J-Flex Ultradeep Pipelay Design Permits 120 to 180 Degrees of Gimballing

PENSACOLA, FL., September 15, 2007 – The J-Flex non-articulated fixed tower flexes pipe to match the angle of incidence. The interior of this large fixed tower is built to flex pipe to accommodate 120 to 180 degrees of gimballing. While not perceived as an advantage for early pipelay systems, this revolutionary design enables a vessel to lay pipelines in rougher seas than a non-gimballing system.

The system enables re-orientation of the vessel to minimize pitch and roll- and stabilize the platform- in rough seas, independent of the direction of pipelay. This will reduce the amount of annual downtime in any pipe lay system. Other J-Flex innovations are expected to spur efficiencies in the construction of ultradeep offshore oil and gas pipelines.

“Big, deep and fast- that is how we think about our J-Flex system. Not only will it lay much bigger pipe in deeper water than our competitors, it will also lay it faster, bringing projects into service sooner. ” says Rus Howard, Chairman, DeepGulf, referring to the J-Flex ability to lay 36" pipe in 12,000 feet of water.