Platform Installation News

Offshore installation firm Allseas said Thursday its giant Pioneering Spirit vessel had delivered another payload of what is a busy 2021 lift campaign.Namely, the flagship catamaran has recently delivered the new module for CNOOC International’s Buzzard Phase II development in the North Sea’s Outer Moray Firth, east of Scotland.The 516-tonne unit was loaded onboard directly from the Worley Rosenberg fabrication facility in Stavanger, Norway, transported to the field, and subsequently…

For dredging company officials, the first quarter of 2021 was a pretty good start to a new year. In a tough business, challenges and pitfalls are always expected. But from a bigger picture perspective—markets, regulations and policies—company officials couldn’t be faulted if a bit of optimism infused their worldview.There are a number of reasons for this. Many are well known and don’t need to be detailed here. Just quickly, though, WRDA 2020 would be at the top of the list. WRDA…

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock, a U.S.-based dredging services giant, on Wednesday announced the appointment of industry veteran Eleni Beyko as senior vice president offshore wind – a strategic growth area for the company. Beyko, who started on Jan. 25, brings more than 20 years' experience in program engineering, business leadership and project management in the automobile and offshore oil and gas markets. At GLDD, she is responsible for developing its offshore wind operations, including strategy and business development, tendering and project execution.

The global heavy lift vessel market is a difficult place to be. Utilization for the fleet has remained depressingly low since the first oil and gas downturn in 2014, currently hovering around 33% for the global fleet with a lift capacity of over 800 tonnes, according to IHS Markit’s ConstructionVesselBase. Fixed platform installation work, the traditional market driver for the heavy-lift fleet in oil and gas, has seen demand fall significantly. According to global figures from IHS Markit’s FieldsBase, 190 fixed platforms were installed in both 2013 and 2014, rising to 219 in 2015.

Sleipnir, the world's largest semi-submersible crane vessel, has arrived in the Port of Rotterdam for the first time since its delivery from Singapore last year.Heerema Marine Contractors, the Netherlands-based offshore installation company, and the owner of the vessel has informed that vessel "arrived home" on Sunday, March 22,Heerema's newly upgraded tug Kolga joined Sleipnir at sea to guide the vessel into the Caland Canal. "[The vessels] arrived around 14.45, and in line with ongoing guidelines, we decided to greet the vessel and its crew from the sky rather than onshore.

Gulf Marine Services (GMS), the leading provider of advanced self-propelled self-elevating support vessels (SESVs) serving the offshore oil, gas and renewable energy sectors, is looking at acquisitions due to opportunities in the market, reported Gulf News. GMS, which supports the oil and gas and renewable energy sectors with barges, has a fleet of fourteen vessels that help in offshore oil and gas platform refurbishment and maintenance activities, offshore wind turbine maintenance work, as well as offshore oil and gas platform installation and decommissioning, among other things. The report quoted its chief executive officer Duncan Anderson as saying: "There is more room for consolidation with other businesses in future.

In response to strong demand for satellite-based maritime connectivity, Global VSAT Forum (GVF) and Intellian have launched an Intellian Specialist Certification programme, including an initial course in terminal operation, GVF 562N, specifically for seafarers. Intellian, manufacturer of stabilized communications platforms, has launched Specialist Certification programme GVF 562N for seafarers working with its marine stabilised VSAT terminals, including an initial course in terminal operation. Follow-on courses, intended for field technicians, will cover stabilized platform installation and maintenance. Intellian’s marine VSAT terminals offer global broadband coverage to vessels at sea.

SAL Heavy Lift announced the completion of one of its most challenging projects: the crew of MV Svenja has installed an offshore development platform over a subsea gas well conductor in Alaska's Cook Inlet. It is the largest exploitation area in Alaska’s Cook Inlet – surrounded by active volcanoes and extremely strong tidal currents. “Kitchen Lights Unit # 3” is exposed to a tidal range of 25 feet which provokes currents in excess of 5 knots. And here SAL Heavy Lift faced one of the most challenging missions in its 35 years of history.

Enerpac informs it has supplied the high pressure, hydraulic cylinder technology for the topsides lift system beams aboard Allseas’ massive platform installation/decommissioning and pipelay vessel, Pioneering Spirit. The cylinders are an integral part of the vessel’s lift system, enabling the installation and decommissioning of complete topsides weighing up to 48,000 metric tons, Enerpac explained. Pioneering Spirit’s 16 lifting beams feature 64 Enerpac CLRG-Series high tonnage double acting hydraulic cylinders arranged in groups of four.

Following its inauguration ceremony in Rotterdam on February 27, 2015, Allseas’ Pioneering Spirit will start its first job offshore Norway this summer with an integrated Dynamic Positioning (DP) and manoeuvring system based on state-of-the art Kongsberg Maritime technology. The Kongsberg Maritime delivery includes forward and aft bridge systems in addition to an extensive automation network and the HiPAP subsea position reference system. Eight years in the making, Allseas’ Pioneering Spirit single-lift vessel is the largest construction vessel in the world.

Mammoet installed the Malampaya Phase 3 Depletion Compression Platform in the West Philippine Sea for Shell Philippines Exploration b.v. The Malampaya Depletion Compression Platform (DCP) is a new type of ‘self-installing platform;’ the platform floats into place over its end-location after which the legs are lowered onto the prepared seabed. It uses a pre-installed jacking system to enable the 80m legs to be jacked down and lift the platform from the water to its final position.

Jewish groups in the Netherlands and Britain have reacted with rage and despair at the arrival in Rotterdam of the world's biggest ship, the Pieter Schelte, named after a Dutch officer in the Waffen-SS. The Pieter Schelte, which is so big it can lift oil rigs out of the water, is docked in Rotterdam after being constructed at the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering shipyard in South Korea. A statement from Jonathan Arkush, the vice-president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, appeared in the Guardian news paper says: “Naming such a ship after an SS officer who was convicted of war crimes is an insult to the millions who suffered and died at the hands of the Nazis.

Sonardyne’s Ranger 2 Ultra-Short Baseline (USBL) acoustic positioning system has been selected by the Swiss-based Allseas Group for the world’s largest pipelay and platform installation/decommissioning vessel, Pieter Schelte. Built by Daewoo Heavy Industries in South Korea, at 382 meters long and 124 meters wide, Pieter Schelte is almost as long as the Empire State Building and as wide as London’s Big Ben is tall. When complete early next year, the vessel will be able to lift loads of 48…

The Norsafe JYN100 is a conventional Totally Enclosed Lifeboat (TELB) which is designed and built in accordance with the latest NORSOK R-002 standards, with a capacity of 106 persons. The advanced hydraulic davit systems are specially designed for platform installation/decommissioning and pipelay vessel Pieter Schelte. “This confirms Norsafe’s versatility and ability to supply life saving appliances (LSA) to all of the World’s most advanced vessels and offshore installations”, said SVP Sales and Marketing Kjell Soerensen in Norsafe Group.

Satellite telecommunications service provider SpeedCast International Limited has been awarded a satellite service contract by Allseas Group S.A., an offshore pipeline installation and subsea construction company. The contract covers Allseas’ flagship vessel, the Pieter Schelte, one the world’s largest ships, which took to the seas for the first time for sea trials in September. The satellite service provides broadband connectivity for mission-critical communications between the vessel and the land-based operations.

McDermott International, Inc. announced today that one of its subsidiaries was awarded a contract to provide transportation and installation services to Walter Oil & Gas Corporation for the Megalodon platform destined for South Timbalier Block 311 in the Gulf of Mexico. The project is expected to be included in McDermott’s third quarter 2014 backlog. McDermott will provide all materials and equipment to transport and install the six-pile platform in 391 feet of water, over an existing well site.

An offshore installation method that is more than three decades old is generating renewed interest from many operators who are challenged with designing heavy-lift crane installations. Float-over installation has become a cost-effective alternative to lift installation for offshore construction, as ever-increasing size and weight of decks constantly exceed the lifting capacity of floating cranes. Exploration of oil and gas in more remote offshore fields is driving the increasing demand for larger offshore units along with float-over installations.

Cal Dive International says it has sold its U.S. Gulf of Mexico shallow water surface diving fleet to a privately held company for cash of US$18.5-million and a 19.9% minority interest in the entity acquiring the assets. Cal Dive explains that the assets sold are comprised of eight surface diving vessels and miscellaneous inventory and equipment and it anticipates recording a gain during the second quarter as a result of the transaction. Net proceeds from the sale were used to repay a portion of the Cal Dive’s revolving credit facility. The Company also entered into a multi-year alliance agreement with the buyer under which the buyer will have the exclusive right to provide any surface diving services required by Cal Dive in the U.S.

Houston's Cal Dive International, Inc. has  reported a first quarter 2014 loss of $13.1 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, on revenues of $119.1 million. This compares to a loss of $17.7 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, on revenues of $80.9 million for the first quarter 2013. For the first quarter 2014, the Company reported EBITDA of positive $2.0 million compared to negative $6.5 million for the first quarter 2013. Commenting on the results, Cal Dive’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Quinn Hébert, stated, “The improvement in our first quarter results reflects our increased activity levels in Mexico. While we did experience harsher weather conditions during the month of March than anticipated…

1806  - Spring pole cable drilling developed in US. 1844  - Fluid circulating rotary well drilling patented in England. 1845  - Circulated fluid used to remove drill cuttings for first time. 1860  - Fluid circulation rotary diamond coring drill developed in France. 1869 – T homas Fitch Rowland  patents  a “submarine drilling apparatus,” a fixed, working platform for drilling offshore to a depth of almost 50 feet. The anchored tower had telescoping legs, similar to modern offshore platforms. 1878  - First bulk oil tanker begins operation in the Caspian Sea. 1891  - First ocean-going tanker launched. 1897  - Wells drilled off piers in Summerland, Calif. 1905 – Oil discovered in the Caddo Pine Island field in Lousiana. 1911  -  Gulf Refining Co.

Cal Dive International awarded an EPIC contract by Pemex Exploración y Producción; updates Q1 2013 expectations. The contract is for the engineering, procurement, installation and commissioning (EPIC) of 12 kilometers of eight-inch subsea pipeline and associated tie-ins on four existing platforms located in the Abkatun-Pol-Chuc Field in the Bay of Campeche. It is expected to generate total revenue of approximately $63 million and will utilize three of the Company’s vessels. The offshore construction is expected to commence in the third quarter 2013. The Company is also providing an update on its previously disclosed expected first quarter results.

The offshore market remains buoyant, with exploration and production driving new fleet investment, design innovation in vessel efficiency and reduced environmental impact. Operations in more challenging offshore environments are also demanding enhanced vessel maneuverability, station-keeping and overall safety, in line with tightening regulations. The sector’s opportunities and its cutting edge technology will be on show at Europort 2013, the maritime exhibition taking place at Ahoy Rotterdam November 5-8, 2013, said Raymond Silliakus, Europort Exhibition Manager.

Kongsberg Maritime has completed the installation and commissioning of an integrated bridge and automation solution during a large-scale retrofit of the Saipem 7000, an advanced Semi-submersible crane and pipelaying (J-lay) DP3 vessel. The Saipem 7000 retrofit was a ‘Full Picture’ project for Kongsberg Maritime, which featured replacement of several key systems including Automation, Thruster control, Dynamic Positioning, Ballast control and Integrated Bridge System. Kongsberg Maritime installed a significant package consisting of the latest generation of its offshore product line…