Dyneema® Max is the culmination of a systematic development programme by DSM Dyneema to improve the creep performance of high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) yarn.
First trialled as a mooring rope over 10 years ago, the early results with HMPE were promising, however, creep prevented its use as a deepwater mooring rope. Last year DSM Dyneema introduced SK78 with a creep rate to less than 0.5% on 5 year moorings, still too much for permanent moorings but ideal for mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) moorings.
This year, DSM has gone further. Using Dyneema® Max Technology, it has produced a HMPE fibre that has allowed Lankhorst Ropes to manufacture Gama 98 HMPE ropes with virtually no creep for 5 year MODU moorings and less than 0.5% for permanent moorings.
From the mooring systems’ perspective, Lankhorst Ropes Offshore Division’s sales director, Chris Johnson points to both technical and practical advantages to using HMPE permanent mooring ropes . “The new HMPE rope’s low creep, and high stiffness, will provide the optimum station-keeping conditions for permanent moorings at ultra-deepwater depths. Moreover, the rope’s smaller diameter allows more rope per reel than polyester, which will have significant offshore installation benefits.”
The Lankhorst Ropes booth at OTC 2012 will feature a review of Dyneema® Max Technology and it implications for deepwater mooring.
[mappress] Subsea World News Staff , April 27, 2012; Image: Lankhorst