VESSELS, RIGS, & SURFACE SYSTEMS
David Paganie • Houston
NPCC orders derrick laybarge
National Petroleum Construction Co. (NPCC) has contracted the Chinese shipyard Zhenhua Heavy Industries to build theDLS 4200 derrick laybarge.
The vessel concept, developed by Ulstein Sea of Solutions (USOS) based in Vlaardingen, the Netherlands, combines double joint S-lay capabilities with a 4,200-ton (3,810-metric ton) lifting capacity.
TheDLS 4200 is to be equipped with a 10-point mooring system to operate in the Arabian Gulf and offshore India, although the vessel is designed to work worldwide.
The 197-m (646-ft) long vessel features a center double joint firing line to optimize pipelay operations. This and the double joint fabrication areas are on the freeboard deck, covered by the main deck. According to USOS, this provides a clean, dry environment for the pipelay equipment, and an unobstructed main deck for lifting operations.
Its Amclyde Model 80 main crane can handle lifts of up to 4,200 tons at a 125-ft (38-m) radius over the stern in tieback mode, and 4,200 tons at 95 ft (29 m) without tieback. In full revolving mode the crane can lift 3,635 tons (3,300 metric tons) with an outreach of 130 ft (39 m).
Two fixed-pitch, shaft-driven main propellers (5,500 kW each) provide a transit cruising speed of 13 knots. In order to upgrade the vessel to DP-2 (allowed for in the design), five retractable azimuth thrusters of 3,500 kW each will be needed.
Allseas contracts DSME for Pieter Schelte
Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) in Korea will build Allseas’ new multi-purpose construction vesselPieter Schelte.
Detail design has been completed for the vessel, which will be equipped for pipelay, platform installations, and decommissioning.
DSME’s contract is valued at $550 million. Allseas had ordered long-lead items, notably the power generation equipment and thrusters, in 2007, and the high-tensile steel for the topsides and jacket-lift systems, in 2008. The company says it plans to issue tenders for the lift systems this summer.
Pieter Schelte will be 382 m (1,253 ft) long and 117 m (384 ft) wide, with a topsides lift capability of 48,000 metric tons (52,911 tons) and a jacket lift capacity of 25,000 metric tons (27,558 tons). Its pipelay tension capacity will be 2,000 metric tons (2,205 tons), twice that of Allseas’ Solitaire.
Petrobras goes on vessel charter spree
Petrobras has chartered four anchor handling tug supply vessels from Siem Offshore and two platform supply vessels from Deep Sea Supply.
Siem says the four-year contracts are valued at $285 million and all the vessels will be in operation in Brazil by February 2011. Petrobras says it has the option to extend the Siem vessels contracts for four additional years, pending mutual agreement.
These four vessels will add to Brazil’s current list of 10 vessels in operation and eight more under construction. The contract backlog for these was $335 million at the end of 1Q 2010 and the potential value of the contract extensions was $310 million.
Deep Sea will supply theSea Bass and Sea Halibut PSVs for four years also, with operations to start in July for both. This will give Deep Sea five offshore supply vessels in Brazilian waters.
Subsea 7, Candies join to extend GoM reach
Subsea 7 Inc. and Otto Candies LLC have an agreement to cooperate for access to the newbuildRoss Candies for life-of-field services. The companies say that in combination they will extend their range of inspection, repair, maintenance, and light construction services in the Gulf of Mexico.
TheRoss Candies is US built and entered service this year. It is a DP-2 class vessel with a 100-metric ton (110-ton) offshore crane and a 100-metric ton module handling tower with a 1,000-sq m (10,764-sq ft) deck, two Triton XLS ROVs, and capacity to work in 10,000 ft (3,048 m) water depth.
J-lay spread sails to Korea
IHC Engineering Business (EB) has shipped out the J-lay system for the new Saipem FDS2 (Field Development Ship).
The equipment is en route to Samsung Heavy Industries’ Geoje shipyard in South Korea where EB’s engineers will assist Saipem and Samsung with installation and commissioning on the vessel.
The new system will be able to accommodate pipes from 4- to 36-in. (10-91 cm) diameter, and is rated at 2,000-metric ton (2,205-ton) hang-off capacity. Through adjusting the angle of the tower from 45º to 96º, the system will be able to lay pipe in shallow and deepwater.
According to EB, the J-lay system is 65 m (213 ft) tall and 14 m (46 ft) wide. The total weight of the tower, including all pipe-handling equipment, is 2,500 metric tons (2,756 tons).
J Ray, Oceanteam close newbuild contract
J. Ray McDermott S.A. and Oceanteam ASA have awarded a contract to Metalships and Docks S.A.U. shipyard in Vigo, Spain, to build a reel-lay pipelay vessel, to be namedNorth Ocean 105. Due for delivery in early 2012, the vessel’s vertical reel will have a nominal payload of 2,976 tons (2,700 metric tons) with tension capacity between 441 and 551 tons (400 and 500 metric tons), for installing 4- to 16-in. diameter pipe. It will be equipped with a 400-ton (363-metric ton) heave compensated crane and will be capable of working in about 9,000 ft (2,743 m) of water.
Dockwise, COOEC sign heavy-lift accord
Dockwise has a memorandum of agreement with the China Offshore Oil Engineering Co. (COOEC) to manage a newbuild, 50,000-metric ton (55,115-ton) heavy-lift vessel.
The ship, similar in size to Dockwise’sBlack Marlin, is due to be delivered in February 2012.