BT-3500 CONTRACTED BY

PETROBRAS
TENDER DRILLING UNIT FOR
PAPA-TERRA
BT-3500 TENDER DRILLING UNIT
Self-erecting Tender Assisted Drilling

The BT-3500 is a new generation semi-submersible

Tender Drilling Unit, taking self-erecting Tender Assisted
Drilling (TAD) to harsher environments and deeper water
with higher efficiency and operability than previous
generations.

Due to its improved hydrodynamic performance compared

with competing units, the BT-3500 will extend TAD to
new areas and increased water depths for various host
platforms, such as a fixed jackets, Spars and TLPs.

The TAD concept means that only the modularized

Mast Equipment Package (MEP) is located on the host
platform, while the remaining parts of the drilling equip-
ment and the supporting facilities are integrated on the
Tender Drilling Unit, which during drilling operations is
moored alongside the host platform and connected by
a telescopic gangway. The MEP is transported by the
Tender Drilling Unit which use the onboard cranes to
erect it on the host platform.

TAD brings, among other things, the following advan­tages

to a field-development:

• Reduced weights  for the topside and host platform

hull/jacket, as parts of drilling facilities, supporting
utilities and related loads are arranged on the Tender
Drilling Unit.

• Reduced loads  on the mooring systems of floating

platforms (i.e. Spars and TLPs), thereby increasing
their water depth capability.

• Larger storage capacity  for drilling consumables

due to the ample volume and variable load characteris-
tics of the Tender Drilling Unit.

• Improved safety  as accommodation facilities for dril-

ling crew and others are located off-platform on
the Tender Drilling Unit.

• Safer evacuation  in case of an emergency situation

on the host platform is provided by the telescopic
gangway to the Tender Drilling Unit. The tender can
then be moved away from the platform by a controlled
release of the mooring lines.
GENERAL storage CAPACITIES

Class XA1 Column Stabilized Drilling Unit, P Liquids

Mud pits in upper hull 1,150 m3 7,200 bbls
Rules and IMO MODU Code, IMO SOLAS,
regulations IMO MARPOL, IMO Load Line Secondary mud in pontoons 0-445 m3 0-2,800 bbls
Brazil, Gulf of Mexico, South East Asia, Brine 160-380 m3 1,000-2,400 bbls
Operational areas
West of Africa
Base oil 160-380 m 3
1,000-2,400 bbls
POB 140 people (in 1+2 man cabins)
Drill water 2,170 m 3
13,650 bbls
Heli deck Sikorsky S-61N and S-92, CAP 437
Fuel oil 1,520 m3 9,560 bbls
Potable water 710 m3 4,460 bbls
DESIGN CRITERIA Bulk
Water depth, self-contained 250 m Bulk cement 294 m3 10,400 cu ft
mooring
Bulk barite/bentonite 294 m3 10,400 cu ft
Water depth, pre-set mooring 2,000 m
Total bulk storage 588 m3 20,800 cu ft
Maximum drilling depth 10,000 m
Environmental criteria 10-year GOM hurricane,
MAjor equipment
100-year Brazil storm
Tender Drilling Unit
Power generation 5 x 2,200 kWe
MAIN DIMENSIONS
Mooring system 10 x 80 mm wires
Length over all abt. 83.0 m
Mud pumps 3 x 2,200 Hp @ 7,500 psi
Beam over all abt. 77.3 m
Main crane 170 tonnes @ 46 m, max radius 64 m
Height to box bottom 24.7 m
Auxiliary crane 26 tonnes @ 20 m, max radius 44 m
Height to upper deck 31.2 m
Telescopic gangway 36 m ± 6 m, aluminum bridge
Pontoons (2)
Mast Equipment Package
Length 76.7 m
Dry weight 1,100 tonnes
Beam 13.7 m
Max operating weight 2,300 tonnes
Height 7.8 m
Skidding system Lift & Roll Systems, X/Y skidding
Columns (4)
Drilling mast 1,300 kips static hook-load,
Horizontal section 12.4 x 13.7 m
152 ft clear working height,
Draughts self-erecting bootstrap type
Operation 16.0 m Setback 570 tonnes at quads
450 tonnes at trebles
Survival 12.5 m
Mechanized handling of range 2 and
Transit 7.5 m Pipe handling
3 tubulars. Off-line stand-building
Displacement Pipe transfer Hi-line system
Operation 21,550 tonnes Top drive 750 sh tons hook-load x 1,150 Hp
Drawworks 3,000 Hp
PAYLOAD CAPACITIES Rotary table 49½” diameter
Deck and column payload, BOP stack 18¾ BOP, 3 rams @ 10,000 psi,
4,100 tonnes
operation/survival one annular @ 5,000 psi
Total payload, operation/survival 5,500 tonnes Mud treatment Gumbo buster, 5 shale shakers,
degasser, cuttings dryer and
Total payload, transit 2,800 tonnes 2 centrifuges

BT-3500 by
BASSDRILL BUILDs FIRST BT-3500
AT DSIC offshore for petrobas
papa-terra field development
BassDrill is a Houston based integrated
drilling contractor founded to develop and
operate a purpose built fleet of Tender
Drilling Units.
In 2010 BassDrill contracted its second
Tender Drilling Unit, the BT-3500 semi­
submersible “BassDrill Beta” at DSIC
Offshore. This BT-3500 has been contrac-
ted by Petrobas as the Tender Drilling Unit to perform drilling operations
at the P-61 Tension Leg Platform for the Papa-Terra Field Development
offshore Brazil.
BassDrill’s first Tender Barge, the “BassDrill Alpha”, also designed by
Bassoe Technology and delivered in 2010, is operating offshore Congo,
West Africa. Designed with focus on safety and efficiency, the “BassDrill
Alpha” features, among other things, an ultra-light weight Mast Equip-
ment Package (MEP) and a Main Crane. The position on the bow allows
erection, operation and dismantling of the MEP from a single mooring
pattern, thereby reducing overall anchor handling time.

DSIC Offshore is one of China’s

leading turnkey contractors for off-
shore construction. It is the offshore
arm of Dalian Shipbuilding Industry
Corporation, one of the world’s
largest shipyard groups, which has
the longest offshore constructing
history and track record in China.
It has delivered ships and offshore
projects to international clients
since the mid eighties.

DSIC Offshore has over the years successfully delivered

15 jack-ups, five semi-submersibles and five FPSOs (four in-
cluding topside module’s) to international and domestic clients.
In 2009 DSIC Offshore moved to a dedicated new offshore
construction yard, which includes a 180 x 120 m drydock.

DSIC Offshore operates in accordance with an ISO 9001,

ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 quality assurance system
certified by DNV.
A recognised DESIGN FORCE

www.logiken.se April 2011

for THE OFFSHORE INDUSTRY

Bassoe Technology focuses on marine and offshore

engineering services including development of
designs for floating and mobile offshore units, such
as semi-submersibles, drillships, tender drilling units
and FP(D)SOs.
With a background from the shipbuilding and offshore engineering
industry in Gothenburg, Sweden, Bassoe Technology’s employees
have a long experience of design and construction of offshore
units, which include key-roles in the design of some of the most
prominent 6 th generation drilling units.

Bassoe Technology has developed a portfolio of concepts which

among other includes:

• Semi-submersibles for • Drill Ships

- Accomodation • Tender Barges
- Drilling
• FP(D)SOs
- Floating Production
- Tender Assist Drilling
• Arctic Drilling Units
- Well Intervention

Bassoe Technology has long-term relations with some of the

world’s leading offshore construction yards and has developed
exclusive concepts for DSIC Offshore (China), DSME (Korea),
MHI (Japan) and SWS (China).

Bassoe Technology provides a strong multidiscipline engin­eering

force with vast experience in development of purpose designed
floating units and “hands-on” experience from project, construction
and commissioning management.

Bassoe Technology AB
Visiting address: Skeppsbron 5, Gothenburg, Sweden
Postal address: P.O. Box 2338, SE-403 15 Gothenburg, Sweden
Tel: +46-31-855800. Fax: +46-31-855899
Email: mail@basstech.se. www.basstech.se
Bassoe Technology is a design and project management
company within the Bassoe Group, a rig-broker and
project venture group with focus on offshore units.