Offshore staff

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Socotherm Americas is supplying insulation materials for two new pipelines in the UK central North Sea.

Oilexco has commissioned the two lines to transport production from its Ptarmigan and Shelley fields. Both will be connected to the company's Brenda and Nicol subsea facilities, in turn linked to CNR's Balmoral platform.

Under a $6 million contract, Socotherm will apply polypropylene foam thermal insulation to a minimum thickness of 42 mm (1 2/3 in) onto 42 km (26.1 mi) of 8-in (203 mm), seamless pipes, to be produced by Tenaris in Campana, Argentina. The specified insulation is used widely in the North Sea, and is suited for midwater depth pipelines.

First oil from the new projects is due early 2008.

4/11/2007