Offshore staff

PARIS --BHP Billiton has awarded Technip a contract for subsea work on the Shenzi field in the Green Canyon area of the Gulf of Mexico in 1,311 m (4,300 ft) of water.

The contract covers the engineering, fabrication, and installation of a system comprising two infield flowlines and six flowlines welded to steel catenary risers, and connecting of three drill centers to theShenzi TLP.

Pipeline end termination (PLET) design is under way at Technip's operations and engineering center in Houston, with PLET fabrication scheduled for the second half of this year. The flowlines and risers will be welded onshore at Technip's spoolbase in Mobile, Alabama.

Offshore installation will be carried out in 1Q 2008 by Technip's deepwater pipelay vessel,Deep Blue. The vessel will use the reel lay process to reduce its required time in the field.

The Shenzi field is operated by BHP Billiton with a 44% working interest. Partners include Repsol (28%) and Hess (28%).

2/27/2007