Deep Sea Mining

Our expertise in deepwater riser engineering has allowed us to provide assistance in a number of deep sea mining riser development projects around the world.

Seabed mining is receiving increasing global interest as a cost effective means to recover polymetallic minerals. As a result, a number of programs have been initiated to evaluate different approaches to this means of mineral extraction.

Our expertise in deepwater riser engineering has enabled us to be engaged in a number of deep sea mining riser development projects around the world. These projects aim to extract eSMS (extinct Seabed Massive Sulphide), SMnN (Seabed Manganese Nodules) and other minerals from a wide range of water depths, in quite unknown environmental conditions using different riser configurations.

The riser that has to follow a seabed mining crawler presents design challenges not only in terms of water depth, but also a free hanging, un-tensioned state of the riser which exhibits higher motion response compared to risers that are fixed to the seabed. 2H have the extensive relevant experience of this type of system gained from installation engineering of deep water risers

Key Services

• Concept evaluation
• Riser configuration and wall thickness sizing
• Strength and operability analysis
• VIV and wave fatigue assessment
• Component detail design and local FEA
• Installation analysis
• Launch and recovery procedure
• Equipment specification and Vendor identification
• Costing

Project Experience

• Offshore Papua New Guinea – deep-sea mining riser and lifting system concept design and verification
• Black Sea – seabed mining production riser feasibility study
• Generic 5000m water depth – mining riser feasibility study
• European Union Blue Mining joint industry project
• South Indian Ocean – configuration and handling studies of a deep-sea mining flexible transport riser system in 6000m water depth

Did you know?

Deep-sea mining exploration licenses are awarded by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) that governs the location and the way in which seabed mining extraction can be conducted in its waters.