Offshore staff
CAMERON, Louisiana -- M-I SWACO officially opened a state-of-the-art offshore supply base in Cameron, Louisiana, to replace the facility destroyed in 2005 by Hurricane Rita, says the company.
The new supply base moved from its previous location to the Calcasieu Ship Channel, the only deepwater port in Cameron.
"The new plant, which is now one of the largest facilities M-I SWACO operates on the Gulf Coast, has total mixing capacity for 4,000 bbl of water-base, synthetic-base, and oil-base drilling fluids, and storage capacity of 39,000 bbl, including base fluids," says Jose Herrera, M-I SWACO facilities engineering manager. "The facility also has storage capacity for 55,000 sacks bulk barite, 4,000 sacks bulk gel and 4,000 sacks of bulk lime."
The company says it has taken all steps to ensure the plant and associated facilities remain intact during another storm, including the construction of a deflection wall around the tank farm. Also, the totally electric-powered facility, which is built on the highest point in Cameron, has been upgraded to better prepare for shutdown during hurricane evacuation.
"With 750 ft of bulkheading and water depths capable of handling the largest deepwater vessels, this facility offers the latest in technology. The new Cameron facility is strategically positioned to service the needs in the expanding western Gulf of Mexico deepwater. The company has modern, state-of-the-art facilities in Port Fourchon, Pelican Island, Cameron, and elsewhere, thereby providing strategic redundancy should storms disrupt the critical Gulf infrastructure," says Joe Bacho, senior VP of the North America Business Unit.
5/2/2008
