Using its expertise gained in developing conductors and casing connectors, Oil States Industries has, in response to the ever-changing requirements of the oil industry, developed a number of connectors for applications such as FPSOs, TLPs and pipelines.
The Merlin Tendon Element (TLE) connector is a cost effective, technically superior method of joining together the tether lengths that secure Tension Leg Platforms to the seabed.
The connector was specifically designed to overcome the disadvantage of the more traditional methods of joining tether sections. For example, towing long lengths of prefabricated pipe carries the risk of unquantified fatigue damage being suffered by the pipe to pipe welds prior to entering service, making meaningful prediction of in-place fatigue life difficult. Upping the pipe is also a delicate process. Of course, final welding can be done offshore, allowing shorter lengths of pipe to be carried in the installation barge. This can be expensive however and the fatigue life is inferior to that of a fully ground weld performed onshore.
The Merlin TLE by comparison, has an exceptional fatigue life which has been proven throughout exhaustive trials during the connector's development phase.
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The Merlin TLE running tools are operated by highly trained and experienced offshore technicians from Oil States' Offshore Services department.
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As with all Merlin connectors, the Merlin TLE has a number of circumferential teeth spaced varying distances apart, which ensure that the connector halves can only be mated in one precise configuration, by hydraulic pressure. The major differences between the TLE and standard Merlin's are in the number of teeth and tolerances to which the predefined interference's between the teeth are manufactured. For example, a standard Merlin connector has 16 teeth, while the TLE illustrated in the above photo has 48. The top and bottom teeth of the TLE connectors are machined to a tolerance of +/- 0.0002".
By increasing the number of interlocking, circumferential teeth, Oil States engineers achieved a tested tension load of 6 million lb while maintaining the slim line profile of Merlin connector and fast (5 minutes) assembly.
Merlin TLE connectors are made from A707.
Oil States engineers can readily adapt the basic connector design to particular tendon loading configuration and provide full-stress analysis for any size of Merlin connector.
Oil States Industries (UK) Ltd can also provide a full turnkey installation service for TLE connectors including assembly clamps, stabbing guides, spider units and pick-up tools. Furthermore, Oil States industries (UK) Ltd, and its parent company Oil States Industries Inc, can together provide complete TLP tendon solutions including TLE connectors, tether bearings, flex elements and tendon top termination assemblies. | |
To view the Tubular Connection Systems Contacts, click on the corresponding link below:
Tubular Connection Systems Contacts
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Oil States Industries, Inc.
Oil States International, Inc.