Offshore staff
VERDAL, Norway -- Aker Kværner has completed the semisubmersible hull for Chevron's Blind Faith platform.
Chevron and partner Anadarko awarded the original engineering, procurement and construction contract to Aker Kværner Inc. in Oct. 2005. The semisubmersible left the Aker Kværner Verdal yard in Norway on June 24 for a Gulf of Mexico yard, where it will be outfitted with the topsides.
The Blind Faith platform is the first application of Aker Kværner's deep draft semisubmersible concept, which was conceived specifically toi use steel catenary risers in the ultra deepwater and current-heavy GoM environment.
"The successful completion of theBlind Faith semisubmersible is an important milestone for Aker Kværner's deepwater business," says Stein Rasmussen, president of Aker Kværner. "This project provided Aker Kværner with the opportunity to demonstrate our ability to deliver a first-class deepwater project in a safe manner,"
Aker Marine Contractors managed the dry transportation of the semisubmersible hull, namedFrøya, to the GOM using Dockwise's HLV Tern as a transport vessel.
Blind Faith will be in Mississippi Canyon block 650, 162 mi (261km) southeast of New Orleans in 6,500 ft (1,981 m) water depth.
9/11/2007
