ALE, Murphy Join for Offshore Services
UK-based ALE Heavylift and compatriot engineering and construction company J Murphy & Sons announced a new collective partnership to offer linear winch hire, pipe pulling and installation engineering services worldwide.As part of the agreement, ALE will also have access to equipment designed by Murphy subsidiary Land & Marine. Based in the UK, Land & Marine’s product portfolio includes pipe handling equipment such as rollers and rail bogies, as well as 800-metric-ton capacity liner winches.Land & Marine’s design is patented and allows socket passing under load as well as utilizing advanced hydraulic controls for accurate monitoring.
Petrofac Order Hi-end Offshore Construction Vessel
Service provider to the oil and gas industry, UK-based Petrofac, confirms placement orders to build its new proprietary design Petrofac JSD 6000 deepwater derrick lay vessel, which will be available for construction and installation activities in early 2017. Petrofac inform that the vessel is based on a unique design which integrates the J-Lay, S-Lay and derrick functions and will provide Petrofac with access to high-end turnkey opportunities in the high growth deepwater and SURF markets, and expand access to shallow water EPCI projects.
Offshore Equipment Firm Acquisition by Forum Energy
Houston-based Forum Energy Technologies agrees to acquire Blohm + Voss Oil Tools from STAR Capital Partners Limited (STAR), a London based private equity firm. Completion of the transaction is subject to certain customary closing conditions. Further details of the transaction were not disclosed. With locations in Hamburg, Germany and Willis, Texas, Blohm + Voss Oil Tools manufactures a comprehensive range of pipe handling equipment used on offshore and onshore drilling rigs. Cris Gaut, Forum's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "Blohm + Voss Oil Tools significantly strengthens the tubular handling offering within our Drilling Technologies product line.
IHC Engineering’s Largest Project to Date
On May 31, IHC Engineering Business (EB) will reach a major milestone when their largest project to date, a 2,000t capacity J-Lay system for the Saipem FDS2 (Field Development Ship), leaves its manufacturing location on Teesside. The lay system will then be en route to the Samsung Heavy Industries’ (SHI) Geoje shipyard in South Korea where EB’s engineers will work closely with Saipem and SHI to install and commission the system on the new build vessel. The new system is able to accommodate pipes from 4 to 36 inches and is rated at 2,000t hang-off capacity. By adjusting the angle of the tower (from 45 to 96 degrees) the system is capable of laying pipe in deep or shallow water.
Awilco Exercises Option for Jackup Drilling Rig No. 8
Awilco Offshore (AWO) has exercised an option with PPL to build a 375-ft. jackup drilling rig with drilling depth of 30.000 ft. The rig will be named WilConfidence. The rig is to be delivered in the second quarter of 2009, and has a delivered cost of $149m. The delivered cost includes contract price with the yard, site supervision, pipe handling equipment, spare parts and finance costs during construction.
Chiles Offshore Signs Notice of Award for Rig Under Construction
Chiles Offshore Inc. today announced that it has executed a Notice of Award for a long-term contract by an affiliate of Phillips Petroleum for its ultra-premium jackup drilling rig the Chiles Discovery, currently under construction at the Keppel FELS Shipyard in Singapore. the end of June 2002 in Phillips' Bayu Undan Gas Recycle Project, located in Area A of the Timor Gap Zone of Cooperation between Australia and East Timor. The contract is expected to last for a minimum of 600 days (15 wells). Phillips will have options to extend the contract for up to an additional five wells (estimated up to 200 days). Assuming work is performed under the contract for 600 days, contract revenues will approximate $60 million, exclusive of mobilization and de-mobilization fees.
