Sleipnir Offshore operates a specialized Hyperbaric Testing Facility that is unique in its capabilities and serves multiple purposes for both the company and the broader subsea industry. This facility is a controlled, high-pressure environment that can simulate conditions found at significant underwater depths, enabling a range of critical testing, training, and development activities.
Here is a detailed explanation of the specifications for Sleipnir Offshore’s Hyperbaric Testing Facility:
- 200m Depth Rated: This specification means the facility is designed to safely operate at pressures equivalent to being submerged 200 meters (or approximately 656 feet) underwater. This is the normal working pressure at which they can perform tests and training, simulating a realistic deep-water environment.
- 280m Test Pressure Rated: This is the maximum pressure the facility can withstand, which is equivalent to a depth of 280 meters. The higher test pressure rating provides a safety margin, ensuring the chamber can handle pressures beyond its normal operational range for specific high-pressure tests without risk of failure. This allows them to test equipment and procedures for even greater depths than their standard working range.
- Insert pipes up to 72”: This refers to the physical size of the objects that can be placed inside the testing chamber for work. The facility can accommodate pipes with a diameter of up to 72 inches (or 6 feet), which is a very large diameter for subsea pipelines. This allows them to perform welding, repair, and inspection tests on actual pipe sections that are representative of real-world subsea infrastructure.
- Humidity Control: The facility has the capability to regulate and control the humidity levels inside the chamber. This is a critical feature because humidity can affect the quality of welding, the performance of electronic equipment, and the comfort of the divers. By controlling humidity, they can simulate a wide range of underwater conditions and ensure that tests are conducted under precise and repeatable parameters.
- Fume Extraction: This specification indicates that the facility has a system to actively remove and vent dangerous fumes and gases that are produced during activities like welding. This is a crucial safety feature that ensures a safe and breathable atmosphere for the welders and technicians inside the chamber, preventing the build-up of toxic or explosive gases.
- Training Facility for Divers: This highlights one of the primary functions of the facility. It is not just for testing equipment, but also for providing a safe and controlled environment for training divers. Divers and diver-welders can practice skills, test new equipment, and undergo competency assessments under realistic pressure conditions without the logistical complexities, costs, and risks of going offshore. This allows companies to ensure their personnel are highly skilled and qualified before they are deployed to a project.
- Full-Service Facility: The Hyperbaric Testing Facility is more than just a pressure chamber. It is a complete complex that includes:
- A separate control room for monitoring and managing the test environment.
- A saturation diving chamber and living accommodation with shower and laundry facilities, allowing divers to live and work in the pressurized environment for extended periods.
- A hyperbaric medical treatment facility for safety and emergency purposes.
- Summary of Uses: The facility is designed for three main applications:
- Welding simulation: For certifying welders and welding procedures.
- Moulding simulation: For testing molding and fabrication processes under pressure.
- Pressure Testing: For testing the integrity and functionality of various equipment at depth-rated pressures.
In short, Sleipnir Offshore’s Hyperbaric Testing Facility is a state-of-the-art resource that enables advanced subsea work to be planned, tested, and executed with the highest degree of safety and precision, all from a cost-effective onshore location.