www.acteon.com
SUCTION PILE
E-BOOK
ENTER
INTRODUCTION
Finding resources to fuel the global demand for clean energy
is complex. Wind developers are being pushed to move into
more demanding environments, creating challenges in the
design and installation of offshore facilities.
At Acteon, we are constantly innovating to meet the evolving
needs of the offshore wind industry.
Suction piles, also called suction caissons or suction anchors,
have been used effectively as mooring anchors and foundations
since the 1990s for oil and gas facilities. They can be deployed
as mooring anchors and foundations for subsea infrastructure
making them a key component for floating wind.
Acteon is a leader in suction pile design, fabrication and
installation. InterMoor, a brand in Acteon’s Moorings
and Anchors business line, offers complete life cycle
management including design, regulatory approval,
procurement, fabrication, testing, installation and removal.
DISCOVER
HOW WE
DO IT...
01
HOW DOES IT WORK
02
03
CAPABILITIES
INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
04
TRACK RECORD
05
SEPLA
06
FEPLA
07
YOUR NEXT PROJECT
1. HOW
HOW DOES
A SUCTION
PILE WORK?
A suction pile is a long steel cylinder
with an open bottom and topped with
a pile top or cap. The cap comprises
valves to assist with embedment
as well as connections that differ
depending on the use of the pile.
1. HOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
READ MORE HERE
4. TRACK RECORD
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
LOWERING
A suction pile can be lowered into the seabed from an offshore
construction vessel or an anchor handling vessel, with or
without an A-frame.
EMBEDDING
The suction pile penetrates up to 60% of its length under
its own weight, depending on soil conditions and the pile
properties. The remainder of the suction pile is embedded
into the seabed through suction. A remote-operated vehicle
(ROV) pumps water out of the top suction port after sealing
pile top valves. Pile top and ROV instrumentation contribute
to a precise installation.
READ MORE HERE
1. HOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4. TRACK RECORD
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
1. HOW
HOW TO PREVENT
BUCKLING OF THE
SUCTION PILE?
A suction pile can change its shape under load at the time
of installation. This happens if the skirt wall is not thick enough
to withstand the under pressure applied by an ROV’s pump
to advance the pile to its target embedment depth.
Designing a suction pile with a very thick wall is an option but
it would be expensive, heavy, and cumbersome to handle.
Engineers apply advanced techniques like the non-linear finite
element analysis-based post-buckling study to provide optimum
wall thickness. This saves weight and fabrication effort.
1. HOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4. TRACK RECORD
READ MORE HERE
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
2. CAPABILITIES
ENGINEERING
Designing a suction pile involves
a significant amount of engineering
expertise. Acteon’s structural and
foundation engineers solve complex
client problems. Our engineering
capabilities are geared towards
optimising strength, stability and
structural integrity.
READ MORE HERE
1. HOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4. TRACK RECORD
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
2. CAPABILITIES
OUR SOLUTIONS
Design of piles and mud mats
Structural frame analysis
Finite element analysis
Fatigue analysis
Lift and rigging design
Procedures detailing the
installation and recovery
of suction piles
Modifying already-built suction
piles for secondary uses and
installation methods
Installation aids design, third-party
pile design consultations, and sea fastening design
Load testing
READ MORE HERE
1. HOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4. TRACK RECORD
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
2. CAPABILITIES
FABRICATION
Acteon possesses a wealth of experience in fabricating
various high-quality, specialized, and complex components
and structures, such as:
Drag embedment anchors
Driven piles
Installation aids
Subsea manifold frames
Subsea templates
Suction embedded plate
anchors (SEPLAs)
Suction piles
Our fabrication facilities have developed tight relationships
with foundries over the years and can deliver bespoke
mooring equipment including quality and safety control,
audit reviews, and production schedule and coordination
management. Local fabrication is possible at our in-house
facilities or through our worldwide network of quality suppliers.
1. HOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4. TRACK RECORD
VIEW HOW A SUCTION PILE IS FABRICATED - WATCH OUR VIDEO
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
3. INSTALLATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
OPERATIONS
Through robust planning, attention
to detail, close collaboration with the
client’s team and definitive project
management, we reduce time, cost
and risk to any marine operation.
READ MORE HERE
1. HOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4. TRACK RECORD
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
3. INSTALLATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
OUR SERVICES
Detailed risk, quality, safety
and communication planning
Logistics and procedure development
Continuous tracking and risk mitigation
by Acteon’s project managers
Marine consultancy and warranty
services provided for:
Insurance inspection and approval
Client representation and management
Vessel and asset load-out and sail-away
1. HOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Load-out, transportation and in-field installation
Jacket, topsides, pipeline and foundation installation
Subsea infrastructure and diving operations
Jack-up and semi-submersible approvals
Offshore renewable installations
Asset decommissioning and approval
READ MORE HERE
4. TRACK RECORD
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
3. INSTALLATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
SHARED ANCHORS
Shared anchors can be a solution for reducing
the number of anchors by connecting mooring
lines from multiple floating wind turbines to the
same anchor.
On a large windfarm with over 100 turbines,
the economic benefits can be significant in terms
of the time saved at installation and cost of material.
This solution lends itself to axis-symmetric
anchors like suction piles.
READ MORE HERE
1. HOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4. TRACK RECORD
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
4. TRACK RECORD
OUR TRACK
RECORD
Acteon has designed and fabricated
hundreds of suction piles, which have
been installed and used in the most
complex offshore energy projects.
INTERMOOR TEAM
1. HOW
DOWNLOAD NOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4. TRACK RECORD
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
5. SEPLA
SEPLA —
A COST-EFFICIENT ALTERNATIVE
Suction embedded plate anchor (SEPLA) combines two
proven technologies – suction piles and plate anchors
– to increase the anchor point efficiency of pre-set
moorings and reduce mooring system costs for floating
structures. SEPLA has approval from DNV and the American
Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for permanent moorings.
The embedded SEPLA system uses a suction follower
(similar to a suction pile) to embed a plate anchor
deeply in the soil.
Use of a suction follower means the precise location
and depth of the anchor are known.
In use on many floating energy projects in the world,
SEPLA is perfect for all sites that need suction pile
precision placement and geotechnical efficiency
at a significantly lower cost of material and with
a much smaller environmental footprint.
READ MORE HERE
1. HOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4. TRACK RECORD
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
5. SEPLA
ADVANTAGES
TECHNICAL
Suction embedment accuracy
Suction pile precision
Desired geographical position
Desired depth penetration
Ideal for crowded and
congested areas
Plate anchor capacity
No proof loading necessary
Vertical load capable (VLA)
Geotechnically more efficient
than suction piles (holding
capacity/weight)
1. HOW
COST
£
2. CAPABILITIES
ENVIRONMENTAL
Less material
Less material
A SEPLA anchor requires much less
steel (24 Te vs 68 Te for a suction pile)
More weight efficient than piles
and as a result, cheaper to build
Smaller carbon footprint
Simpler fabrication process
Requires half the time to fabricate
than a suction pile
The fabrication cost is about half
the cost of a suction pile
As multiple SEPLAs can be carried on
one vessel, the whole mooring system
installation requires fewer boat trips
Recoverable system
As the suction follower is retracted
once the plate anchor is brought to the
desired soil depth and hence, nothing
mechanical is left subsea.
Efficient transport/installation
Multiple SEPLAs can be carried
on a small installation vessel
Reduced installation time
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4. TRACK RECORD
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
INSTALLATION
5.
SEPLA
& PROJECT MANAGEMENT
OPERATIONS
AN ANCHORING SOLUTION TO
Through
robust planning,
attention
LOWER
MOORING
COSTS
AND
to detail, close collaboration with the
CARBON
EMISSIONS
client’s team and definitive project
management, we reduce time, cost
and risk to any marine operation.
WATCH VIDEO
1. HOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4. TRACK RECORD
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
6. FEPLA
FEPLA — THE IDEAL
OFFSHORE ANCHOR
SEPLA technology, like suction pile technology,
is well suited to installation in clay conditions.
However, many proposed floating offshore wind
turbine developments are in shallow areas with
sand or mixed soils. A new means for quickly
installing plate anchors that do not exclusively
use suction technology is needed. Acteon is
currently developing a flexibly embedded plate
anchor (FEPLA) system to address this need.
READ MORE HERE
1. HOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4. TRACK RECORD
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
6. FEPLA
FEPLA — THE IDEAL
OFFSHORE ANCHOR
The system will consist of an updated SEPLA design for clays,
and a new plate anchor configuration optimised for sands.
These anchors will interface with a new multi-function follower
capable of embedding anchors by vibro-hammering and
impact hammering. The follower will be modular allowing
for re-configuration to include any needed combination
of embedment methods.
When realised, the FEPLA system will be the most cost-efficient
and fastest industrial anchoring system yet developed and
the only system that checks all the boxes for an ideal floating
offshore wind turbine anchor.
READ MORE HERE
1. HOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4. TRACK RECORD
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
MOORINGS AND
ANCHORS LEADER
Floating wind turbines are envisioned as a viable solution for offshore
wind farms in waters over 60 - 70 m where fixed structures become
uneconomical. A significant cost component of the floating offshore
wind turbines is the mooring and anchoring system used to keep
the structure in position, and a considerable portion of the mooring
costs are the anchors.
Acteon is uniquely positioned to address this challenge and meet
your needs for an ideal floating offshore wind turbine anchor
through its suction pile, SEPLA and FEPLA solutions
thanks to a proven track record of safety, reliability and success
1. HOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4. TRACK RECORD
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT
MOORINGS AND
ANCHORS LEADER
Trust your next floating project to the leader in moorings
and anchors for installations in all water depths. Acteon’s
team of highly skilled engineers ensures each project’s
unique conditions are built into the design to optimise
fabrication and installation.
CONTACT US
1. HOW
2. CAPABILITIES
3. INSTALLATION AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4. TRACK RECORD
5. SEPLA
6. FEPLA
7. YOUR NEXT PROJECT