NOV Carcass – a factory built around production
Flexible pipelines for the offshore industry may look simple from the outside, but they are complex structures comprising several layers, each with a specific function. The innermost layer typically consists of interlocking profiled steel strips, known internationally as the “carcass”. These help the pipe resist collapse under external pressure while allowing it to bend.
Producing and handling these pipelines in large sizes places particular demands on production equipment, buildings and technical installations. These requirements underpin a new production facility for NOV Flexibles, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of flexible pipe solutions for the global offshore sector.
Located at NOV Flexibles’ factory site at Kalundborg Harbour, the project comprises two adjoining steel-framed buildings totalling just under 1,600 m²: a new insulated and heated production building and a previously constructed, unheated reel hall.
Bringing the production process indoors
The 1,307 m² production building will house a heavy and complex production line for flexible pipelines. It also includes workshop, staff and plant facilities, as well as ventilation and process extraction serving welding and workshop operations, among other functions.
Alongside it is a 279 m² reel hall for handling pipeline reels up to 12 metres in diameter.
Read more about it here.
Heavy industrial operations on a former fjord bed
Another part of the engineering challenge lies beneath the buildings. NOV Flexibles’ factory site occupies reclaimed land on a former fjord bed, where fill layers containing sand, clay and fly ash create challenging foundation conditions.
Pile foundations are therefore required not only for the buildings, but also for the machinery foundations and parts of the ground floor slab. The structures must also accommodate substantial loads from production equipment, forklift and lorry traffic, and the handling of heavy reel units. In the reel hall, pile-supported concrete beams will carry rails for manoeuvring the reel equipment.
Engineering around the production process
ISC is the lead consultant, responsible for design management and design documentation for statutory approvals, tendering and construction. The consultancy services cover architecture, structural engineering, roads and drainage, plumbing and heating, ventilation, electrical systems and fire safety, as well as embodied carbon assessments.
A central part of the assignment is coordinating the buildings, heavy process equipment and technical installations so that the engineering disciplines work together to support the production process.
