簡介：阿伯丁西格瑪海洋石油有限公司接收到２００萬英鎊的投資，用于開發新型系泊技術，即智能系泊系統（ＳＭＳ）。作為系泊纜繩系統的高效技術，ＳＭＳ據說能夠節省生產儲油船的成本維修工作量，同時也能夠大大縮短作業時間。

Aberdeen-based Sigma Offshore Limited has received a major investment totaling GBP 2 million for further development of its innovative mooring technology, the Smart Mooring System (SMS). Described as an enabling technology for stranded reserves, the SMS reportedly offers reduced cost and modification to production and storage vessels, while also providing significant time savings.

　　　　　　　　Some of the components making up the disconnectable SMS.

Conventional mooring systems are mounted to the hull of storage ships such as floating production storage and offloading vessels (FPSOs). The SMS system mounts to a ship’s bow via a cantilever support structure and gimbal, which minimizes hull invasion and allows for unlimited weathervaning of the vessel. The patented design also saves time because it can be quickly installed or removed from the vessel and does not require the vessel to be dry-docked, making the system well suited for tanker conversions.

The result of 14 years of development and testing, the SMS is currently available in three versions:

A disconnectable system, suitable for relatively short-term early-production system deployments and for FPSOs in areas vulnerable to hurricanes and typhoons. This system can also be used when the storage vessel is used to export oil.
A permanent system for long-term deployments in which the need for regular or emergency disconnects is not expected.
A single-riser system, the simplest product which is ideally suited to extended well test deployment in which relatively frequent mooring and disconnection?such as for relocation?is envisaged.

Half of the new GBP 2 million infusion comes from Scottish Enterprise’s Scottish Venture Fund, and the other half comes from Energy Ventures, Sigma Offshore’s original investor and main shareholder. “The financial boost will enable us to continue to develop and promote our innovative mooring system while also providing the opportunity to grow our teams in Aberdeen and at strategic locations around the world,” said Alistair Dornan, chief executive of Sigma. “To secure such a major investment in these financially challenging times is a massive achievement for the team and testimony to the potential of the technology.”

This investment will also reportedly help Sigma Offshore further demonstrate the potential of the technique as providing a viable solution to tanker owners who have no in-house mooring technology and who want to use an entirely independent turret supplier. The system will also contribute to keeping field development costs to a minimum and help enable oil pockets not close enough to existing infrastructure to be developed.

Sigma currently employs 22 people at its headquarters in Aberdeen and is targeting key markets including South East Asia, South America and West and North Africa. Although founded in 2004, the company received its initial technology investment in late 2007 and has a core of experienced engineers who have successfully completed more than 10 FPSO and FSO projects together.

More information can be found at Sigma Offshore’s website.

楊寶劍 是振威（全球）石油網的高級技術編輯，在石油技術資訊行業有八年的學識和經驗。他源源不斷地提供石油行業全球最新的技術創新、研發成果、現場應用情況等信息。如果你對該項新技術有任何的疑問，或者對“新技術新產品”未來的內容有任何問題或建議，請聯系楊寶劍編輯 +86 10-58236512 Email：[email protected] 歡迎與行業互動！