Seabed frames (SBF)

A seabed frame (SBF) is the structure that makes subsea drilling and pile installation possible: it lands at the work site, reacts the drilling and handling loads into the seabed and guides and clamps the string so the operation references the bottom rather than the moving vessel. We design and build SBFs as integrated systems, frame, clamps, deployment and control together.

What we engineer

• Load-reacting frame – lands on the seabed and reacts the drill-string or pile loads, with the deployment winches and compensated umbilical handling to land and recover it safely.
• Drill-string clamps as standard – integrated clamping, with optional pipe-shear rams where an emergency-disconnect duty requires them.
• Two-part / detachable templates – frames whose lower section can detach as a seabed template or stabbing guide that stays on the bottom to guide subsequent installation, with hydraulic locking pins and orientation control.
• Re-entry and relocation – provisions (e.g. a transponder) to re-locate and re-enter a template left on the seabed, so a hole can be returned to.
• Subsea power and control – functions fed by ROV hot-stab, umbilical or acoustic-controlled accumulators, controlled through our subsea control systems.

Frame capacities, clamp loads and water depths are engineered per project and confirmed at enquiry; we don’t publish fixed ratings. Designed to recognised offshore marine-operations, drilling and structural standards.