Drass chooses Tungum for Subsea 7’s Seven Kestrel dive system

Drass Galeazzi, a world leader in the design, manufacture and installation of saturation diving systems, has utilised Tungum tubing again as part of its state-of-the-art diving system rated to 300m on board a new Subsea 7 dive support vessel.

The Seven Kestrel is a 125-metre long dive support vessel designed by Subsea 7 in collaboration with Hyundai Heavy Industries Shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea and Wärtsilä Ship Design, Norway.

Drass provided the vessel with an 18-man, twin-bell saturation diving system, equipped with 10 independent locks, two large transfer under pressure compartments, 2 x 18 man hyperbaric lifeboats, all with the latest cutting-edge operational technology, certified by DNV GL.

Over 10,000 metres of Tungum  tube was used in the installation.

Drass worked closely with Subsea 7 on the material specification for the system and Tungum tubing was selected for the following reasons:

  • Oxygen compatibility – endorsed by IMCA, D 012, ASTM G124-10
  • Corrosion resistance to sea water , especially in the splash zones
  • Tungum last’s for the life time of the vessel
  • Cost effective related to competitive alloys
  • Ease of installation
  • DNV approval

 “I have been working in DRASS since 2006 and from the first day I have used Tungum pipes in my projects. The characteristics of Tungum pipes permit an easy bending and installation inside the gas panels and the diving bells. DRASS uses Tungum for all oxygen and mix gas lines of the diving system (Air dive and Saturation). In this moment, 7 Drass diving systems are working and other 6 systems are in progress and in the past 10 years I have no recorded failures in Tungum pipes. Tungum pipes are perfect for an installation with two-ferrule or flare (SAE J514) fittings. I recommend trying out these pipes, you’ll thank me!”

Dino Tempesti, Snr Mechanical Engineer and Piping Expert at Drass Galeazzi