Lankhorst Ropes, in combination with Deep Tek AS and DSM Dyneema, wins OTC Spotlight on New Technology Award for Lanko®Deep rope used in Soft Rope System

Advances in fiber rope technology for deepwater deployment and recovery have been recognized with an OTC Spotlight on New Technology Award for Lankhorst Offshore’s Lanko®Deep rope, used in the Soft Rope System, at OTC 2016.

Lanko®Deep fiber rope is a key enabling technology in the Soft Rope System - a joint development by three industry leaders and their respective technologies - comprising Lankhorst Offshore’s LankoDeep rope, DM20XBO fiber from DSM Dyneema, and an Active Heave Compensation (AHC) drum winch system from Deep Tek. 

The Soft Rope System extends the ‘reach’ of subsea lowering systems and their ability to handle heavier loads by replacing steel-wire rope with Lanko®Deep fiber rope. It effectively doubles crane capacity allowing an 88 metre vessel to be competitive against much larger ships with 200 T steel wire rope cranes. 

Lanko®Deep – Rope Innovation
 
Lanko®Deep is based on Dyneema DM20 XBO synthetic filament optimized for cyclic bending with a proprietary rope coating technology.  The new rope has 12 strands where each strand is a three-strand rope. This construction, combined with the XBO coating, helps reduce the tension required to bed-in the rope, as well as reducing internal heating and abrasion. In addition, the rope can be inspected and is also repairable, it is an innovative solution for deepwater deployment.

Rui Faria, Senior Vice President Global Oil & Gas Synthetics for WireCo® WorldGroup, owners of Lankhorst Offshore, adds, “Taking an integrated approach has allowed us to combines three elements as a single system: rope yarn, rope construction and winch technology. It allows the efficient spooling of long lengths of fiber rope without the risk of rope cutting into lower spooled layers causing handling and abrasion issues that have, until now, limited the use of fiber rope in deepwater deployments.”

The Soft Rope System is an outstanding example of the integration of world-leading technologies from along the supply chain, and could only be achieved by strong partnership, says Jorn Boesten, Segment Manager Offshore at DSM Dyneema. “All three partners believe the prospects for the new deepwater lowering system are excellent, and we will all be putting our weight behind the technology to make sure it succeeds in what are currently very challenging markets around the world. Lanko®Deep ropes made with Dyneema® have outstanding potential in deepsea environments, and we are very happy to work together with Lankhorst Ropes and Deep Tek to maximize this potential.”
 
Deep Tek – Winch Innovation

Commenting on its 100t in air/110t @ 3000m drum winch cassette system, Deep Tek’s Chairman and Director of Technology Implementation Moya Crawford says, “This technology is significantly lower cost and less complex than current technologies that use synthetic rope for lowering and lifting objects subsea and comes with DNVGL certification to its ground-breaking standard, DNV-OS-E407.  Particularly, in this market, with the emphasis on cutting the cost of both vessel and subsea operation, we see the upgrade of existing crane capacity from steel wire rope to soft rope as being a cost attractive proposition for vessel owners, as they can simply change out one drum winch system for another, reducing above deck weight, whilst footprint stays much the same.

But, these winches and cranes are only part of a highly-skilled technical development that enables us to predict the remaining life of the rope in real time, giving all parties confidence, from oil and gas companies to crane operators, in the reliability and safety of our fully integrated, soft rope solution.”

The design and integration of the Soft Rope System is entirely function-based, in accordance with the underlying principles of DNVGL Offshore standard, DNV-OS-E407, Underwater Deployment & Recovery Systems and DNVGL Recommended Practice for Technology Qualification, DNV-RP-A203, Qualification Procedures for New Technology.