SBM claims for mounting Deep Panuke costs

Offshore staff

MONACO -- SBM Offshore says construction of EnCana’s MOPU platform for the Deep Panuke project off Nova Scotia is at the commissioning stage in the dry dock in Abu Dhabi. Completion and load out is scheduled later this year.

During the project, modifications requested by the client to the original design were implemented, resulting in increased construction time and higher costs. Says SBM. SBM has claimed these additional costs via change orders to the contract, but has so far not reached agreement on the level of compensation.

Also in Abu Dhabi, SBM expects to deliver the third in a series of newbuild semisubmersible drilling rigs before mid-year. Last year it handed over the Lone Star and Norbe VI semis respectively to Queiroz Galvão Perfuraçoes S.A. and Odebrecht Oil & Gas.

Among SBM’s other construction programs, engineering and procurement continues for the relocation of the FPSO Espadarte to the Baleia Azul field offshore Brazil. The facility should be disconnected from its current location later this year and towed to Singapore for the conversion and upgrade work, with first oil due at Baleia Azul in 2012.

Another Petrobras-commissioned floater is the FPSO Cidade de Paraty project for the Lula Nordeste field. Vessel refurbishment and conversion works have started at the Keppel shipyard along with construction of modules in Singapore and Brazil.

The FPSO for Noble Energy’s Aseng development off Equatorial Guinea is progressing to plan, with the vessel undergoing refurbishment at the Keppel shipyard. Procurement of main equipment has been completed and module fabrication is under way.

Commissioning work on Woodside Energy’s FPSO Okha is progressing well at Keppel shipyard, with completion scheduled for 1Q 2011, as agreed.

SBM also plans to invest in a new diving support construction vessel which will be delivered in 2013. This will widen the company’s deepwater offshore installation and construction capabilities.

Another sector SBM is keeping an eye on is floating offshore LNG. In partnership with Japan’s Chiyoda, it has concluded a FEED study for Petrobras’ FLNG project for the pre-salt developments offshore Brazil. Other FLNG engineering studies are in progress for other clients, mostly in the Far East region.

03/04/2011