Offshore staff

CHESTERFIELD, UK – Cathelco is renewing the impressed current cathodic protection system on the hull of the FPSO Xikomba, which is being redeployed on Eni’s block 15/06 West hub development off Angola.

The company supplied the original ICCP system in 2002 when the vessel was being converted from the FPSO Atlantic in Dubai Drydocks for subsequent operation by ExxonMobil offshore Angola. Prior to that, it was the VLCC Mosocean.

SBM Offshore and partners Sonangol, Sonasing, and OPS have commissioned an upgrade of the vessel at the Keppel yard in Singapore followed by additional work at the Paenal yard in Angola. It will then transfer to block 15/06 under a 12-year charter and operation contract with Eni, with first production slated for 2014.

As the Xikomba has a length of 348 m (1,141 ft) it will be protected by forward and aft ICCP systems. Cathelco will renew the forward system with a similarly rated 600 A thyristor control panel wired to four 150 A linear loop anodes and two reference electrodes mounted port and starboard.

The more powerful aft system will comprise two 600 A control panels, each wired to two 300 A linear loop anodes and a reference electrode.

Additionally, the company will supply an ICCP system to protect the internal surfaces of the main condenser against corrosion. This will feature an arrangement of 40 anodes and 60 cantilever reference electrodes connected to one control panel with multiple outputs.

5/7/2012