Cal Dive International Inc. (CDI) said April 9 that it had accepted delivery of theQ4000, an ultra-deepwater semisubmersible. The vessel is already working in the Gulf of Mexico as part of an extended sea trial. When the sea trial is complete, the Q4000 will be officially christened in Galveston, Texas, before mobilizing offshore Brazil.
"We are pleased that the Q4000 has been completed on time and within her $180 million budget, an achievement many did not think possible given the vessel's unique design and the fact that CDI had never built a semisubmersible," said Owen Kratz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at CDI.
The Q4000 is the first ultra-deepwater semisubmersible designed to perform construction and well intervention work in 10,000 ft water depth. It is equipped with a Huisman tower capable of lifting 600 tons and is outfitted with a 350-ton crane that has the capacity to deliver loads to 10,000 ft. The Q4000 also has a unique column-stabilized design that combines dynamically positioned station keeping with 15,000 sq ft of deck space and 3,400 tons of deck load capacity.
In June 2001, CDI modified the original rig design, expanding the Q4000's capabilities to include completions. The additional capability will allow the vessel to perform completion tasks on subsea wells, perform completion tasks on temporarily abandoned wells with no mooring spread, and to preset casing prior to rig arrival.
The Q4000 was built at the Amfels, Inc., shipyard in Brownsville, Texas, and was financed under the Title XI Program of the US Maritime Administration (MARAD). Upon delivery, the vessel was documented under the laws of the US and became subject to a first preferred ship mortgage in favor of the USA.
