How can 30,000 barrel gently be lifted off the water

Jack-up rigs are used to search for oil and gas deposits down to a maximum water depth of 160 m. Tugboats or special transport vessels tow the rig to its drill location. The rig, which can often weigh as much as 30,000 tons, stands on three legs and can be jacked up. The rig is raised and lowered by in average 54 helical planetary gear units connected by pinions on racks. A high transmission ratio in excess of 7,000 and high torque are characteristic for FLENDER gear units.

The jack-up’s short overall operating time of 200 to 300 hours stands in opposite to the required long life service of the gear units. For this reason, FLENDER gear units are carefully constructed according to the special demands of our customers in order to minimize the weight and optimize the capital costs. As a key safety feature of the rig, however, they are subject to the stringent regulations of the classification societies and are designed for the harsh conditions of extreme operating environments.