Provider of offshore engineering solutions to the oil and gas industry IEV’s marine growth control technology has been designed to remove marine growth from offshore installations
According to the company, high levels of sunlight and surface nutrients has a marked effect in enabling marine growth to thrive at offshore structures especially at the splash zone area. Studies have shown that marine growth significantly increases pile diametre and drag coefficient, subsequently the overall wave force and hydrodynamic loadings on the structures. This results in associated reduction in structural capacity and shortens fatigue life.
Marine Growth Preventer (MGP) products prevent the formation of fouling over protected structures using the ocean waves and currents. By breaking the marine growth colonisation, offshore structures are able to carry additional deck load and prolong its operation and fatigue life.
The MGPs require no structural modification or added weight, and has no effect on its cathodic protection. It reportedly saves fabrication and periodic cleaning costs while protecting and increasing structural integrity. Effective on offshore platforms and wind farms, jetties and terminals, it can be installed on new or existing facilities.
The wave-driven Marine Growth Preventer (MGP-W) is a cost-effective technology enhances and maintains structures’ integrity. It is driven by the ocean waves’ continuous and stable power to propel the MGP along the protected structural members to remove existing marine growth and prevent regrowth. The MGP can be retrofitted on offshore structures and offers 100 per cent efficiency in maintaining a ‘zero-growth’ surface profile, the company said.
This latest generation of the MGP-W has been further enhanced with anti-impact features (MGP-W-SC-AI) to withstand extreme weather conditions, such as typhoons or icy oceans under rough sea conditions. By adding more composite rubber discs onto the ‘one-piece’ rigid connectors, a protective layer is formed to absorb direct impact especially at the splash zone area, where it is subject to constant wave action and possible impact with structures at the sea-deck level, prolonging its durability under the harsh weather condition.
