CUMING FAST TRACKS DEEPWATER BUOYS FOR DELMAR'S INTEGRATED MOORING SYSTEM

(Avon, MA) Cuming Corporation has shipped 8 C-FLOAT buoys to Delmar Systems, Inc. of New Iberia for deepwater anchor systems in the Gulf of Mexico. The buoys, which provide 60,000 lbs. of net buoyancy to a depth of 4,000 feet, were designed, manufactured, and delivered in only three months time.

Cuming Corporation made significant improvements to the previous buoyancy design, supported by quality control and extensive hydrostatic testing. The buoys are rectangular with tapered ends for improved stability and handling. They include a central through-pipe for the in-line mooring chain with a stopper plate at each end for easy deployment and retrieval. A rugged outer steel cage provides impact and abrasion damage resistance.

Delmar’s integrated mooring system enables anchors to be preset in anticipation of a marine vessel’s arrival. The system eliminates the need for the vessel to transport thousands of feet of wire or cable to set its own deepwater mooring system.

“We are confident the C-FLOAT buoys will provide the ruggedness and maneuverability for Delmar’s deepwater operations in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Ray Wong, Cuming Corporation manager of flotation products. Our C-FLOAT buoys will enable Delmar's customers to moor deepwater vessels more efficiently than in the past, streamlining deepwater operations.”

Other New Iberia companies involved in the buoy fabrication and transportation were: Regional Fabricators, Mixon Trucking Co., and Four-D Painters.

Brady Como, executive vice president of Delmar Systems commented, 'Cuming performed on-time and on-budget. It was enjoyable to work with Cuming and other local companies in the New Iberia area on this project.'

Cuming Corporation (www.cumingcorp.com) was founded in 1980 by noted materials scientist Dr. William R. Cuming. For the last 20 years, the company has manufactured high performance syntactic foam products for the offshore oil and gas industry. As the offshore industry has moved into greater depths, Cuming Corporation has developed cost-effective solutions for meeting the technical challenges of deepwater exploration and production in increasingly difficult conditions.