Dalian lands Seadrill double

Russell McCulley • Houston

Seadrill has placed a $460-million order with Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Offshore for two high-spec jackup rigs, with delivery scheduled for 1Q and 2Q 2015. Based on the Friede & Goldman JU2000E design, the rigs will be capable of operation in water depths up to 400 ft (122 m) and will be able to drill to 30,000 ft (9,144 m). The contract includes options for two additional JU2000E units, which would be delivered in 3Q and 4Q 2015.

Exmar, EDF push plan for US LNG export

EDF Trading and Exmar have announced a joint effort to bring mobile, barge-mounted natural gas liquefaction units to LNG terminals in the US for small-scale export opportunities. The units will be modeled on Exmar's FLRSU project under construction for Pacific Rubiales in Colombia, which includes a jetty-moored barge outfitted with Black & Veatch's PRICO liquefaction equipment that will receive gas from the onshore La Creciente field. Like the Pacific Rubiales project, the proposed North American units will be built by China's Wison Group. The aim would be to bring mobile, self-contained liquefaction units to LNG import terminals in the US using existing pipeline, tank and jetty infrastructure to enable LNG export, Exmar said.

Ichthys on track for 2016, Inpex says

Japan's INPEX in late January cut first steel on what it claims will be the world's largest semisubmersible, a 1.66 MMcf/d capacity central processing facility bound for the Ichthys LNG project in the Browse basin offshore Western Australia. Samsung Heavy Industries is building the semi at its Geoje shipyard in Korea, with detailed engineering by Mustang. Earlier in January, first steel was cut for the 65-m (213-ft) tall turret for the project's FPSO unit. SBM Offshore is providing engineering, procurement, fabrication, and supply services for the turret. Inpex and its Ichthys partner Total expect first production by the end of 2016.

World Diamond, the first in a series of six PSV 3300 platform supply vessels for Norway's World Wide Supply, was launched at Damen Shipyards Group's Galati, Romania, yard. The 80-m (262-ft) long vessel can reach speeds up to 13.7 knots. (Photo courtesy Damen)

Heerema Marine Contractors' newbuild deepwater construction vessel Aegir departed South Korea in January, 19 months after construction began at the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering yard in Okpo. After a stopover in China to load the first pipe reel, Aegir was scheduled to sail to the Netherlands for installation of pipelay equipment at the Huisman yard in Schiedam. The vessel is set to begin its first project in the Gulf of Mexico in 4Q 2013. (Photo courtesy Heerema)

The Seven Viking ICE-C class inspection, repair and maintenance vessel was unveiled and named at a Jan. 30 ceremony in Stavanger, Norway. Co-owned by Subsea 7 and Eidesvik Offshore, the vessel enters service in the North Sea under a five-year contract with Statoil. The Seven Viking is based on Ulstein's SX148 design, has a crew capacity of 90 and can reach top speeds of 17 knots. (Photo courtesy Ulstein)

Mustang, SMOE team on Ivar Aasen topsides

Det norske oljeselskap and its partners in the Ivar Aasen field have awarded a contract worth NOK 4 billion ($722 million) to Sembcorp Marine subsidiary SMOE for topside facilities at the Ivar Aasen field offshore Norway.

The contract covers engineering, procurement, and construction of the 13,700-metric ton (15,101-ton) platform deck. The facilities include process, gas compression, separation, water injection, flare boom, and metering, along with accommodations for 70 people. Construction is scheduled to begin in December 2013, with delivery in March 2016. First oil from Ivar Aasen is planned for 4Q 2016.

The Ivar Aasen field, formerly known as Draupne, is in water depth of 112 m (367 ft) west of the Johan Sverdrup field on the Norwegian continental shelf. Det norske operates the project with 35% interest on behalf of partners Statoil (50%) and Bayerngas (15%). The field has estimated reserves of 150 MMboe.

SMOE has contracted Wood Group Mustang to conduct topsides detailed engineering and design for the project.

HHI tapped for Aasta Hansteen topsides

Hyundai Heavy Industries won a $1.1 billion contract with Statoil to supply the topsides for the Aasta Hansteen spar platform.

Last year, HHI was also selected to build the hull for the facility, which will be the world's largest spar to date and the first to include storage for condensate. The 21,000-ton topsides will be designed to produce and process 23 MMcmoe/d of light oil and gas, and will be built with assistance from Houston-based CB&I. The 195-m (640-ft) hull, to be delivered under a cooperative agreement with Technip, will be equipped to store 160,000 bbl of condensate.

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