With more than 20 years of experience in the offshore industry, IMECA has considerably expanded since its creation in 1989 and keeps growing steadily. Since its integration into the REEL Group in January 2011, IMECA has increased its engineering, production and financial capacities worldwide, hence reinforcing its reputation as a key player in the offshore industry.

IMECA provides the complete design and manufacturing of hydraulic / electric lifting and laying equipment for pipelay operators, including vertical lay systems, rigid pipelay systems, pull in winches, deployment winches and carousel pipes. Over the years, IMECA has significantly increased its involvement in the offshore deepwater industry through its participation in oil and gas projects such as:

  • Pipelay systems operating from Brazil to South-East Asia
  • Turret winches for FPSO
  • A&R systems of significant traction capacity (Up to 750t)
  • Horizontal and vertical tensioners of pulling capacity up to 400t

Engineering is carried out in Fontenay Le Comte, France, while manufacturing, assembly, testing and delivery are covered through two other production sites: one in Le Trait, France, for medium to large-sized equipment, and the other in La Rochelle Harbor for ultra-large sized equipment.

Being focused on industrial performance, IMECA provides its customers worldwide with innovative tailor-made solutions and offers a convenient quayside facility at La Rochelle Harbor (14m water depth), facilitating the shipment of equipment worldwide. IMECA ensures a high quality level through DNV certification and a quality plan conforming to ISO 9001 standards, as well as through a team of qualified engineers able to operate either onshore or offshore.

Rigid pipelay system.
Vertical lay system.
Electric / hydraulic tensioner up to 400t.
Abandon and recovery system up to 750t.
Last delivery of rigid pipelay system at La Rochelle harbour IMECA quayside (14m water depth).

Lifting and pipelaying equipment, design, manufacturing, quayside delivery, after sales service

IMECA provides the complete design and manufacturing of lifting and laying equipment for offshore applications, either hydraulically or electrically powered, including:

Pipelay systems for rigid / flexible pipe and umbilical

  • Rigid pipelay system
  • Portable pipe system
  • Vertical lay system
  • Flexible pipelay system

Pipelay equipment

  • Compact system (storage / traction winch)
  • Tensioner (up to 400t)
  • Carousel (up to 3000t)
  • Reel drive system (Reel up to 114in in diameter / 500t)
  • Abandon and recovery system (up to 750)
  • Safety / friction clamp (up to 750t)
  • Plet handling

Winches

  • Pull-in winch (FPSO)
  • Deployment winch (mooring)
  • Buoy winch
  • Deck winch

This includes pipelay towers such as hydraulic and electric traction and storage winches for pipe abandon and recovery, tensioners, anchor handling, storage reels, winches, carousels pipe lay systems, hydraulic power packs and specific hydraulic jacks, as well as any other tailor-made solutions.

High-quality lifting and laying equipment

IMECA ensures a high level of quality through DNV certification and a quality plan conforming to ISO 9001 standards, as well as through a team of qualified engineers that can operate onshore or offshore.

Being focused on industrial performance, IMECA provides customers all over the world with products suited to very specific requirements, and also offers a quayside facility at La Rochelle-Pallice Harbor.

Winches, tensioners, riser pull-in systems and lifting systems

Some of IMECA’s major deliveries include the following:

  • Technip: portable pipelay systems, tensioners, A&Rs
  • Allseas: 250t A&Rs (four off), 120t tail anchor winches
  • Single buoy moorings: deep water buoy riser and anchor winches from 100t to 400t, turret riser pulling winches up to 300t
  • Acergy: 500t reel drive systems; riser pulling winches; chain loading arm, plet handling system and tensioners
  • Saipem: 400t A&R electrically-powered and overboarding chute systems, winches and mooring equipment
  • McDermott: 250t dolly base, rigid pipelay system
  • Thales: umbilical winches for military applications
  • Subsea 7: A&R winches from 50t to 250t
  • ECA: Umbilical pulling winches
  • Total: riser pulling winches; methanol hose reeler
  • Halliburton: 150t traction / storage winch

Test bench and quayside delivery

A static test bench of up to 750t is available prior to delivery at La Rochelle -Pallice Harbor, which has a quayside facility of 600m and a water depth of 14m. Dynamic tests are also available on demand.

Key offshore projects

IMECA has been involved in many key projects such as: Girassol, Dalia, Pazflor, Rosa, Agbami, N’Kossa, Moho Bilondo, Greater Plutonio, Simian, Kikeh, Laminaria, Curlew, Aquila, Erha, Skarv, AKPO and Kizomba.