Offshore staff
SINGAPORE -- Prosafe Production Pte. Ltd. is working on three FPSO projects this year. The company christened two FPSOs in the first two months of 2007, says Arne Austreid, Prosafe president and CEO.
Two of the FPSOs will be converted at Singapore's Keppel Shipyard starting July this year, Austreid says. One of the vessels is scheduled for the Mateus field in the Espirito Santos basin offshore Brazil. A letter of intent has been signed for the second FPSO to work offshore West Africa.
Engineering work is under way on the third FPSO, for which a contract is being negotiated for a major Asia-Pacific field, Austreid says.
"It is our belief that the FPSO market is segmented," Austreid says, identifying the main segment as players with financial strength, engineering capacity, and technology. The second segment, he says, is made up of companies in FPSO trade, with engineering capacity but no technology. The third segment comprises shipping companies going for smaller projects.
Noting that some of the major players in the trade have formed joint ventures with leading shipping companies to operate FPSOs, Austreid says Prosafe would consider such ventures, given the strong demand for the floaters.
Austreid says Asia is one of the main markets for Prosafe.
Prosafe christened theUmuroa FPSO Feb. 15 at Singapore's Keppel Shipyard. Umuroa will work in the Tui field offshore New Zealand.
2/15/2007
