Maritime Developments Ltd. (MDL) has successfully supported Maersk Supply Service in the installation of a dynamic riser assembly offshore Brazil, marking the company’s largest back-deck spread to date. The operation, conducted at Petrobras’ Mero field in the pre-salt Santos basin, connected a permanent reservoir monitoring (PRM) sensor grid to the deepwater subsea infrastructure.
The project required a bespoke engineering solution to handle multiple components simultaneously — including a dynamic cable riser, data unit transfer assembly (DUTA), pigtails, and backbone cables — all deployed from 9.2-meter reels. The MDL spread, mobilized in Peterhead, Scotland aboard the Skandi Involver, featured a Wheeled Horizontal Lay System (WHLS), a Generation 2 Reel Drive System (RDS), and four tensioners with line-pull capacities ranging from 12 to 110 tonnes.
To reduce product stress and optimize handling, MDL and Maersk Supply Service co-engineered a custom deck layout incorporating deflectors, hydraulic winches, and a frictionless wheel mechanism for smooth deployment. The configuration enabled simultaneous installation of multiple cables while maintaining integrity at water depths reaching 2,500 m.
“This project is a prime example of how MDL’s integrated project services—combining engineering know-how, in-house equipment, and experienced offshore personnel—deliver safe solutions for complex deepwater scopes,” said Euan Crichton, Senior Project Manager at MDL. “The challenge of handling five pre-terminated lines simultaneously was significant, but our early feasibility work ensured a robust and efficient execution.”
Yuri Martins, MDL’s Brazil Country Manager, added that the project underscores the company’s “growing footprint in Brazil and its ability to deliver creative, safe, and technically sound solutions for deepwater operations.” He noted that MDL’s ongoing expansion in-country aligns with Petrobras’ broader pre-salt development ambitions at Mero and other high-impact fields.
The Mero field, operated by Petrobras (38.6%) with partners Shell Brasil (19.3%), TotalEnergies (19.3%), CNPC (9.65%), CNOOC (9.65%), and Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A. (3.5%), is one of Brazil’s largest pre-salt developments and a cornerstone of the country’s offshore production growth.
