in the 90s. The engineering staff from PGS noted the high level of seismic data collection of such a vessel, which was ensured precisely by the deltoid hull shape.
This vessel design is expected to unleash the full potential of PGS's GeoStreamer technology. The company plans to strengthen its position in the fast-growing segment of high-resolution seismic, which will require longer streamers, high towing efficiency, and large areas of coverage.
High resolution seismic surveys are increasingly in demand due to the intense growth of the deepwater drilling industry, especially in challenging areas such as Brazil, West Africa and the Gulf of Mexico. PGS says the GeoStreamer will allow a more complete “view” of the fertile reservoirs and the North Sea.
You can read more English-language information on this project here:
www.pgs.com/pageFolders/40374/Annual_Report…
www.pgs.com/pageFolders/17742/NFF-Seismic-S…
Seismic Survey Ship (SSS) = Seismic Survey Ship Ramform Titan (Flag of the Bahamas, built 2013, IMO 9629885) enters Bergen port (Norway) 2013-28-09.
Vessel data:
Length 104.2 m, Width 70 m aft
24 winches with cables with a total length of 12 km
Fuel tank capacity 6,000 tons
3 screws
It tows several hundred thousand electronic sensors, covering an area of more than 12 square kilometers
The power plant produces 18 megawatts (3 x 6 megawatts)
Cruising speed 16 knots
Crew 80 people
Built in Japan by Mitsubishi Nagasaki
In a nutshell: by far the best seismic survey vessel in the world.
More information about the vessel can be obtained from the Owner's website: