Overview
A question we get asked is what can fail during lay-up. We have been involved in lay-up since 2004 and have decided to highlight some common failures that can occur during lay-up, hot stacking, and warm and cold lay-up. Geographically speaking, it does not matter where your assets are. But, for example, the following conditions could occur.
Hot Layover & Warm Layup
As time passes, waiting for a new contract, there can be a lack of understanding of critical preservation needs. As a result, the crew onboard and management are unaware of basic preservation requirements and planned schedules. In addition, leaving specific systems in standby mode for extended periods can cause corrosion and seizure issues, as well as a reduction in the overall long-term reliability of the equipment.
With warm lay-up, issues are pretty much the same as hot lay-up. Still, as time passes and there is no certainty of when the vessel will reactivate, the problems will become more significant issues. I visited rigs sitting idle in the arrival condition 17 months later. Engines had not turned over with forced lubrication; sea water systems were left full of water with the expectation that they may get the word to reactivate tomorrow. The planned maintenance system has not changed, and equipment maintained based on running hours has not been serviced in a suitable timeframe. For this reason, we have done much work creating warm stacking maintenance variants and supplying essential preservation equipment. The below indicates problems that can be found but are not a complete list.
The Solution
The above is only part of the problem with incorrect lay-ups. MLS can assist in providing a reactivation schedule to identify materials, labour and time to prepare for departure. Proper planning will assist in preparing to leave without unnecessary delays. So, whether you’re sitting at an anchorage or alongside a wharf, MLS can provide you with a consultancy service that suits your needs & budget.