Acoustic Postioning and eBOP Controls, Guyana

Imenco were contracted by Noble Drilling to supply class leading NASDrill RS925 acoustic DP reference, and by NOV to provide API 16D compliant acoustic backup controls for their Subsea BOP, to be provided to a new fleet of Noble ultra-deepwater drillships. As a backup, an acoustic system would provide control of critical BOP functions, facilitating an Emergency Disconnect Sequence (EDS) and allowing the drill ship to sail to safety in the event of a blowout.
NASDrill RS925 is an LBL / SBL solution for acoustic DP reference, providing a redundant DP reference in addition to references such as DGPS. Should the DGPS solution fail, RS925 is extremely robust and will continue to provide position tracking for station keeping. With multiple redundant measurement paths, over 200 simultaneous position calculations are provided.
NASeBOP is based on a track record of NASBOP for primary control of Subsea Isolation Devices, and EBOP for portable emergency backup control of Subsea BOP. NASeBOP brings this capability together in an API 16D compliant package, 4000 m depth rated housings with seals testable to maximum working pressure, PBOF hose interconnects (API 17E), high specification environmental compliance, and multiple levels of surface and subsea redundancy.
In the system configuration provided for Noble drillships, surface equipment includes a feature packed Master Station for toolpusher control, a hazardous environment rated Driller’s EDS Control Panel, both of which make use of existing DP system transducers for communication with subsea equipment. Two Portable Units were provided per vessel for deck or lifeboat use. A series of Emergency Response Systems were also supplied to be stored off the vessel, which can be flown to the scene of emergency should other methods of control be inaccessible.