ALE’s Mega Jack 800 performs 13m Jack-up in Norway

ALE’s Mega Jack 800 has been used for the first time in Norway to jack-up a Living Quarter (LQ) module, weighing 1,000t, in July.

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The global heavylifting specialists were awarded the contract by Ivar Aasen to conduct all sites moves utilising SPMTs.

The module, weighing 1,000t, was jacked-up 13m high – the highest –ever jack-up operation performed so far by the Mega Jack 800. The module was then mated with the lower LQ submodules using 72 axle lines of SPMT.

By offering a greater capacity and stability than other jacking systems, the Mega Jack 800 also benefits from bespoke control and monitoring systems which allows the stroke of the jacks to be controlled to fractions of a mm. This level of control and accuracy was extremely important when jacking at such a great height.

Richard Johnston, ALE’s Project Engineer, said: “It was great to be involved and work with such a great team to perform this milestone job. Our Mega Jack 800 is the only system on the market that could jack-up to the height required, approximately 13m, without having to provide bracing. Combined with the fact that it only took five hours to execute the jack-up, the system provided the quickest, easiest and, therefore, most cost effective solution on the market for the client.

“This is also the first time the Mega Jack 800 has been used in the oil and gas sector, showing its capabilities to work across different markets. The Mega Jack 800 is scheduled to perform another jack-up of a bigger and heavier piece in Norway in October 2015.”

The project itself took ten days to complete, with the jack-up operation only taking five hours ALE will load-out the 1,600t combined module onto a barge for the final phase of the contract.