Port Fourchon positions for future GoM E&P
David Paganie
David Paganie, Senior Editor
Facility services more than 75% of all deepwater production and over half the drilling rigs in the Gulf
Port Fourchon’s 1,300 acres are strategically situated at the mouth of Bayou Lafourche (“the fork”) in Lafourche Parish, serving as Louisiana’s only port located literally on the GoM.
The port’s history dates all the way back to 1960 with the formation of the Greater Lafourche Port Commission, established by the state of Louisiana to exercise jurisdiction over an area including Fourchon.
Louisiana’s only elected board of commissioners, who overseas the port’s $34.1 million budget, have supported the facility’s growth and development plans over the years because of its location on the Gulf Coast.
With location serving as its prime selling point, the port has evolved into a critical logistics base for transportation and for securing 16-18% of the US energy supply. Commodities commonly barged from the port include liquid oilfield fluids, heavy waters, cement, and fuel.
Port Fourchon’s tenants are equipped to accommodate a comprehensive range of offshore support services, including offshore supply and support, anchor handling, towing, offshore construction, sales, and barging of fuel, water, mud, completion fluids, barites and methanol, riser inspection and repair, logistics, vessel repairs, rig inspection and repair, pipe storage, repair and bucking, complete dockside and in-slip loading, helicopter base operations, heavy-lift capabilities, and trucking.
Given the port’s robust portfolio of existing core services, ambitious plans are in place and others are on the drawing board to grow the facility’s presence as the “Gulf’s Energy Connection.”
Oil bust drives port growth
Port Fourchon has existed since 1960, but did not sustain real growth until the late 1970s, early 80s. “The oil bust of the 80s is really what drew attention to the port,” explains Ted Falgout, executive director of the port.
During this time, E&P was moving farther out in the Gulf and many of the industry’s service and major oil and gas companies held bases along the coast.
“In order to survive during the bust, these companies were forced to rethink their position on the Gulf, and many of them determined it feasible to either maintain or establish a primary service base at Port Fourchon,” says Falgout.
Amoco, now BP, was the first major oil company to recognize the strategic advantage of setting up a base at Fourchon. The operator came to this decision after conducting an analysis of potential energy savings at the Fourchon location vs. more inland ports, and concluded that it could save over $1 million per year in transportation costs alone.
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The E-Slip is a 500-ft wide and 23-ft deep slip, situated on 400 acres of elevated land in the heart of Port Fourchon.
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Volume 66 Issue 3
March 2006
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