Introducing First Subsea...
The UK's leading supplier of subsea connection systems, BSW Ltd, is now called First Subsea Ltd, reflecting the company's growing role as an innovator in subsea connection and mooring systems for deepwater platforms, FPSOs, subsea field buoy, pipeline and turret architectures and marine energy.
The first company to develop and deploy ball and taper-based mooring technology, First Subsea's Ballgrab connector has been used in over 200 subsea mooring installations worldwide. As demand for flexible connection and tethering devices has increased, the company has led the field with the development of innovative solutions. Ballgrab was the first mooring system to use a polymer rope to tether a drilling platform at 6,000 feet, the BP Ocean Confidence Programme in the Gulf of Mexico.
The first Ballgrab with an integrated camera has been developed for use in a FPSO and STL buoy production operation, providing easier retrieval of the buoy without ROVs. The first ball and taper, diverless bend stiffener connector, developed in collaboration with Trelleborg Offshore, uses a Ballgrab male connector to connect umbilicals and cabling to existing risers. Recently a Ballgrab connector became the first, ball and taper, subsea mooring system to be used for a mid-water arch, creating more flexible deepwater production facilities and subsea architectures.
First Subsea, General Manager, Brian Green points to the increasing sophistication of the subsea connector market as a key factor behind the announcement of 'First Subsea'. “Connector and mooring systems are evolving. Getting the fundamentals right of delivering a reliable and easy to install connector and mooring system is just the starting point. Now it's how the connector can take an more active role in production operations. First Subsea marks the coming-of-age of the Ballgrab connector. Our aim is to continue to lead the subsea connector and mooring markets through innovation underpinned by a commitment to quality management at every level from design to commissioning,” he said.
 First Subsea's Ballgrab connection systems are currently used for buoy moorings to FPSOs and deep water SPAR buoys, diverless bend stiffener connectors, pipeline recovery tools, production risers including SCRs. New markets include marine energy moorings and handling solutions for wind, wave and tidal devices.
Designed and tested in accordance with certifying authority standards, Ballgrabs are available in a range of sizes up to 2500mT MBL. Recent projects include BP’s Mad Dog SPAR, Ocean Confidence Drilling Programme and Thunder Horse PLET Tie-back systems, ExxonMobil’s Erha and Kizomba Drilling Programmes, Kerr McGee’s Constitution, Gunnison and Red Hawk SPARs, Murphy’s Kikeh and Thunder Hawk projects, Total’s Dalia and Akpo projects, Nexen’s Ettrick and Shell's Perdido development.
First Subsea has its head office and engineering offices and R&D facilities in Lancaster, UK, and sales offices in Aberdeen and Houston. An ISO 9001 registered company, quality management and innovation in research and development are an essential part of the motivating force underpinning First Subsea's products and services. First Subsea is part of First Tech, a privately owned company based in Aberdeen.
First Subsea web site www.firstsubsea.com
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