VESSELS, RIGS, & SURFACE SYSTEMS
Tracy Dulle - Houston
Petrobras contracts FPSOs for Santos basin
Petrobras has contracted 10 new FPSOs for the Santos basin pre-salt areas.
The first two FPSOs will be chartered by Petrobras from third parties. They will be used in pilot development projects, the company says. Each unit’s production capacity will be 100,000 b/d of oil and 5 MMcm/d (176.6 MMcf/d) of natural gas. The units will be installed between 2013 and 2014 in areas yet to be defined.
The eight other production units will belong to Petrobras, and will have capacities of 120,000 b/d of oil and 5 MMcm/d of natural gas, and will be installed during 2015 and 2016.
The 10 FPSOs will operate in ultra deepwater, ranging from 2,400 to 3,000 m (7,874 to 9,843 ft), and will be used to kick-off the definitive production system in the pre-salt area of the Santos basin.
Keppel AmFELS delivers Offshore Vigilant
Keppel AmFELS has delivered Scorpion Offshore’s fourth jackup drilling rig. Gazprom has chartered the new rig,Offshore Vigilant, for its maiden operations offshore Venezuela beginning next month.
Offshore Vigilant is one of five LeTourneau Super 116 jackups commissioned by Scorpion in 2005. The five identical rigs each incorporate a 70-ft (21-m) cantilever.
Each rig can work in 350 ft (107 m) of water as outfitted, or in water of depths up to 400 ft (122 m) with installation of additional leg sections. The rig’s drilling depth is approximately 30,000 ft (9,144 m).
Pride International’s Sea Explorer contracted for Brazil
Pride International’s semisubmersible rigSea Explorer has a two-year, $244-million contract from OGX Petroleo e Gas Participacoes SA for work offshore Brazil. The contract is expected to begin in August 2009, following the completion of an existing contract commitment in the Republic of Congo and mobilization to the new location.
TheSea Explorer is one of 14 semisubmersibles and drillships in the Pride fleet. It is a conventionally moored semisubmersible rig capable of operating in water depths of up to 1,000 ft (305 m).
PPL Shipyard wins contract for two jackups
Egyptian Offshore Drilling Co. (EODC) has awarded PPL Shipyard a $425-million contract to construct two jackup rigs.
The rigs will be built based on PPL Shipyard’s proprietary design Pacific Class 375 mobile offshore drilling unit and proprietary components. It will be equipped to drill high-pressure/high-temperature wells to 30,000 ft (9,144 m) deep in 375 ft (114 m) of water. It will have accommodation with full catering and amenities for 120 persons.
The first unit is scheduled for delivery at the end of 4Q 2010 while the second unit will be delivered by end of the 1Q 2011, the company says. On delivery, each rig will be contracted to EODC for its offshore Egypt operations.
Aban to use Deep Driller 7 offshore Thailand
Aban Offshore has signed an $18-million contract for the deployment of the newbuild jackupDeep Driller 7 offshore Thailand. The contract is for a firm period of three months, extendable up to six months.
Maritime Industrial receives rig refurbishment contracts
Maritime Industrial has been awarded rig refurbishment projects totaling more than $25 million.
The refurbishment projects span a range of services from standard refurbishment to extend certification, to upgrading and testing.
The first of these projects is Transocean’sF.G. McClintock. The work on all rigs is currently taking place at both of MIS’ quayside yards in Port Khalid, UAE.
Olympic Challenger gets first assignment following Hurricane Ike
Global Industries’ newbuildOlympic Challenger was sent out on assignment off the coast of Louisiana following Hurricane Ike, where the ROVs and a diving crew performed pipeline inspections before returning to do storm repair to platforms in the Gulf.
TheChallenger is a DP-2 multi-service, ROV, deepwater construction, and diving vessel that was introduced to a group of invited guests in early September at a luncheon and reception in Galveston, Texas. The new rig then set sail around the Gulf of Mexico to stay out of Hurricane Ike’s path before receiving its first assignment.
The 347-ft (105.9-m) by 69-ft (21-m) vessel is suitable for subsea installations, marine construction for field development, IRM/MMO, ROV missions, and diving support, in addition to SURF capabilities. It is equipped with an ROV hangar and a state-of-the-art ODIM launch and recovery system, allowing the option of simultaneous deployment of two ROVs over the side or through the dedicated ROV moon pool.
In a time when finding and keeping personnel is tough, Global Industries said it was important to make the ship a “home away from home” for workers. The vessel incorporates Comfort Class and has accommodations for 100 personnel. Facilities include 22 one-man staterooms, 39 two-man cabins, all with satellite TV, telephone, Internet access, and private toilets/bathrooms. TheChallenger also has multiple offices, day rooms, mission work rooms, conference rooms, and a galley, hospital, gymnasium, and sky lounge.
The vessel has two moon pools and 10,763 sq ft (1,000 sq m) of clear deck space. The ship is outfitted with a modular 60 metric ton (66 ton) vertical lay system and reeling system capable of handling rigid pipe, flexible pipe, and umbilicals. Rounding out the outfitting is two Schilling work class ROVs. The ROVs are rated to over 13,000 ft (3,962 m) of water and are Schilling’s latest 200 hp vehicles complete with station holding capabilities.
TheChallenger also has a 250 metric ton (276 ton), active heave compensated crane. The Hydramarine crane is designed such that it is capable of lowering up to 200 metric tons (220 tons) to a depth of 9,800 ft (2,987 m) on its single crane line. The crane line can also be “2-parted” to lower the full 250 metric tons.