Houston-based J. Ray McDermott, a subsidiary of McDermott International, Inc., is upgrading its primary Gulf of Mexico derrick/pipelay barge, DB50, for future deepwater projects, by adding new thrusters and increasing its electrical power supply.
The DB50 will have its entire power plant replaced with new diesel-engine generator sets totaling 19.2 megawatts, new switchboards and a state-of-the-art power management/alarm system. Also, the existing four 2.4 megawatt controlled pitch thrusters will be replaced with six new 2.4 megawatt fixed pitch / variable AC drive thrusters, which will provide 44 tons of thrust each. In addition, the freshwater and saltwater cooling system and the supply/exhaust ventilation system will be upgraded in both engine and thruster machinery spaces. The dynamic positioning control system was upgraded in 2007 with new hardware.