RFOU-0.6/1kV
Offshore Platform Mud-Resistant and HY-Rated Cable (RFOU / BFOU Type)
SHF2 mud-resistant sheath and tinned copper braid for drilling-fluid exposure on offshore modules.
Oil-based drilling mud is the environment an offshore cable is really bought for. Hydrocarbon-laden fluid attacks ordinary sheath compounds, swelling and cracking them until water reaches the insulation. NEK 606 requires an SHF2 thermosetting halogen-free sheath qualified for mud resistance, and its type code describes the build directly: R for flame-retardant EPR insulation, B for the fire-resistant version with a mica glass tape, F for halogen-free bedding, O for tinned copper wire braid, U for the mud-resistant sheath.
Voltcore supplies this construction from 0.6/1 kV up to 18/30 kV, with the HY code on the drum label identifying the halogen-free mud-resistant sheath compound used. The tinned copper braid serves as screen and armour and gives a defined fault path; fire-resistant versions add a mica glass tape over the conductor for circuit integrity to IEC 60331. Operating range is -40 °C to +90 °C with a static bending radius of 6 × OD.
Specification
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Rated voltage U0/U | 0.6/1 kV; 3.6/6 kV to 18/30 kV on request |
| Conductor | Stranded tinned copper, Class 2 or Class 5, IEC 60228 |
| Fire barrier (BFOU type) | Mica glass tape over the conductor for IEC 60331 circuit integrity |
| Insulation | EPR to IEC 60092-360 at 90 °C; XLPE option |
| Bedding | Halogen-free compound over the laid-up cores |
| Screen and armour | Tinned copper wire braid, 80% minimum coverage |
| Outer sheath | SHF2 thermosetting halogen-free, mud resistant, IEC 60092-359 |
| Mud resistance | Qualified to the NEK 606 requirement for oil-based drilling fluid exposure |
| Flame and fire | IEC 60332-3-22 category A; fire-resistant type to IEC 60331-21 and IEC 60331-31 |
| Operating temperature range | -40 °C to +90 °C |
| Min bending radius | 6 × OD static, 8 × OD during installation |
Layer-by-layer construction
Listed from the conductor outward. Read this alongside the specification table — the two together tell you whether the cable will survive its installation method.
- 1. ConductorStranded tinned copper, Class 2 or Class 5, IEC 60228
- 2. Fire barrier (BFOU type)Mica glass tape over the conductor for circuit integrity under IEC 60331
- 3. InsulationEPR at 90 °C to IEC 60092-360, or XLPE option, colour-coded
- 4. BeddingHalogen-free bedding compound over the laid-up cores
- 5. Screen and armourTinned copper wire braid at 80% minimum coverage, acting as screen and mechanical armour
- 6. Outer sheathSHF2 thermosetting halogen-free mud-resistant compound, IEC 60092-359
Reference dimensions and weights
| Nominal cross-section (mm²) | Conductor structure (n × mm) | Insulation thickness (mm) | Braid wire diameter (mm) | Approx. overall diameter (mm) | Approx. weight (kg/km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 × 1.5 | 7 / 0.52 | 0.7 | 0.20 | 13.6 | 310 |
| 3 × 2.5 | 7 / 0.67 | 0.7 | 0.20 | 14.8 | 400 |
| 3 × 4 | 7 / 0.85 | 0.7 | 0.20 | 16.0 | 500 |
| 3 × 6 | 7 / 1.04 | 0.7 | 0.20 | 17.2 | 620 |
| 3 × 10 | 7 / 1.35 | 0.7 | 0.25 | 20.0 | 900 |
| 3 × 16 | 7 / 1.70 | 0.7 | 0.25 | 22.4 | 1270 |
| 3 × 25 | 7 / 2.14 | 0.9 | 0.25 | 26.2 | 1850 |
| 3 × 35 | 7 / 2.52 | 0.9 | 0.30 | 29.0 | 2400 |
| 3 × 50 | 19 / 1.78 | 1.0 | 0.30 | 33.4 | 3250 |
| 3 × 70 | 19 / 2.14 | 1.1 | 0.30 | 37.8 | 4350 |
Reference figures for preliminary sizing and drum planning. Overall diameter and weight vary with strand construction and sheath thickness tolerance; certified drawings are issued with each quotation.
Engineering characteristics
- SHF2 thermosetting halogen-free sheath qualified for resistance to oil-based drilling mud, the requirement that separates offshore cable from shipboard cable.
- Tinned copper wire braid at 80% coverage acts as screen and armour and gives a stated cross-section for earth-fault calculation.
- Fire-resistant BFOU type adds a mica glass tape over the conductor for circuit integrity to IEC 60331-21 and IEC 60331-31.
- Operating range -40 °C to +90 °C with a static bending radius of 6 × OD, suited to cold-deck and Arctic-rated modules.
- Halogen-free throughout: acid gas not above 5 mg/g to IEC 60754-1 and smoke transmittance not below 60% to IEC 61034-2, which matters inside a sealed module.
- Bunched flame retardance to IEC 60332-3-22 category A for grouped runs on cable ladders.
- Available from 0.6/1 kV to 18/30 kV, so power, emergency and essential services can be bought on one compound platform.
Typical applications
- Offshore drilling and production platform power distribution
- Drill floor and mud pump areas exposed to drilling fluid
- Emergency and essential services on fixed and floating installations
- FPSO topsides and riser platform distribution
- Offshore substation and platform auxiliary supplies
- Onshore drilling rigs and wellhead compounds
Ordering options
- RFOU flame-retardant type or BFOU fire-resistant type with mica glass tape
- Individually or collectively screened instrumentation versions for 4–20 mA loops
- Medium voltage 3.6/6 kV to 18/30 kV with conductor and insulation screens
- Additional bedding layer under the braid for harsher mechanical duty
- Pre-cut module lengths with tags, glands and termination kits
Standards manufactured to
- NEK 606
- IEC 60092-350
- IEC 60092-353
- IEC 60092-359
- IEC 60092-360
- IEC 60332-3-22
- IEC 60331-21
- IEC 60754-1
- IEC 61034-2
Manufactured to other standards on request. Send the standard number with your RFQ and we will quote against it rather than against a near-equivalent.
Price and availability for Offshore Platform Mud-Resistant Cable (RFOU / BFOU Type)
Include cross-section, core count, voltage grade, route length and installation method — those five determine price more than anything else on the page.
- Engineer-reviewed before pricing
- Reference drawings issued with the quotation
- Free sample up to free sample up to 5 m
Offshore Platform Mud-Resistant Cable (RFOU / BFOU Type) — frequently asked questions
What does mud-resistant actually mean in test terms?
The sheath is immersed in oil-based drilling fluid at high temperature and its change in mass, volume and mechanical properties is measured against limits. A halogen-free compound that passes IEC 60754 can still fail this, because halogen-free describes combustion products, not fluid resistance. That is why offshore specifications name SHF2, or NEK 606 directly, instead of asking for halogen-free cable.
Is this cable certified by DNV, ABS or Lloyd's Register?
No. Voltcore does not hold classification society type-approval certificates. The cable is designed and tested to IEC 60092 and NEK 606 requirements and can be supplied to the requirements of ABS, DNV, LR, BV and CCS rules. Where a project needs verified evidence, third-party witnessed testing is arranged and quoted before manufacture.
Should I choose RFOU or BFOU?
BFOU carries a mica glass tape over the conductor and is fire resistant to IEC 60331, so it holds the circuit during a fire. It is used for emergency power, escape lighting, fire pumps and shutdown systems. RFOU is flame retardant only and is the correct choice for general distribution where circuit integrity is not required.
Can this cable be used in an onshore plant?
Yes. NEK 600-series cable is designed for fixed onshore and offshore installation, and the SHF2 sheath is useful in onshore chemical and petrochemical plants where hydrocarbon exposure and low smoke are both required. Confirm the installation code for the site, since some jurisdictions require a locally certified product for classified areas.