PGS unveils “ultimate” seismic acquisition ship

APRIL 26 2013 — Oslo-listed Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS) has unveiled what it says is the “ultimate seismic acquisition platform,” the 24-streamer Ramform Titan which was named today at the MHI shipyard in Nagasaki, Japan.

The new ship, which is the first in a series of four from the same shipbuilder, will be the most powerful and efficient marine seismic acquisition vessel ever and, with a width at the stern of 70 m, the widest ship in the world at the waterline.

The design couples advanced maritime technology with the imaging capabilities of the GeoStreamer seismic acquisition technology.

The 70 meter broad stern is fully exploited with 24 streamer reels: 16 reels aligned abreast and 8 reels further forward.

The 24 reels with capacity for 12 km streamers give the vessel flexibility and redundancy for high capacity operations. She carries over 6,000 tons of fuel and equipment and will typically tow a network of several hundred thousand recording sensors over an area greater than 12 sq.km, or 3.5 times the area of Central Park.

Ramform TITAN Fast Facts

Length 104.2 m
Width at stern 70 m
24 streamer reels – reel capacity 12 km
Fuel capacity 6000 tons
Tows several hundred thousand electronic sensors spread over a 12 sq.km area
The power station generates up to 1.8 MW
Bollard pull in acquisition mode 150 tons
Top speed in transit 16 knots
Crew capacity 80
Recreation suite includes 225 sq.m, ball court, fitness room, swimming pool, sauna, 3 TV lounges, auditorium

The Ramform Titan is propelled by three variable pitch propellers, each providing 6,000 kW of thrust. She offers a very safe work environment with a considerable degree of equipment redundancy that will enable more maintenance at sea, without interrupting production. The ship is fully operational with just two of her three propellers, permitting maintenance during production. Redundancy in the propulsion system extends further to dual, fully separated engine rooms. Power generation and auxiliary systems are completely separate.

Equipped with two work boats, both stern-launched, the Ramform Titan can carry out acute or ongoing maintenance in marginal weather.

New maritime inspection features for stern tubes and seals have extended the period between drydockings from 5 to 7.5 years.