Wrangler Report…
Customer:
A Major International Shipping Company within the Oil & Gas Sector.
Vessel:
Anchor handler that sails off the coast of Australia between various oil fields.
Circumstances:
One of the two Bergen BRM9 main engines suffered at catastrophic failure to number one unit.
Result:
The block was severely damaged as the connecting rod had sheared and penetrated both the induction air space and the block main body. The balance weights had sheared from the crank and the piston & liner had disintegrated. The bottom end however was unusually intact on the crankshaft and had to be cut off.
Repair:
- The engine was stripped of all major exterior parts leaving only block, front end, flywheel and internal components. All major non structural works of the vessel were removed from above the engine and the tank and deck aft were cut into and removed respectively.
- The engine was uncoupled from the mountings and sump, lifted to within 0.5m of the bulk head above and fleeted aft into the ballast tank space where it could be picked up by the Yard crane and removed from the vessel.
- The engine was the transported to the workshop where all components were removed.
- The crankshaft was inspected, tested, polished & certified as re-usable.
- All components were overhauled and re-aligned and re-fitted to a new bare block.
- The refurbished engine was lifted into position as it was removed, rebuilt, re-aligned and chocked.
- All structural work to the vessel was re-applied and the sea trials conducted.
- he engine started on the second attempt, ran with no problems up to 110% load. All peak pressures as new.
The vessel sailed the same day to oil fields off the coast of Western Australia where it is still working with no reported problems.
