10TH NORTH SEA OFFSHORE CRANE CONFERENCE

INSPECTION OF CRANES IN CAMPOS

BASIN BUSINESS UNIT (UNBC)
EVOLUTION AND FORESEEN FUTURE



RONALDO G. CRUZ
05/2005

CAMPOS BASIN AND ITS VALUE TO PETROBRAS
LOCATION




CAMPOS BASIN AND ITS VALUE TO PETROBRAS
BEGINING OF PRODUCTION 1977

PRODUCTION PLATFORMS in 2005 30

PRODUCTION NOW
OIL 925.000 bpd
CORRESPONDING TO MORE THAN 50%
OF PETROBRAS PRODUCTION IN
BRAZIL

NATURAL GAS 49.829 m3


HISTORICAL OF THE INSPECTION SERVICES IN
CRANES IN CAMPOS' BASIN
Eighties

Few units in operation;
The use of personnel own for operation and
maintenance;
Little experience on specific characteristics
of the offshore service ;
Equipments adapted for offshore use;
A inspection team is organized;
Inspection as guarantee of safety.


HISTORICAL OF THE INSPECTION SERVICES IN
CRANES IN CAMPOS' BASIN
THE PIONEERS CRANES

AMERICAN 5750
HISTORICAL OF THE INSPECTION SERVICES IN
CRANES IN CAMPOS' BASIN
Nineties

Increase of the quantitative of Operational
Units;
Recruiting of the maintenance services;
Contracts of short duration, by the smallest
price with each Operational Unit;
High level of unavailability of equipments;
Unavailability in the market of specialized
companies;
Inspection as complement of preventive
maintenance plans.

HISTORICAL OF THE INSPECTION SERVICES IN
CRANES IN CAMPOS' BASIN
The new
generation

LIEBHERR
GOS 25/550
STALPRODUKTER
KHO
HISTORICAL OF THE INSPECTION SERVICES IN
CRANES IN CAMPOS' BASIN
Years 2000

Revision of the strategy for recruiting of
O&M companies;
Previous selection for register;
Contracts of long duration, by the best price
with each Assets;
Search of specialized companies in the
international market;
Inspection as a special tool for auditing the
maintenance services.

HISTORICAL OF THE INSPECTION SERVICES IN
CRANES IN CAMPOS' BASIN
The evolution



Distribution of cranes instalation dates
in UN-BC
60
0%
70
5%
80
44%
90
42%
2000
9%
AMERICAN 5/9750 18
CLARKE CHAPMAN 3
HR GB 60M 7
LIEBHERR 11
NATIONAL OS 435 6
STALPRODUKTER 15
TEMA TERRA 7
WEATHERFORD 4
HYDRALIFT 1
SEATRAX 2
AKER 2
Internal norms, inspection plans and job of new technologies
References

Lack of specific regulation for offshore
services in Brazil;
BR Internal Norm N-1930 dated 1984
Inspection in service of Offshore cranes :
Frequency _ adjusted in accordance with the
operational severity
4 Inspection levels
Procedures _ specific for each crane model
These actions must be carried on by BR
personnel.

Internal norms, inspection plans and job of new technologies
References

Load tests were also
previewed for every
4 years.
Along these 20 years
the inspection and load
test procedures were
improved, as the
knowledge on these
kind of equipment was
increased;
Internal norms, inspection plans and job of new technologies
References

Norms for wire rope (N-2161) and rigging (N-2170)
inspection were stated in 1985;
It was implanted in 1995 a plan for wire rope
eletromagnetic inspection in service;

N-1930 updated in 2002 (rev.C) the main target of
inspection was confirmed as auditing the O&M
contracts;
As part of the actions that reviewed the politics
for conducting the cranes O&M services, it was
defined in 2004 a plan for certifying the crane
operators.
The maintenance of cranes - the partners' search
Whats the profile for this partner ?

Brazilian companies or foreign companies
established in Brazil;

Services companies or manufacturers with
proved experience in cranes O&M;

Engineering support;

Qualified personnel;

Companies certified in ISO, health, safety and
environment;


The maintenance of cranes - the partners' search

In 2000 the inspection team was officially transferred to
the Management of Maintenance and Inspection
Engineering, and one of the first missions was:

Reviewing the Criteria to register and the actual register
of companies for cranes O&M in UNBC;

Actions

" To accomplish technical visits to specialized companies
in operation and maintenance services of offshore cranes,
the operators customers, as well as to a manufacturer of
these equipments that also executes these services.

" To know and to evaluate the processes of offshore
cranes O&M in world extent.


The maintenance of cranes - the partners' search
Results

The register of Brazilian companies used by
UNBC was totally reviewed;

In 2002 two specialized companies, one crane
manufacturer and three clients of them were
visited in Europe;

Nowadays one of those companies is working with
BR in UNBC and a crane manufacturer is
associated with a O&M company contracted by
BR;

The search is not concluded

Characterization in maintenance engineering of cranes
Why did it happen ?

The knowledge acquired on the equipment in
the periodic inspections;
The global vision of the equipments in UNBC;
The great involvement in the maintenance
services in the first years;
The identification of chronic problems and the
lack of support by manufacturers and
maintenance companies;

Characterization in maintenance engineering of cranes
This actuation was noted by actions as:

Treating and analyzing the data on
performance of the equipments observed in
periodic inspections, not being limited in
reporting problems;
Designing structural components;
Adjusting load tables because of components
limitations;
Proposing modifications on cranes design;
Specifying new cranes.

Characterization in maintenance engineering of cranes
Example *
Data
Equipment AMERICAN 5750
Problem - Premature wear in luffing wire
rope
Useful life 300 hours
Aspect abrasion in wires
Quantity of cranes affected - 15

* Prado,H.P., Project alterations implemented in the cranes
American 5750 of UN-BC seeking the improvement of the
operational acting of the luffing system, Natal, april/2004.
Characterization in maintenance engineering of cranes
Analysis





Characterization in maintenance engineering of cranes
Analysis

High traction effort in the luffing
wire rope crane geometry
Small drum diameter

= Consequent high contact pressure
caused by the wire rope on the
drum





Characterization in maintenance engineering of cranes
Analysis

Comparison with other equipments

Liebherr GOS 25/550 ---- 1600 PSI

HR GB 60 M ------------ 2000 PSI

Tema Terra 380 L ------- 2400 PSI

American 5750 ---------- 3800 PSI





Characterization in maintenance engineering of cranes
Actions done

To reduce the traction effort:
It was modified the crane geometry,
installing a highest A-frame
Reduced the friction between
sheaves and their axis, by the use
of bearings.

Increased the diameter of the luffing
drum.







Characterization in maintenance engineering of cranes
The result

Contact pressure:
1800 psi
Useful life of the
wire rope: 1700
hours







Conclusion
The specialized group has as target for the next years
to support technically the Assets on the cranes O&M
process, to be seen by:
Evaluation on the performance of the O&M
companies contracted by UNBC;
Updating the register of O&M companies;
indication of references for a Brazilian offshore
regulation;
Development of new technologies for cranes
maintenance;
Analysis of remaining life for equipments;
Training for supervisors and technicians.








Thank you for your attention,










Ronaldo G. Cruz
Technical Consultant Senior Engineer
Contact :
Phone - + 55 22 2761 4363
email cruz@petrobras.com.br