Atrocious weather conditions made the Red Sea pile testing assignment difficult for Strainstall Middle East project engineers Mahmood Ur Rahman Khan and Santosh Pappy Varghese.

Pile dynamic testing involves taking instruments offshore to monitor the impact loads of piles - the steel tubes that are driven into the seabed to secure rigs in position. In this important project for Valentine Maritime, Mahmood and Santosh - overseen by project manager Prasanth Anto - were undertaking a critical test to ensure the stability of a rig platform. 

Due to take a month, the project ended up lasting over five due to the weather. Conditions were such that they often had to wait for long hours for the sea to calm down and, because it was vital to make up time when it did, they had to be ready to resume work at all times of day and night.  

Services provided: 

• Monitoring impact loads of piles 
• Testing to ensure stability of a rig platform in the Red Sea 
• Full pile testing service 

Benefits: 

• Flexibility and availability for the full project completion - due to take one month but lasting more than five months due to extreme weather conditions 
• Delays minimised as much as possible despite poor weather 
• Marine expertise from a world leading load measurement and monitoring company 

Download the Strainstall's Red Sea rig stability project case study.