Bilfinger UK has partnered with Layher UK in giving shape to the world's first underdeck scaffolding system with aluminium Flexbeam to permit safe travel across the underside of an oil rig. Bilfinger UK is an engineering and maintenance providing working contracts from its headquarters in London.
Nowadays, aluminium is used vastly in construction due to its rigid nature and malleability. Moreover, it is corrosion resistant, making it an appropriate option for construction sectors.
Bilfinger was required to provide a specifically-made-for-the-purpose solution giving smooth access to the underside of the stage for maintaining the underdeck oily drains pipework.
Scotland's Layher has a technical team well equipped to create the blueprint for the scaffold using its state-of-the-art aluminium scaffolding Flexbeam. This is a crucial reason why Bilfinger partnered with Layher so that they could apply the latter's patent material, decreasing construction time by 40 per cent if compared with contemporary tube and fitting scaffolding.
The Project Manager at Bilfinger UK, David Cruickshank, narrated: "As we continue to support operations within a maturing basin, innovation has never been more important. Layher FlexBeam is a step change in how we offer access solutions to our clients. This collaborative project has gone some way to show what can be achieved when you have a fit-for-purpose solution, a forward-thinking client and an engaged workforce."
"Having watched this project progress from the early engagement sessions with Layher through to our Scaffold Foreman carrying out its first scaffold inspection, I am extremely proud of what our team have achieved. This project was delivered on time, within budget and most importantly with zero HSE concerns; an outstanding accomplishment from everyone involved," he added.
With the application of its patent FlexBeam, Bilfinger accomplished the system's mounting six days before the actual calculated completion date and 15 days before the period required for erecting a tube and fitting scaffolding. The project saved an otherwise unavoidable labour cost of £30,000, and it took only 246 hours to complete in place of 601 work hours required for the conventional tube and fitting scaffolding.
The Bilfinger Scaffold Technical Authority spokesperson, Ryan Clegg, notified: "I am delighted that Bilfinger is the first to bring this fantastic access innovation to the offshore industry. As Scaffold Technical Authority, it has been great to be part of this project, from planning to successful execution. This is a huge step change for an alternative access method that we are excited to bring to all our onshore and offshore operations."
The Managing Director at Layher UK, Sean Pike, clarified: "We are delighted to have been involved in and supported Bilfinger UK in this flagship underdeck system with our FlexBeam. It is the first use of our FlexBeam offshore on the underside of an oil rig in the UK and the rest of the world.
"We were therefore very excited to play our part in support of the whole team at Bilfinger UK, from the procurement departments, technical and T.A. management team through to the scaffolders that turned the scheme into reality."
"From our point of view, the final realisation is superb, and with Bilfinger UK, we now look forward very much to achieving the same success and time and money savings on several more offshore rigs – I would especially acknowledge the hard work and positivity of the scaffolding crew in particular, and all of the Bilfinger UK team involved without whom this level of project build and delivery success would have been harder to achieve," he concluded.
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