2. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
Total Myanmar Pipeline Freespan Rectification
Installed by Bibby Offshore
March 2015
A quantity of SSCS Weighted Frond Mats were supplied to Bibby
Offshore Singapore on behalf of Total Myanmar for installation along
one of their pipelines on the Yadana field in the Andaman Sea to
provide freespan rectification and future protection from scour in
water depths of approximately 50m.
Bibby Offshore executed the deployment of the Mats from the DP2
ROV support vessel, Bibby Spring, utilising the SSCS installation frame
and the Quasar Work Class ROV. The ROV was able to manipulate the
Frame subsea without any issue, and deployment of the Mats was
executed within the allocated time frame; a total of 2 days was
allocated for Frond Mat installation, and the full quantity were
deployed in under 24 hours.
Initial feedback from Bibby following Mat deployment indicates that:
“Total are happy with the installation”.
3. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
GMS Endeavour, Anglia A – North Sea
June 2014
A quantity of SSCS Weighted Frond Mats were delivered to the GMS
Endeavour during June 2014 at the Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour prior
to deployment at the Anglia A site in the North Sea to protect the
platform legs from scour where the water depth was approximately 20-
25m with a sandy seabed.
The SSCS Operations Manager provided product and installation training
on deck whilst moored up at the outer harbour to prepare the GMS
crew for installation which was carried out using a crane with no
additional subsea intervention eliminating the additional cost of divers
or an ROV resulting in a cost saving of over 70%.
An additional number of SSCS Weighted Frond Mats were purchased
following this successful deployment for the GMS Endurance at another
location.
We also received the following feedback addressed to our Sales
Manager, Adam Tucker, from GMS’s Operations Manager, Ken Roby,
who communicated daily during both operations:
“I personally think that the service that SSCS have given and yourself
personally has been very good, and very professional, and I would have
no hesitation in using your company again or recommend SSCS to
others who maybe after these services.”
4. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
Pertamina, Indonesia
Scour Rectification for Offshore Platforms
2013 – 2015
SSCS supplied 255 Type 12 Frond Mats to Pertamina at the end of 2012
for works commencing during 2013, 2014 and 2015 for scour
rectification around a number of offshore platforms.
The Frond Mats are being used around exposed piles classed as “high
priority” in order to remediate scour and provide permanent protection
from the future development of scour. These platforms included the
AVSA Flare, BD, BM and BZNA Wells, along with numerous others.
The platforms are located between 5km and 100km from the Javanese
coastline between Cirebon in the east and the Pulau Seribu archipelago
in the west – a distance of approximately 200km.
Installation was carried out at the sites throughout 2013 and 2014, and
Mats continue to be installed today.
Feedback to date indicates the successful implementation of the Mats
and the continued use of our solution demonstrates the effectiveness of
the Mats at arresting sediment and providing the required level of
protection from scour around high profile assets.
“...they are working well at one platform which was re-visited some
time after the installation”
5. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
Repsol, Atwood Beacon – Jaguar 1, Guyana
February 2012
A large quantity of SSCS Type 12 Frond Mats were delivered to Repsol
Guyana during January / February 2012 to provide the required scour
protection for the spud cans of the Atwood Beacon jack-up rig on the
Jaguar 1 well.
The Mats were installed according to the detailed layout design
provided by SSCS during the technical proposal stage and the post
installation survey videos conducted using an ROV indicated successful
placement around the cans.
Communication with Repsol following Mat installation as recently as
February 2015 has provided feedback that the Mats are working
successfully at providing the required protection from scour around the
spud cans, and that future Mat use has been scheduled when the rig
moves location in 2016.
Video footage of the SSCS Frond Mats post installation can be found
on our YouTube Channel – www.youtube.com/c/SSCSLtd
6. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
SASMAP Project, EU
2012-2015
SASMAP’s purpose is to develop new technologies and best practices in
order to locate, assess and manage Europe’s underwater cultural
heritage. SASMAP will take holistic- and process-based approaches to
investigate underwater environments and the archaeological sites
contained therein. This is necessary regardless of whether or not
investigations are research driven or in connection with subsea
development. Investigations of underwater heritage which are
associated with subsea developments in Europe often require pre-
disturbance studies to comply with the Treaty of Valletta (1992).
Within SASMAP a holistic approach will be taken to locating, assessing,
monitoring and safeguarding underwater cultural heritage. This will
involve developing and utilising tools and technologies to allow “down-
scaling” from the large scale regional level, moving on to the local site
level and finally to the individual components of a site.
SSCS’s involvement was to provide a sustainable solution to the threat
of damage to the heritage sites by underwater currents that cause
sediment to be removed from the sites exposing them and causing the
seabed to become unstable.
The result was current speed reductions of up to 93.3% using standard
density and height SSCS Fronds.
More information on the SASMAP Project can be found at
www.sasmap.eu
7. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
Arklow Bank Offshore Wind Farm, GE Energy
Foundations T4 and T5
2011
Specially designed SSCS Frond Mats were installed around two of the
6.3 metre diameter Turbine Pile Foundations and along associated
power cables to rectify scour and provide permanent protection
following the failure of rock armour.
Rock armour, installed shortly after pile installation to provide scour
protection, was found during post installation surveys nine months
after installation to have dissipated and to have sunk below the natural
seabed level exposing the pile and cables and creating scour to a depth
of 4 metres and extending to approximately 20 metres from the pile
edge.
The SSCS Frond Mats were installed between and around the few
remaining rocks to rectify this scour, reinstate the seabed soils and
provide long term protection.
The 2011 Completion Report of the remedial works provided by GE
Energy, and prepared by Island Maritime Ltd indicated ongoing
successful performance of the SSCS Frond Mats:
“Initial observations of the effect of ... Frond Mattress installation are
positive.”
“Immediate observations of the effects of Frond Mattresses around
WTG 4 & WTG 5 are very positive”
8. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
SINOPEC China, Bohai Bay
2006-2015 (ongoing)
Seabed Scour Control Systems Ltd have been supplying Type 12 and
Type 25 Frond Mats to major Chinese Oil & Gas operators since 2006,
which continue to be installed to rectify scour and provide permanent
scour protection for assets such as subsea pipelines and offshore
platforms.
SSCS Frond Mats were originally supplied to the Sinopec owned and
operated Shengli Field in Bohai Bay, China approximately 5 miles off
the East Coast of Shandong Province for a number of Scoured and
Exposed Pipelines.
This ongoing scour protection project started in 2006 and over 1000
SSCS Frond Mats have since been installed to protect numerous
Pipelines and Platform Riser Spools.
The Frond Mats that have been installed have proven to provide the
required protection for the pipelines and riser pipeline spools at the
Shengli Field and as a result SSCS continues to supply Mats each year
for continuing works at the Shengli Field and to meet additional
protection requirements that arise.
9. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
Shell Brunei, Pipeline Freespan Rectification and
Stabilisation
2006 – 2015 (ongoing)
SSCS Frond Mats were first installed in 2006 along each side of a free-
spanning 20” diameter pipeline to rectify the existing scour beneath
the pipeline and to mitigate further scour propagation.
The free-span was approximately 70 metres long and 0.2 metres deep
with intermittent touchdown points.
The post Mat installation ROV General Inspection Survey carried out in
2007 showed that the free-span had been corrected and that the
pipeline was again in contact with the re-established seabed and that
there was no scour propagation beyond the Mats.
Extracts from the follow up survey dated 03/09/2007
“The 6 o/c position of the pipeline was in contact with the seabed at
the edge of the mat, and there were no signs of further scouring
observed under the pipeline, going past the mat...”
“The ROV then relocated to the west side of the pipeline opposite the
second mat, and it was observed that the pipeline was in contact with
the seabed at the 6 o/c position, with no freespan seen beyond the
mat going towards the CPRJ-01. The Scour Correction mat appeared
to have arrested the scouring on the CRPJ-01 side of the freespan...”
10. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
Bam Nuttall
Norfolk Broads River bed and Bank Rectification
2006-2008
The UK East Anglia Broadlands river banks and beds have, and continue
to be, eroded by fast flowing tidal currents and the wash created by
motorised leisure craft.
The Broadlands Flood Alleviation Project Team who also have
responsibility for rectifying erosion and re-establishing the eroded
areas elected to install SSCS Frond Mats at a severely eroded location
on the River Waveney where tidal currents have been measured at up
to 3knots.
Specially designed Frond Mats were installed in 2006 across the widest
point of an eroded stretch of the river to capture transported sediment
and reinstate the river bed and bank inside the matted area.
Post installation observations have shown that sediment has been
quickly deposited behind the matted area and continues to develop.
Further installation of the SSCS Frond Mats has since been carried out
to facilitate the same solution on other Broadlands Rivers.
11. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
Bass River, USA – National Grid
Reinstatement and Protection of polluted riverbed
2005
125 SSCS Type 12 Frond Mats were installed to re-establish and re-
instate the Bass River bed where it had been excavated following the
dredging of coal tar contaminated sediments from within the river.
The installation of a sediment cap to cover residual contamination
beneath then took place and SSCS’s scope included installation of
approximately 16,500 square feet of SSCS Frond Mats to mitigate
potential loss of the sediment cap due to propeller wash.
In the October 2006 and November 2007 post installation surveys it
was found that:
“...the Mats were collecting sediment while maintaining the
subaqueous cap and were providing a habitat for various forms of
marine life and vegetation.”
Following the completion of further post installation surveys carried
out in 2008 and December 2009 the SSCS Frond Mats were proven to
be fully established and effectively preventing scour of the capping
material.
“The underwater investigation indicated that the majority of the
scour control mats are generally in good condition...there continues
to be evidence of the mats being silted-in and providing a habitat for
various forms of marine life and vegetation. No sheens or other
evidence of coal tar was observed.”
12. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
Arklow Bank Offshore Wind Farm, GE Energy
1m Diameter Met Mast
2004
Arklow Bank is a shallow water sandbank located 10 km off the east
coast of Ireland in approx: 3mwd. It is exposed to strong currents,
frequently exceeding 2m/s, breaking waves and has a dynamic
sand/gravel seabed.
Type25 SSCS Frond Mats were installed around the 1.0 metre diameter
Met Mast Pile Foundation standing in 5mwd to prevent scour and
provide permanent scour protection.
The post installation survey showed the successful application and
effectiveness of the Mats with a build-up of sediment providing a
stable protective sand bank such that the buoyant fronds 1.25metres in
length were completely buried and no longer visible.
13. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
Marathon Oil, Concrete Gravity Based MOPU, Gabon
May 2004
The Marathon MOPU Concrete Gravity Based Structure was
experiencing serious scour around its entire periphery.
Sand Bags had previously been installed to prevent scour but these had
failed to provide the required protection due to being a ‘hard’ solution,
thus being susceptible to secondary scour and dissipation.
SSCS Frond Mats were installed in 2004/2005 to rectify existing scour
and provide permanent protection by slowing the tidal currents and
removing the energy necessary to erode the seabed, i.e. scour, around
the platform.
There has been no further scour and the gravity base is now
permanently protected.
14. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
OMV, Australia – Patricia-Baleen Pipeline, Patricia
Jan-Feb 2003
In 2003 a quantity of SSCS Type 12 and Type 25 Frond Mats were
purchased by OMV to provide protection for the 12” Patricia-Baleen
subsea pipeline and an umbilical offshore Victoria, SE Australia.
During December 2002 SSCS were contacted by Intec Engineering of
Perth, who were acting as OMV’s consultants, requesting
recommendations for covering and protecting the pipeline installed
during 2001.
The requirement arose as a result of environmental objections raised
by local fishermen to the pipeline which passes through near-shore
fishing grounds, and which was partially exposed over a 180m length at
a near-shore location as were some of the associated concrete
stabilisation blocks.
SSCS recommended the installation of its Frond Mats to cover and
protect the pipeline and stabilisation blocks at both locations; OMV
accepted the recommendations and approved installation of the SSCS
Frond Mats to protect the pipeline and an exposed umbilical.
Availability and early delivery was essential for this work and SSCS
delivered Frond Mats, together with finalised Mat installation
procedures and layout drawings by air freight within 7 days at the end
of January 2003.
15. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
Nuclear Electric – Outfall and Intake tunnel, Sizewell
`B' Power Station
June 1991
Scour Control Mats were initially installed during June 1991, with a
small quantity later in the year to protect the Inner End, Mid Point and
Outer end of a Concrete Box Structure installed out from the beach .
The seabed consisted of 0m to 7m deep fine to medium sand of
medium density with isolated layers of silty clay and occasional shell
fragments.
1.35m/sec seabed currents are experienced at the sight on a annual
basis, with known speeds to exceed 2m/s on occasion and a tidal range
of up to 6.3m.
An inspection of the SSCS scour control mats laid at the out-fall and at
the intake tunnel at Sizewell `B' Power Station from the beach out to
sea was conducted by Ocean Technical Services on the 19th, 20th
March, and 5th April, 1992 and concluded that:
“having plotted the results of each section survey, it would appear
that .. the Scour Control Mats have been successful in preventing
scour.”
“Divers also reported total sediment cover of the four mats laid at
the intake location.“
“As detailed in the full intake survey data, considerable scour is
evident where NO protection has been provided by mats.”
16. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
Flume Trials
River & Harbour Laboratory, at the Norwegian Institute
of Technology, Trondheim
In flume tank trials the efficacy of the SSCS frond system was proven at
flow speeds up to 10 knots (5.1 m/s).
In constant flow trials the velocity at a height of 0.1m above the bed
was reduced in the trial of 4 (four) rows of fronds to 26% of the
constant free flow; and in a variable flow trial at the same 0.1m above
the bed the flow was reduced to 8% of the free flow. A seabed or river
bed is stabilised immediately on installation of an SSCS buoyant frond
system.
The maximum peak tidal flow of any live SSCS frond installation at the
time of these trials was one for Exxon (Mainline Pipelines) in the Afon
Taf Estuary off the Severn which had a 7 knot flow (3.6 m/s) at flood
run off combined with spring tide ebb flow, and at spring tides endured
a major up-stream "bore" wave. Standard height fronds were used
except over the pipeline where 0.350mm high fronds were used at the
request of the NRA (and the local waterways body) and at this site the
frond system was proven effective and the installation remains
successful.
A somewhat similar installation for Transco (British Gas) for a 24"
pipeline crossing the Menai Straits also used half height fronds
throughout in a clay / fine sand seabed and this has proved successful
and created a firm dense natural sediment bank of low profile over the
pipeline. Again environmental approval was sought and given.
20. www.sscsystems.com
info@sscsystems.com
+44 1493 443380
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the field life of the SSCS Frond Mats?
A: The SSCS Frond Mats are constructed from materials that have a theoretical permanent life within marine environments as they are not
susceptible to degradation. The first Mats were installed in 1984/85 in the Southern North Sea and remain in place today and have
required zero maintenance or re-application during this period. The SSCS Frond Mats are considered the only permanent solution to
scour.
Q: What engineering is required?
A: Due to the way in which the SSCS Frond Mats prevent scour by removing the energy required to cause it, engineering in the typical sense
that is associated with other methods is not required as, for example, no various forms of Mat are required (e.g. Filter layers). Immediate
stabilisation of the top layer(s) of sediment is achieved following deployment of SSCS Frond Mats. SSCS are able to provide Frond Mats of
specific shapes, sizes and to suit various deployment methods depending on the project / client requirements, however the Frond
density, length, etc is not altered.
Q: How are the SSCS Frond Mats installed?
A: SSCS Frond Mat installation is dictated by the project / client requirements. Due to being fully adaptable the Mats can be installed in
many forms including but not limited to:
- Being installed using a deployment frame whereby the Mats are held into position on the sea/river-bed by weighted down edges (these
Mats are held in stock)
- Being unrolled on the seabed by divers and held in position with a series of anchors (these Mats are held in stock)
- Being pre-attached to structures onshore prior to deployment such as concrete mattresses, concrete form works, cable crossings, etc
with Frond activation occurring by releasing the ‘safe net’ during retrieval of the installation frame.
- Being pre-attached to structures onshore prior to deployment then unrolled on the seabed by ROV or divers.
Q: What is the impact on the environment when using SSCS Frond Mats?
A: The SSCS Frond Mats are often considered the most environmentally friendly solution to scour and have been found to be totally
accepted by the natural environment. As the materials used do not leach or degrade, there is no negative impact; in fact, the Mats have
been found to enhance the local natural environment whilst the Fronds are exposed. The SSCS Frond Mats have also been approved by
various fishing organisations / authorities.
