Offshore staff
RAS TANURA, Saudi Arabia -- Sea Island No. 4, an offshore crude-oil loading facility in the Arabian Gulf capable of berthing and loading the world's largest oil tankers, is back in business after the completion of three big projects and a scheduled Test and Inspection (T&I), according to Saudi Aramco.
The capital improvements included a new system to automate the monitoring and control of loading. It also aims to improve efficiency, minimize contamination and reduce measurement discrepancies.
A new fire-water system consisting of six higher-capacity main pumps and three jockey pumps will enhance firefighting capacity and safety aboard all three islands.
There also are new higher-capacity hammerhead-type tower cranes equipped with the latest technologies and safety precautions.
The T&I covered the overhaul of four breasting dolphins, six mooring dolphins, 115 valves, 12 loading arms, 60 quick release hooks, and grit blasting and coating of 1.5 million sq m (17.9 million sq yd) of structure and pipeline. Also installed were 5,200 m (17,060 ft) of new cable trays and 26,000 m (85,403 ft) of new cable.
Sea Island No. 3 has already started the same upgrade projects, and Sea Island No. 2 is scheduled for later this year. Both Sea Island No. 2 and Sea Island No. 3 are expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2009.
"The quality and safety standard recorded during these upgrade projects is gratifying," says department manager Nasir K. Al-Naimi, "even more so because the four projects were conducted simultaneously, with two contractors and over 400 people working together on the confined offshore deck."
03/19/2008
