TECHNOLOGY OF

SEPLA ANCHORS
Gengshen Liu
(October 27, 2004)
SEPLA ANCHORS

SEPLA represents

Suction
Embedded
PLate
Anchor
• The plate anchor
is embedded in
the soil.
Follower
• A suction pile
which is called
the “follower” is
used in the Plate
installation of the Anchor

plate anchor
SEPLA ANCHORS
Sketch of the Mooring Line Configuration
SEPLA ANCHORS

Installation
of SEPLA
SEPLA ANCHORS

SEPLA
ANCHOR,
CONNECTOR
and
FOLLOWER
SEPLA TIMELINE
„ 1997 - Patent Application Filed
„ 1998 - Follower Design Developed, Model and Field
Tests, First Commercial SEPLA Installed (for
Supply Boat Mooring) – (400 ft WD),
Polyester/SEPLA JIP for Ocean America
(4,400 ft WD)
„ 1999 - Polyester/SEPLA JIP for Ocean Victory
(4,500 ft WD), U.S. Patent Granted
„ 2000 - 2 SEPLA Taut Legs installed for Homer
Ferrington (4,600 ft WD)
„ 2001 - 1/5th scale land test program, installed 8
SEPLAs for Ocean Confidence (6,400 ft WD), 4
SEPLAs for Deepwater Horizon (2,200 ft WD)
„ 2003 – Delivered and Installed 19 SEPLAs to Esso
Angola for Kizomba A and Xikomba
Development Drilling Program
„ 2004 – Continue Testing in SEPLA JIP*, Esso Ordered
3 Additional SEPLAs for Kizomba B, Murphy
Accepts SEPLA as a Permanent Mooring
Anchor for Kikeh Proposal

* JIP investigate long-term behavior of plate anchors

SEPLA INSTALLATION SEQUENCE

1 3

2 4
SEPLA INSTALLATION SEQUENCE

Lowering Down the SPELA with

the Follower

Retrieve the Follower

SEPLA INSTALLATION
CONNECTOR STAB-IN
SEPLA ANCHORS

Subsea mating

CLIP20

MOV39

Inspection fly-by

SEPLA Subsea Connector

 BALLGRAB ANCHOR CONNECTORS

„ Utilizes “Ball and Taper”

Technology
„ Top Entry Connector
z Engages with No ROV
Intervention (Viewing Only)
z Not Adversely Impacted By Heave
„ Allows One-Vessel Installation
„ Allows Installing Anchors in
Advance of Mooring Line
„ Allows Leaving Anchor Behind
for Later Use
„ Allows Changing Out Mooring
Line While Leaving Anchor Intact
SEPLA RETRIEVE
LOADING SEPLA WITH A-FRAME
 ADVANTAGES
of
SEPLA ANCHOR
ADVANTAGES OFFERED BY SEPLA

„ Geotechnically more efficient than SEAs

„ Significantly less costly than SEAs (1/2 to 1/3 the cost of a
comparable SEA)
„ System designed to be recoverable
„ Nothing mechanical left subsea (ie valves)
„ Multiple SEPLAs might be carried on an installation vessel due
to their smaller size
„ Desired geographical position and depth penetration can be
readily achieved (compared to drag VLAs)
„ Design can be extrapolated to high capacity types in very deep
water in a practical fashion
SEPLA COST SAVINGS

„ Esso Angola Claims a Savings of $4.5 Million

for Using SEPLAs over Suction Anchors for
Kizomba A / Xikomba Drilling Program (18+1
Anchors)
„ Recent Proposal for GOM Development
Drilling Program
z SEPLA Anchor System Saves 60% over the
Suction Anchor System (for 8 Legs Saves
~$1 million)
z SEPLA Anchor System Installation is 2-3
Days Shorter than Suction Anchor System
Installation
SEPLA vs Suction Anchor Size Comparison

„ MODU Example
z Suction Anchor
Î 9.5 ft dia x 70 ft
Î Weight 68 tons
z SEPLA
Î 8 ft x 20 ft
Î Weight 24 tons (solid fluke)

„ Red Hawk Example

z Suction Anchor
Î 18 ft dia x 78 ft
Î Weight 180 tons
z SEPLA
Î 15 ft x 30 ft
Î Weight 50 tons (solid fluke),
37 tons (hollow fluke)