HongHua Group Signs Agreement for GE Waukesha Gas Engines
With China seeking to boost its production of unconventional gas supplies to meet Asia's growing energy needs, GE Power & Water's Distributed Power business (NYSE: GE) and China's leading drill rig manufacturer HongHua Group (HK 196) today signed a three-year agreement for GE to supply its Waukesha VHP gas engines that will power drill rigs used in new shale gas projects in China. The announcement was made at the Offshore Technology Conference being held in Houston. In recent years, GE's gas engine factory in Waukesha, Wisconsin, has seen orders steadily increase as more countries seek to develop their domestic natural gas resources to increase their local energy independence.
Palfinger Delivers Two Offshore Cranes
Archer, the global oilfield service provider, has secured a contract with Statoil for the permanent plugging and abandonment of 12 gas wells on the Heimdal field in the Norwegian North Sea. Archer has selected the German rig manufacturer MAX STREICHER GmbH & Co. KG aA for its VDD 400.2 -TOPAZ modular drilling rig to decommission and seal existing bore holes. The VDD 400.2 has been developed in accordance with the NORSOK Norwegian safety standards. The whole rig consists of modules that do not exceed 12 metric tons and is cost effective due to quick erection and dismantling of the rig using the drilling platform’s own cranes. PALFINGER MARINE will support this innovative drilling solution with two offshore cranes: the PK 23500 M knuckle boom crane and the PKM 700 T pipe handling crane.
