Hot Oil System News

From 1979-1982, Bouchard Transportation constructed a trio of 19,000-ton hot oil system barges, as well as three 5,700 horsepower tugboats, and two 19,000-ton clean petroleum barges—all of which were built to transport residual products through the Gulf Coast. #BTC100    The July 2018 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News will feature a special “Bouchard Transportation Co. Celebrates 100 Years” magazine. For more information contact: Greg Trauthwein, [email protected], t. 516-810-7405.

Bouchard Transportation Co. acquires its first oil barge, a sunken 15,000 barrel vessel, which Capt. Fred Bouchard purchased for $100. After raising this vessel, he towed it from Jacksonville, FL, to a Norfolk, VA, shipyard, where it was then converted to a hot oil system oil barge and named the John Frederick. #BTC100  The July 2018 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News will feature a special “Bouchard Transportation Co. Celebrates 100 Years” magazine. For more information contact: Greg Trauthwein, [email protected], t. 516-810-7405.

Bollinger Gulf Repair L.L.C., a Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., shipyard, has completed the retrofit of a Bouchard Coastwise Management Co., tug and barge to an articulated (ATB) unit utilizing the Intercon Coupler System. The 446-foot, 125,000 BBL (barrel) black oil Barge B. No.175 which was renamed Barge B. No.275, was transformed from a single hull to double hull vessel to meet the requirements of OPA ‘90. Her stern was modified with the matching Intercon ladder to accept the bow of the 127-foot tug CAPT. FRED BOUCHARD, which was retrofitted with ram assemblies of the Intercon system.

Late last year was a high water mark of sorts in the Articulated Tug-Barge (ATB) business. In December, Crowley Maritime of Seattle, Wash. took delivery of their fourth ATB, featuring a 9,280 HP tug and a 155,000 barrel barge. Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay, Wisc. built the barge. and the tug by sister company Marinette Marine, Manitowoc, Mich. At about the same time on the east coast K-Sea Transportation was taking delivery of their fourth ATB unit from Bollinger Shipyards, Lockport, La. All four of these new units featured new 80,000-100,000 barrel barges and existing tugs fitted with the JAK coupler system. In 2004, ATB construction has slowed a bit, but several companies continue contracting for retrofitted and new ATB units.

Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has awarded a project order with Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) for the NQ re-construction (NQRC) Project in Mumbai High North fields, according to Domain-b. According to the report, this project is the largest brownfield project of its kind awarded in the offshore oil and gas sector in India. The NQ Complex, one of the oldest assets owned by ONGC, has been operational since 1985. The project comprises reconstruction of offshore facilities at the NQ Complex including the replacement of the existing booster compressor with a new process gas compressor module, revamp of produced water conditioning system, hot oil system, gas dehydration unit and other utilities.

Engineering and design work is underway at Bollinger Gulf Repair, New Orleans, for Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. third retrofit project tug and barge to an ATB unit utilizing the Intercon Coupler System. The 446-ft. 125,000 BBL black oil Barge B No. 175 will be transformed from a singe hull to a double hull vessel to meet the requirements of OPA 90, and the stern will be notched to accept the bow of the 127-ft. tug Capt. Fred Bouchard, which will be retrofitted with the ram assemblies of the Intercon system. New heating coils will be added to the barge’s existing Hot-Oil system and a new ballast system will be installed. A keel cooled Detroit Diesel 8V-71 generator set producing 99 kW will be installed in the tug as back up for powering the Intercon system main generator.