Oil States MCS, located in Barrow in Furness, UK, is part of the Oil States Industries group of companies based in Arlington, Texas, US, which is a subsidiary of Oil States International.
Swaging tools and abrasive water jet cutting services
At Oil States MCS we design, manufacture and operate the unique patented Hydra-Lok® swaging tools used for securing offshore structures to their piled foundations, repairing seawater pump caissons on offshore platforms, performing localised pressure testing on pipelines, and installing casing patches in downhole well applications.
Abrasive Water Jet cutting services are supplied. This system is primarily used underwater for cutting piles and pipeline multi-string well assemblies to facilitate offshore platforms / subsea structures, pipelines and subsea well removals. Bespoke tooling solutions are also provided during platform pre-removal preparation, maintenance and repair operations.
Pile connection system for offshore structures
Oil States MCS pioneered the development of tubular expansion technology as a means of making foundation pile structural connections during the 1980s. With a 30-year track record we have unrivalled experience in the field. The standard Hydra-Lok® pile connection system is type approved by the Lloyd’s Register of Shipping and approved on the same basis by DNV, ABS, BV, GL and RMRS. Tools are available for forming connections on standard pile sizes ranging from 24in through to 84in diameter.
The Hydra-Lok Lite™ connection uses the same basic technology but is designed for lighter-load applications associated with subsea structures, protection frames, PLEMs, riser bases, etc. The Hydra-Lok Lite system has a smaller equipment footprint and generally takes around one hour to form each pile connection.
Caisson repair system for seawater pumps
During the past 15 years the Hydra-Lok principle has been applied to the repair of seawater pump caissons. Galvanic corrosion and erosion of pump caissons around the pump area is a well-known phenomenon which, if left untreated, can lead to the failure of the caisson and possibly significant other collateral damage as it falls to the seabed.
Tubular expansion technology for well casing connections and pressure tests
The Hydra-Lok technology has been used downhole to make well casing connections and perform localised pressure tests on 10¾in casing joints, firstly performing a hydra test followed by a gas test. This is without the need to recover the tool.
Downhole casing patches have been made on 9⅝in casing with material strengths ranging from 80ksi to 155ksi. After formation, the connections were tested at an axial load of 610Te while containing an internal pressure of 3,000psi (207bar). Pressure-tight connections have also been produced on 9⅞in casing with a material strength of 95ksi.
Tools for levelling jackets and subsea structures
Oil States MCS offers a range of tools for levelling jackets and subsea structures prior to them being connected to their foundation piles. The tools are deployed after the piles have been driven to final penetration and react against the pile top after latching with the structure to lift it to a level position.
The Latch-Lok™ tool can be used in conjunction with a pile gripper system attached to the pile sleeve if the pile is to be grouted or combined with a Hydra-Lok tool to level and secure the structure to its piled foundation in a single operation. Tool sizes are available for use with 24in to 96in pile sizes, and range in lift capacity from 500Te to 1,500Te.
Abrasive Water Jet cutting system
Our Abrasive Water Jet cutting system pumps water mixed with an abrasive grit down a hose to exit as a high-velocity jet through a nozzle at pressures up to 14,500psi (1,000bar). This high-energy jet cuts with ease through steel and composite materials up to 6in (150mm) thick in both surface and subsea applications.
Internal and external cutting manipulators
Oil States MCS has designed, manufactured and operated a range of internal and external cutting manipulators – ICMs and ECMs – which are used for cutting piles, bracing and legs of offshore structures to aid in their removal. The current range of ICMs covers tubular sizes from 9⅝in through to 120in diameter, and the ECMs from 6in to 60in diameter. Designs for larger ECMs are available to cover diameters over 60in.
We have been operating and improving our cutting systems since 1996 when Oil States MCS first used this equipment in the North Sea to cut the piles on a number of platforms in the Esmond and Gordon Fields. Since then we have been involved in many platform decommissioning projects in the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico and South-East Asia.
Downhole multi-string cutting
Subsea well cutting usually involves cutting through a multiple nested casing assembly. The usual configuration consists of 9⅝in-13⅜in, 20in and 30in tubulars, with the annuli between them being either cemented or voided. The tubular wall thicknesses range from 1in to 1½in for the outer 30in size, and from ½in to ¾in for the inner casings. We have internal tooling and techniques, which cut the subsea well assembly, usually in a single pass.
Over the years Oil States MCS has been involved in many projects where special tooling has been required for cutting unusual items.