Sakhalin II platform trio in place
Offshore staff
YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK, Russia --Sakhalin Energy Investment Co. is claiming a new world heavy-lift record for its Piltun-Astokhskoye-B (PA-B) production platform installation.
The 28,000 metric ton (30,864 ton) topsides was set down successfully this morning on the legs of the platform's concrete gravity base structure (GBS), which was already on the seabed. The operation was controlled from the transportation barge and supported by a service vessel and five tugboats.
The 190 x 92 m (623.36 x 301.84 ft), T-shaped barge was purpose-built to carry the topsides on its 3,000-km (1,864-mi) tow from the fabrication yard in South Korea.
On arrival, the barge was towed between the GBS' four legs. The topsides were lowered onto these by a floatover technique that involved ballasting down of the barge. Leg mating units in the four legs acted as shock absorbers during initial contact.
Following the previous record topsides installation last year for the same project's Lunskoye platform, there are now three Sakhalin II platforms on location. Phase 2 oil from these two new platforms should start flowing to the export terminal in the south of Sakhalin Island in 2008.
07/05/2007