caption Dynamics

MaxTechnology Matters is a publication by DSM Dyneema

March 2012

Permanent mooring with Dyneema®

Brian Green, general manager at subsea mooring connector specialist First Subsea, knows a thing or two about deepwater moorings. The company’s market leading Ballgrab® ball and taper technology has been used extensively for deepwater mooring of spars, FPSOs, floating production units and submerged turret buoys in the Gulf of Mexico, West Africa, Asia, Australia and Brazil.

At the recent Subsea 2012 conference in Aberdeen, Mr Green’s paper on ‘Deepwater Mooring – Going

Deeper, Getting Leaner’ presented a new perspective on the mooring challenges facing oil and gas operators as they develop fields in deeper waters.“Permanent deepwater moorings

beyond 2,000m water depth present a major engineering challenge because of the weight and size of the equipment that needs to be installed. Already the cost of mooring line deployment at 2,000m exceeds the cost of the mooring line. Reducing the cost of deployment is leading to the development of a new mooring paradigm based on ‘Lean’ principles.” ‘Lean Installation’ puts the focus

on mooring line deployment methodologies and new connector and rope technologies “It is based on reducing waste by using mooring practices and technologies that require less installation time, and use smaller, less expensive, vessels. And adds value through higher engineering integrity rope / chain connectors and innovative rope pre-tensioning techniques, which taken together will transform the deepwater mooring process.”

Come and see at OTCImagine if...Imagine if you could find an HMPE mooring rope that delivered the same high performance as existing Dyneema® products, but in DEEPWATER production moorings.

Where’s the proof?HMPE fibers from DSM Dyneema, branded as Dyneema® represent a triumph of vision, commitment and ingenuity. Years of research and testing are embodied in each and every product. Yet how do we know that these products will continue performing long after we’ve hung up our hard-hats?

Less is definitely more!With Dyneema® products, you actually get more for your money! But less of the things that you never wanted in the first place.

Deepwater Moorings – Deeper and Leaner

MATTERS

In the search for new hydrocarbon deposits, oil and gas companies are exploring ever deeper waters. Naturally, given the conditions, fields here are more challenging to develop and produce. Dyneema® HMPE fibers have made an invaluable contribution in MODU moorings, but to provide the same high strength, high stiffness for deepwater permanent production platforms, a very special product needed to be created.

DSM’s Segment Manager for Offshore Applications - Jorn Boesten - explains how the company went about developing just such a product.“We knew from what existing users of Dyneema® fibers were saying, that if we could incorporate

the same operational benefits of products such as SK-78 from DSM Dyneema into a deepwater mooring rope for production facilities, we’d be on to a winner”, says Mr Boesten. “However, it’s not as simple as it might seem. Developing a new fiber that will perform to the same high standards, but in an infinitely more demanding environment, is an incredible challenge by itself. We then have to generate the predictive models that will guarantee the product’s integrity for at least 25 years. After all, we have no legacy to demonstrate those claims at this moment”.DSM Dyneema’s new mooring rope

fiber has been developed from the molecular level up to add value at every conceivable opportunity. In allowing operators to tighten up the mooring system, for example, this can have an impact on the design

of the overall floater and riser system. With more freedom at the mooring side comes greater freedom to reduce complexity and costs across the production set-up, potentially enhancing NPV at every turn. “The mooring system is

one element”, adds Mr Boesten, “when you factor in the connections, chains and anchor, an enhanced flexibility and reliability allow you to become far more creative and

extend the scope of operational savings. That is in addition to the savings you can make at the design, procurement, mobilization, transportation and installation stages of the project.”At approximately 40% the weight of polyester lines, 3 quarters the diameter, or several times the strength, Dyneema® users are managing to install up to twice more rope from a standard winch. The ability to make substantial time and energy savings on the hook-up and connection of lines is in addition to its safety and environmental benefits.The unparalleled strength and security offered by Dyneema® products means that less of the actual product does more of the actual job.

Jorn Boesten

DSM Dyneema’s Segment Manager for Offshore, Mr Jorn Boesten, is looking forward to presenting a technical paper as part of OTC’s conference program in Houston this coming May. The paper ‘Development of HMPE fiber for permanent deepwater offshore mooring’ has been developed together with Sergio Leite (Lankorst Ropes), Martin Vlasblom (DSM

Dyneema) and Peter Davies (French maritime research institute Ifremer). Mr Boesten will be looking to summarise the criteria, technical constraints and value proposition of DSM Dyneema’s development work.

The presentation will take place in Room 604 at 9.30 am on Thursday 3rd May. We welcome you all to join.

Knowledge Sharing At OTC

DSM Dyneema has chosen this year’s OTC in Houston to reveal its new technology for permanent deepwater moorings - a long-awaited development that incorporates the latest developments in HMPE technology. This promises to revolutionise permanent moorings in deepwater fields and there is an understandable buzz within the sector at the news of this leading-edge development.

OTC represents the perfect showcase opportunity to launch pioneering new products like this onto the international stage. Over

70,000 industry experts from all around the world are expected to attend the 4-day exhibition and conference in Houston and this will be their first ever chance to see and experience the incredible performance statistics of the latest Dyneema® fiber technology.

The development of this new technology was done together with Lankhorst Ropes - the high performance rope manufacturer and developer. They will be present at the show, booth 1353 and will be presenting their rope with the new technology.

Meet us at OTC 2012 Live demo of the World of Dyneema® Max Technology at Lankhorst booth 1353

1

2

Founded in Norway in 1991, Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS) provides a broad range of products and services to the offshore oil and gas industry. Its fleet of nearly 20 state-of-the-art vessels can be found in the roughest seas – and wherever they sail, they rely on lightweight, strong, and resistant rope with Dyneema®.

Part of PGS’s core business is providing “reflection seismology” services to offshore companies. This involves specially equipped vessels that can locate new reserves around the world. These vessels are fitted with a series of tethered hydrophone arrays that can reach lengths of up to 12 kilometers. To help reduce the weight of these arrays, PGS uses towing and spreader ropes made with Dyneema®, “the world’s

strongest fiber”.

“Ropes made with Dyneema® proved to be very strong, light, and resistant to harsh environments,” says Brad Bertsch, PGS’s Mechanical Supervisor. “They can be easily spliced, have very little creep, have very low elasticity, and are resistant to chemicals and corrosion. And ropes made with Dyneema® are easy on our ships’ equipment, sheaves, and winches.”

In fact, Dyneema® has a number of major advantages over steel cable in marine applications. The weight reduction and low diameter ropes made with Dyneema® mean that PGS can fit greater lengths onto existing winches, for example, and the substitution of Dyneema® for steel reduces towing weight – and, in turn, fuel usage.

Other Dyneema® benefits cited by the PGS team include: • Easier handling compared to steel • Less risk to crew from “snap

back” (thanks to low elongation)• Dragreductioninthewater• Elimination of the “catenary”

effect (because Dyneema® floats) • Significantly extended lifespan

(due to fatigue resistance).

“Today, all PGS vessels are using ropes made with Dyneema® in some form or another,” says Bertsch. “We see reducing the weight of our in-sea towing equipment without compromising break strength as a huge advantage. In addition, the extended lifetime and greater operational safety of ropes made with Dyneema® make them an obvious choice for rigging our fleet.”

Dyneema® helps PGS capture the world’s most reliable seismic data

In 2006, the FPSO (Floating Production, Storage and Offloading unit) NanHai KaiTuo was moored on the Xijiang Oil Field in the South China Sea, and had been operational for 14 years. Then, a routine inspection revealed broken wires on two of the steel wire rope (SWR) mooring legs of its Buoyant Turret Mooring system. To prevent a dangerous failure, operator ConocoPhillips commissioned a state-of-the-art backup system using lines made of Dyneema®.

The NanHai KaiTuo’s damaged mooring system was designed by SBM in 1993. As part of SBM’s After Sales Services, the company created a backup system capable of retaining the FPSO in position even in the

event of the complete failure of one of the damaged SWR mooring legs. The system relied on lightweight, high-strength lines made with Dyneema®, which would enable the FPSO to maintain production while ConocoPhillips mobilized the required vessels and equipment to replace a broken wire leg.

The 1,000-ton backup lines were designed and manufactured by Bexco NV. They used parallel laid cores with SK78 from DSM Dyneema®, protected by a polyester cover. The lines featured special connectors that would clamp onto the existing anchoring lines, and were designed to withstand high loading instantly in the case of an SWR break. They would also

withstand a minimum of one year under full load. For ConocoPhillips, the main reasons for choosing Dyneema® fiber were its low weight, high durability and strength. Furthermore, they needed a material that was quick and easy to handle, as weather conditions would not allow for long installation times. Robot-operated vehicles could not be used close to the FPSO’s mooring legs, so a crew of expert divers stepped in to mount the backup lines made with Dyneema®. Because of the lines’ neutral buoyancy, the divers could do their job quickly and safely.

ConocoPhillips used the lines with Dyneema® for 15 months to its complete satisfaction.

ConocoPhillips FPSO NanHai KaiTuo secured by backup lines with Dyneema®

In September 2008, the China Offshore Oil Engineering Corporation (COOEC) installed a 16,000-ton jacket – over 213m high and measuring 75m x 75m – in the Pu Yan natural gas field. Traditionally, these installations have relied on lifting slings made with steel wire, but this project called for a faster, safer, and more efficient solution: four synthetic rope slings manufactured by Samson and made with Dyneema®, “the world’s strongest fiber™”.

In offshore installations, time is money. Operating quickly and efficiently is critical – especially when facing severe conditions and a narrow window of opportunity. Traditional wire slings may be strong, but they are very heavy, which makes them difficult and potentially dangerous to handle. It is not unusual for an installation attempt to be abandoned – at enormous cost – due to bad weather.

That’s why, for this job, COOEC used lifting slings made with Samson’s DPX™ fiber, a patented blend of polyester and Dyneema®. Weight-for-weight, Dyneema® high-performance polyethylene fiber is 15 times stronger than steel. Lifting slings made with Dyneema®

can have the same diameter and strength as slings made from steel wire – but have just one-seventh of the weight. The result is a lightweight sling that is ultra-strong.

“In the past, when using wire rope slings in rough seas, we have seen many of our attempts delayed or even abandoned,” explains Mr. Hi Huai Liang, Technical Manager of Offshore Installation for COOEC. “The ropes made with Dyneema® were excellent. Compared with steel wire and synthetic webbing, the ropes have an operational advantage because they can be handled manually.”

Slings made with Dyneema® are easy to grip and neutrally buoyant in seawater. They are highly resistant to abrasion, UV radiation, chemicals and salt water. As a result, they last longer – greatly reducing replacement costs. And, of course, because slings made with Dyneema® are light and soft, they are safer to work with, posing less risk of injury to the crew. For COOEC, the slings’ light weight, ease of handling, and speed of rigging enabled one of the heaviest lifts to date using synthetic rope slings.

Lighter, faster, and just as strong: offshore lifting slings made with Dyneema®

Mooring ropes with Dyneema® help secure 300 MW of clean powerAt Thorntonbank, 30km off the coast of Zeebrugge, Belgium, contractor DEME (Dredging, Environmental and Marine Engineering) is building a new wind farm. Eventually, its 60 wind turbine generators will have a combined capacity of 300 MW – but first, their 2,800-ton foundations must be built in water 25m deep. In tackling this challenge, Mooring ropes made with Dyneema® are playing a critical role.

Dredging International, a leading dredging company and a subsidiary of DEME, is responsible for the positioning and securing of the barge vessels used to handle cranes and equipment during construction. Instead of traditional steel wire ropes (SWR), they have chosen to use four 500m mooring ropes made with Dyneema®, each

with an MBL of 199mt. Directly wound on hydraulically operated, GPS-controlled traction winches, the ropes moor the barge to the seabed with four anchors.

Dredging International has worked with ropes made with Dyneema® ropes before, and they know the value of this strong, lightweight fiber. At the same strength and diameter, a rope made with Dyneema® has one-seventh the weight of an swr. This makes it much easier for crew members to handle it quickly and efficiently – a huge advantage when working with short weather windows. Jorne Beyen, Project Engineer at Dredging International, explains: “The exceptional properties of Dyneema® fibre venabled us to reposition the ropes much more

quickly. We actually saved about 30% of the time to reposition, or four to five hours per repositioning operation.” Working with ropes made with Dyneema® is also much safer. Their light weight presents less of a threat on board and leads to far fewer back injuries. Where SWR lines can fray over time, exposing sharp edges or hooks, ropes made with Dyneema® are smooth and abrasion-resistant. This also means the ropes require no grease or oil, leading to a cleaner and safer working environment. Finally, Dyneema® virtually eliminates the risk of snap back. “Snap back with wire rope upon failure is a constant threat,” says Beyen, “so Dyneema® clearly contributes to improved safety on board our vessels.”

3

Throughout the years, Dyneema® has gained extensive experience in providing mooring solutions to companies such as ConoccoPhillips and Petrobras, even for the most difficult circumstances. More detailed information about these case studies on mooring can be obtained via Marcelo Herszenhaut or Marc Eijssen, whose contact details can be found on page 4 of this newsletter. They also have other case studies where ropes made with Dyneema® fiber have been used.

In the past, the use of synthetic components in deepwater mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) moorings has been limited mostly to polyester. However, a study by Delmar shows that, even in hurricane conditions, high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) fibers like Dyneema® perform as well as polyester – and can help improve station keeping and survivability.

In 2004 and 2005, hurricanes Ivan, Katrina, and Rita caused several MODUs to break free of their moorings and go adrift in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Afterwards, great efforts were made to improve the survivability of GoM MODU mooring systems. These led to updated API RP 95F metocean conditions, and therefore a question whether a stiff mooring system with HMPE component would ensure storm survivability under these updated conditions.

Today, in addition to polyester, HMPE fiber ropes are being used in MODU mooring systems around the world – and a study has now validated their suitability in GoM hurricane conditions. The study quantifies the performance of various systems in water depths up to 10,000 ft (3,048m) and in GoM hurricane metocean conditions.

The results show that MODU mooring systems using HMPE components perform similarly to polyester systems, and improve survivability compared with MODUs moored with all-steel semi-taut systems. The study also demonstrates that HMPE/hybrid components give designers the freedom to optimize their design between stiffness of the system – leading to improved station keeping - and storm survivability.All of this bodes well for SK78 HMPE fiber from DSM Dyneema, which has

been approved by ABS and Bureau Veritas for use in offshore mooring systems anywhere in the world. As this study shows, the fiber is ready for widespread use in the GoM. Mooring systems incorporating

components with SK78 grade from DSM Dyneema are already in use at a number of offshore platforms in the GoM, as well as in the North Sea and Asian waters.Source: Off shore january 2010

Study supports use of Dyneema® for MODU mooring in GoM hurricane conditions

First use of Dyneema® fibers for MODU mooring lines in Brazil Located off the south-eastern coast of Brazil, the Pre-Salt deepwater fields represent one of the largest recent oil discoveries in the Western Hemisphere. To help work this new find, Brazilian oil giant Petrobras has commissioned a complete set of mooring ropes for a semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU). What’s more, they have specifically requested that the ropes be made of ultra-strong, lightweight Dyneema®.

In preparing for the deployment of their MODU, Petrobras has ordered eight mooring ropes made with SK78 ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) grades from DSM Dyneema. Part

of the ropes were manufactured at Lankhorst’ rope facility in Portugal (see picture). These fibers have extremely high strength and low weight, and the SK78 grade was developed specifically for this type of mooring application. Although the fiber has a proven track record of success in Asian, US, and European waters, the Petrobras order marks the first time they will be used for MODU mooring in Brazil.

Petrobras requested ropes made with Dyneema® rather than with polyester because of the lower weight and ease of handling of Dyneema® fiber. Polyester ropes with equivalent mechanical properties weigh three times

as much as ropes made with Dyneema®. Ropes made with Dyneema® fiber also have just half the volume of those made with polyester. This frees up valuable cargo space on supply ships. Drilling sites in the Pre-Salt province are located some 200km offshore – and rental rates for supply ships are high. Ropes made with Dyneema® fiber help save on equipment costs, lower operating costs, and provide a positive return on investment. From fiber specification to the comprehensive testing phase, DSM Dyneema and Petrobras worked closely together for several years. “Petrobras tested the performance of SK78 grade from DSM Dyneema at both the fiber

level and in full-scale ropes,” says Jorn Boesten, Offshore Segment Manager at DSM Dyneema. “They were particularly concerned about creep, but they found that the ropes made with SK78 met every one of their requirements. Working with Petrobras has been a rewarding and stimulating experience, and we look forward to continuing our successful collaboration.”

High-modulus polyethylene (HMPE) ropes for deepwater mooring were first trialed more than 10 years ago, In the May 2011 issue of Offshore Engineer, Sergio Leite and Chris Johnson of Lankhorst Ropes argue that the time has come to start using high-performance fibers like SK78 from DSM Dyneema.

In their article, Mr. Leite and Mr. Johnson explain that, as operators venture further offshore, HMPE ropes are becoming an increasingly attractive option for ultra-deepwater moorings. In fact, Brazil’s Petrobras recently placed a landmark order with Lankhorst Ropes for deepwater

mobile operating drilling unit (MODU) mooring ropes made from SK78 fiber from DSM Dyneema.

The choice of Dyneema® fibre over polyester reflects the current state of synthetic rope technology and the practicalities of deeper and more distant oil and gas field exploration. Polyester has long been the rope yarn of choice for these applications – but as moorings extend beyond 2000m depths, there is a growing demand for ropes that offer the same strength with less volume and less elasticity. HMPE yarns have very high stiffness, and combine high

strength and modulus in lighter and smaller diameter ropes. HMPE based ropes also have significant operational benefits. Because more rope can fit on each reel, fewer reels are needed. This makes it possible to complete the installation of offshore MODU mooring lines and anchors in a single trip – an important consideration as mooring sites move further offshore. Also, MODU mooring lines may be deployed and recovered some 20 times in five years, and the lighter HMPE rope makes installation much easier and quicker. Finally, although HMPE fiber

is susceptible to creep, the development of SK78 has significantly reduced this effect, and DSM Dyneema has a proven model for accurately predicting creep rate and elongation. In fact, the Gama98™ ropes with Dyneema® produced by Lankhorst are ideal for short-term MODU moorings, after which they can readily be used at the next drilling site. The use of HMPE for short-term, deep and ultra deepwater MODU moorings will continue to be an important stepping stone towards the development of lower weight mooring systems for production vessels.

HMPE ropes come of age for ultra-deepwater MODU mooring

Lankhorst’ Gama98® mooring rope with SK78

MODU 6 Intact Limit States7500' water depth

1,00

1,20

1,40

1,60

1,80

2,00

2,20

2,40

2,60

2,80

3,00

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Return Period (years)

Fairl

ead

Tens

ion

FOS

API FOS = 1,67

7500' PET Upgrade (additional lines)

7500' HMPE Hybrid Upgrade (additionallines)

Hybrid moorings with Dyneema® can be engineered to have the same storm survivability as full PET moorings, even under the severe GoM storm conditions (Source: DSM Dyneema paper, DOT Monaco, Nov 2009)

4

Perpetual Progress through InnovationThe dynamics of Dyneema®

Get Closer To DSM Dyneema

Dyneema® Max TechnologyThe next generation in mooring lines

Because of continous improvement and innovation DSM Dyneema is a valued player in the oil & gas industries.Integral to this philosophy is the Research and Development component, which follows a consistent strategy across the entire organisation. As DSM Dyneema’s Manager of Application Development, Rigo Bosman explains, every part of the business plays a part in the technological advancements that lie at the root of its success.

“Although we have Expert Groups in supporting different business segments, to develop new solutions, we combine our collective intelligence. Collaboration brings both creative thinking and technical proficiency to the table. This process drives innovation, revealing completely new ideas along with new applications for existing technology.”The conceptualisation process at DSM Dyneema tackles challenging project parameters and operational constraints using a rich diversity of expertise and multiple perspectives as a matter of course.The company is famous for innovations that enhance not only the performance of products and systems, but the life quality of end-users. Offshore workers, for example, love the ‘high strength - low weight’ of DSM Dyneema’s products, as they make mooring lines quicker, easier and safer to handle. It is hardly surprising that the experience of end-users plays such an important role in the way the company operates. After all, dialogue with customers at every point in the supply chain is the first step in its R&D process. By listening closely to those who commission,

use, or otherwise engage with its products, the specific wishes, requisites and experiences of the client are translated into the development process. By studying the marketplace and current trends, DSM Dyneema is able to identify where real value lies in its new technology, backed by the requirements of its customer base. The company is also working with ISO groups and the API to develop industry standards for testing, and finding ways of incorporating advanced HMPE products into existing deployment systems. Accreditation is clearly vital to winning the confidence of the market, but education and knowledge-sharing are important too.

Fiber development; Dyneema® XBO

Heave compensated lifting & lowering systems handle severe bending loads. At OTC 2010 DSM launched the new Dyneema® XBO fiber, specifically designed to meet these loads. Ropes made with Dyneema® XBO fiber match or exceed steel wire ropes in bending cycles to failure.

Summing up, Mr Bosman says: “It’s really all about hard work. Once the brainstorming and fact-finding stages are over, we start the process of development, testing, reassessment and reconfiguration, with the customer central to each part of the process. We can be 100% confident in the claims of our product, but we are duty-bound to demonstrate these claims hold water in the market-place. This is especially true when you have a revolutionary product that seems too good to be true!”

DSM Dyneema attends several international trade exhibitions and conferences over the course of the year. These events provide an excellent opportunity for customers, end-users and specialists to meet and discuss the latest technological advancements and industry requirements.DSM Dyneema’s appearance at annual technical conferences allows it to contribute insight and initiatives. This is a key part of the company’s knowledge-sharing and education strategy. During 2012, you are most welcome to meet DSM Dyneema at any of the following events: Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas, USA 30 April - 03 May

Offshore Northern Seas (ONS) Stavanger, Norway 28 - 31 August

Rio Oil & Gas 2012 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 17 - 20 September Offshore Energy RAI Amsterdam, Netherlands 23 - 24 October

Offshore South East Asia (OSEA) Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 27 - 30 November

In recent years, DSM Dyneema has co-presented papers at the following conferences.

North Sea Cranes and Lifting Conference April 2010:

Service life of synthetic fibre ropes in deepwater lifting operations – Ashley Nuttal – Huisman

OTC May 2011: OTC 21588: Deployment of

Subsea Equipment: Qualification of Large Diameter Fibre Rope for Deepwater Construction

Applications. Authors: R. Tornqvist; and

M. Strande, DNV; D. Cannell, Technip; P. Gledhill, Subsea7; P. Smeets, DSM Dyneema; and J. Gilmore, Samson Rope

OTC Rio Oct 2011: HMPE lines in deepwater MODU mooring offshore Brazil. Faster relocations, reliable performance and survival

Authors: Sergio Leite, Lankhorst Ropes, Jorn Boesten, DSM Dyneema

FPSO forum – Oct 2011 - Mooring of offshore units with UHMWPE. Current status and new development

Author: Marcelo Herszenhaut, DSM Dyneema

Please contact DSM Dyneema if you would like to receive a copy of any of the above presentations.

ColophonThe Max Technology newsletter is a publication of DSM Dyneema intended for broad distribution. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide interested parties information about the products and activities of DSM Dyneema worldwide. Nothing can be copied or used without any written confirmation from the Marketing Department of DSM Dyneema. The contents have been compiled for information purposes only, no rights may be derived from the actual contents. Dyneema® is a trademark of DSM. Use of this trademark is prohibited unless strictly authorized.

EditorsDSM DyneemaDavid OwenBrandmarion

PhotographsDSM Dyneema

DesignBrandingworkz

PrintingBrandmarion

Dyneema® is a brand of Royal DSM - a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials. By connecting its unique competences in Life Sciences and Materials Sciences DSM is driving economic prosperity, environmental progress and social advances

to create sustainable value for all stakeholders. DSM delivers innovative solutions that nourish, protect and improve performance in global markets such as food and dietary supplements, personal care, feed, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, automotive, paints,

electrical and electronics, life protection, alternative energy and bio-based materials. DSM’s 22,000 employees deliver annual net sales of around €9 billion. The company is listed on NYSE Euronext.More information can be found at www.dsm.com.

An Introduction to The Company

Why are the people who work for DSM Dyneema so proud of their Dyneema® brand? Managing Director Gerard de Reuver believes there are three important factors at play - the ability of the company to solve the seemingly impossible, the resounding success of its solutions and the sustainability of the company’s end products.

The sustainability issue is very close to Mr de Reuver’s heart and is a key part of the company’s brand. “We are tenacious in our pursuit of sustainable products and passionate about minimising our footprint both now and in the future. We have a responsibility to leave an honorable legacy for future generations and DSM Dyneema is genuinely commited to delivering on this,” he explains.HMPE products from DSM Dyneema are intrinsically geared to reducing energy consumption

throughout their working life. Compared with other materials, less energy is involved in the construction of Dyneema®, as well as its transportation, storage, deployment and removal. But with enhanced performance, lighter fabric and a lower mass, the energy needed to pull, hoist and secure objects using the material is substantially reduced too, meaning that its environmental credentials are conclusive.“Our objective is really quite simple”, Mr de Reuver adds: “Provide solutions that encompass lifetime reliability, cost advantages and operational benefits whilst contributing to a brighter future for all”.

Companies like Shell, Petrobras and CNOOC have already recognised the advantages of DSM Dyneema’s products and are investing in mooring lines, slings and

instal lat ion lines made from the its HMPE fibers. Mr de Reuver has no doubts that many more companies will begin

to see and appreciate the long-term value of Dyneema® fiber as production moves into ever deeper and less accessible areas. Clearly, the recommendation of leading oil explorers and offshore companies is an important step in growing customer confidence and persuading more people to evaluate and commit to Dyneema®.DSM Dyneema is about to launch a deepwater mooring solution after years of deliberation and development. “We naturally try to bring our

innovations to the market as quickly as we can, but commercial factors and extenuating circumstances influence the timing of this. Introducing a new ultra-high strength fiber for use in static moorings, for example, involves a great deal of testing and refinement before we are satisfied with the results. Then we have to look at whether the market is truly ready for launching that product, which of course, is dependent on many things”.

The large deepwater fields in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of South America and West Africa, for example, are looking for solutions where Dyneema® fiber can play a significant role.“A lot of energy goes into developing our products”, concludes Mr de Reuver, “but thankfully I refer to infinite intellectual energy, not finite material energy”.

Gerard de Reuver

Rigo Bosman (left) and Jorn Boesten (right)

Come meet usat the OTC 2012

Lankhorst Booth 1353Marcelo Herszenhaut

marcelo.herszenhaut@dsm.com+1 7044604970

Marc Eijssenmarc.eijssen@dsm.com

+31 6 51017250

Jorn Boestenjorn.boesten@dsm.com

+31 6 20447284