Deepwater Operations News

Dutch company Huisman has secured a contract from Subsea 7 for the delivery of its 500MT offshore mast crane for one of pipelay vessels for deep water installations.The 500mt Offshore Mast Crane will be equipped with a passive and active heave compensation system on the main hoist to counter-act the vessel’s heave motion when landing a product onto the seabed.Huisman has upgraded its heave compensation system with a variety of new control modes to extend the operational window…

Singapore-based offshore energy services provider PACC Offshore Services Holdings (“POSH”) has agreed to buy the 119-meter long, DP-3 offshore construction vessel ‘BOA Deep C’ from Norway's BOA OCV AS. The vessel will be renamed ‘POSH Deep C’ and will join the POSH fleet in October 2022. POSH said the addition of the multipurpose Offshore Construction Vessel (“OCV”), built in 2003, was part of its strategy to increase its service offerings. The financial details were not disclosed."The OCV’s versatility will complement the existing fleet with capabilities including subsea installation works and turnkey towage and installation services for the floating offshore wind and energy sector…

HGIM Corp., the parent company to U.S.-based Harvey Gulf International Marine, LLC, announced on Thursday that the holders of over 85% of its common stock, including Gladiator Investments, LLC, an affiliate of Shane J. Guidry, Walker Ridge Capital Management, LLC, an affiliate of The Jordan Company LP, and certain affiliates of Black Diamond Capital Management, L.L.C., have entered into a securityholders agreement. In connection with the agreement, Sherman Edmiston and James Swent have resigned from the board of directors…

However readers might define “normal”, 2020 was anything but. But the business of rigid inflatable boats (RIB) has been going at full throttle.Matthew Velluto, Director of Business Development and Marketing at RIBCRAFT USA, based in Marblehead, Mass., described a business moving steadily ahead, though it’s had to weave and bob at times during 2020. “We’ve been able to stay open throughout 2020, with no disruptions on our side,” though he acknowledged hiccups further down in the company’s supply chain. He explains that the business was deemed to be “essential”.

HamiltonJet will collaborate with rigid inflatable boat manufacturer RIBCRAFT to supply 48 Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs) to the U.S. Navy.RIBCRAFT USA was recently awarded a five-year contract to deliver the RIBs custom-fitted for use in explosive ordinance disposal (EOD). The 11-meter vessels will be equipped with twin HJ292 waterjets, blue Arrow control systems and JETanchor technology from HamiltonJet. The contract also requires extensive spare parts and training to be delivered by HamiltonJet.A critical component of the Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures Company…

Shane Guidry, CEO of Harvey Gulf International Marine, has announced he has purchased Harvey’s 30 percent ownership in Quality Liquefied Natural Gas Transport (QLNG). The CEO previously owned 70 percent of QLNG with Harvey and now controls 100 percent.In connection with the announcement, Mr. Guidry commented: “QLNG didn’t quite fit into Harvey’s core business and future. At Harvey, we are focused on growing globally, which we’ve done over the last 12 months. Today, we have vessels working in Mexico, Trinidad, Peru, Guyana, Suriname, USA and Nigeria.

The US should define the Gulf of Mexico Shallow Water Province as a distinct entity to avoid stranding more than $20 billion of its oil and gas resource, said a new research.According to a research from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) the GOM Shallow Water Province, comprised of water less than 200 meters deep, is a historically energy-rich area which now produces natural gas, accounting for 33% of the gulf’s gas production and just over 10% of its oil production.Production and infrastructure investment used to be substantially higher in the Shallow Water Province…

Nowegian shipbuilder Kleven has delivered the fifth vessel in a series of six anchor handlers for Maersk Supply Service A/S.Built for deepwater operations, Mærsk Mobiliser of the so-called Starfish series is equipped with a range of innovative features, the builder said. The vessel is of Salt 200 design and has an open deck space of more than 800m2, with an additional covered deck space of 102m2. It is equipped with a 450-metric-ton anchor handling winch housed in an enclosed garage to protect the crew and the equipment in harsh conditions.

ABS has announced it has issued the managed pressure drilling notation ABS MPD to Seadrill for the ABS-classed West Capricorn, a 6th generation ultra-deep water semi-submersible operating in the Gulf of Mexico.This notation demonstrates system compliance with the ABS Guide for Classification and Certification of Managed Pressure Drilling Systems (MPD Guide).Seadrill’s West Capricorn is the first Column Stabilized Drilling Unit to receive the ABS MPD notation complete with the Maltese Cross, which denotes survey attendance throughout the process, from vendor fabrication to on-board installation.“As the industry drills in more complex…

Shell Offshore Inc. today marked the delivery of the third liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered offshore supply vessel (OSV) in Port Fourchon, La. The new vessel, Harvey Liberty, chartered from specialist company Harvey Gulf International Marine, will join sister ships, Harvey Energy and Harvey Power, and support Shell’s deepwater operations in the Gulf of Mexico. “This is an important milestone for Shell and Harvey Gulf,” said Tahir Faruqui, Shell’s General Manager LNG North America.

Norwegian oil major Statoil said on Tuesday it will pull out of Alaska's Chukchi Sea, just weeks after Royal Dutch Shell abandoned the treacherous waters there after spending billions on oil exploration work. The latest pullback comes as oil companies slash spending on expensive offshore projects during the worst price crash in six years. Businesses, politicians and environmental groups have squared off over drilling in the Arctic, which is widely believed to have large undiscovered oil resources. Statoil said it will exit 16 leases it operates and its stake in 50 leases operated by ConocoPhillips. "Since 2008, we have worked to progress our options in Alaska.

Offshore installation services provider Sea Trucks Group announced it has been awarded a charter contract for its accommodation construction vessel Jascon 31 to operate in the Gulf of Mexico, marking the groups return to the region. The contract will see Sea Trucks provide accommodation support services, lifting operations and installation work to Permaducto S.A. de C.V. for works on the KMZ68/69 project from Pemex for a period of 95 days, plus options. Jascon 31, a DP3 accommodation construction vessel for both shallow and deepwater operations…

Geophysical survey vessel Fugro Americas completed data collection for a geochemical coring campaign in the Caribbean on June 11, 2015, marking the maiden voyage of Fugro’s newbuild vessel. Mobilization for the campaign immediately followed the vessel’s departure from the construction shipyard in Louisiana in April. Her stable design and crew enabled efficient and intelligent data collection to enhance survey results beyond expectations, Fugro said. The integrated project comprised 141 piston cores and seven heat flow measurements that yielded more than 1…

On June 11th, 2015, Fugro’s premier geophysical survey vessel, the Fugro Americas, successfully completed data collection for a geochemical coring campaign in the Caribbean. The project marks the maiden voyage of the new-build vessel. Mobilisation for the campaign immediately followed the vessel’s departure from the construction shipyard in Louisiana in April. Her stable design and experienced, dedicated crew enabled efficient and intelligent data collection to enhance survey results beyond expectations. The integrated project comprised 141 piston cores and 7 heat flow measurements that yielded over 1,500 biological and geochemical samples. In an article discussing the campaign, Caribbean Port Agencies, Inc.

Though the market for Offshore Support Vessels (OSVs) is soft, advances in technology, fit and finish in  the sector is unrivaled in any other maritime niche over the past five years. Here’s a look at some of the more notable designs and deliveries. Few vessels have inspired as much attention or coverage as the Harvey Energy, the first OSV of its kind in North America, able to run on both Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and diesel. Harvey Energy, chartered to Shell for its deepwater operations in the Gulf of Mexico and owned by Harvey Gulf International marine…

On 17 January 1955, Commander Eugene P. Underway on LNG has an opportunity to signal an equally significant change in the merchant marine. On February 6, 2015, the newly built Harvey Gulf International Marine offshore supply vessel (OSV) Harvey Energy was bunkered for the first time by liquefied natural gas (LNG) delivered by tank truck in Pascagoula, Miss. After receiving classification from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and a Certificate of Inspection from the US Coast Guard, Harvey Energy got underway for its homeport of Port Fourchon, Louisiana.

A special Offshore Supply Vessel (OSV) has been delivered to Shell for its deepwater operations in the Gulf of Mexico. The vessel, Harvey Energy, is chartered from Harvey Gulf International Marine and is the first of its kind in the region to run on both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and diesel. Built by the Gulf Coast Shipyard in Mississippi to meet requirements of the ABS “ENVIRO+, Green Passport” notation, the vessel is 302 feet long and operates on three dual-fuel Wärtsilä engines. It will run on 99% LNG fuel and will be able to operate for around seven days before refueling.

Offshore construction vessel order is the first to include ABB’s integrated power and automation solution consisting of ABB’s advanced power, propulsion and 800xA control and safety system. ABB will deliver a cutting-edge solution which includes electrical propulsion, power, safety and automation systems. These systems will be integrated and run on a single control system platform for a 5000T heavy-lift pipelay construction vessel. By integrating power and automation on the vessel, overall efficiency, safety and reliability will be increased.

Norway’s Kleven has enjoyed a strong Q3 with significant orders from Maersk and De Beers, bringing its  order book to 18 vessels valued at $1.8 billion. De Beers Marine Namibia, part of De Beers Group, signed a deal with Kleven to build a specialized vessel for deep water mineral exploration. While the MT 6022 design from Marin Teknikk is well proven in the offshore construction segment, this will be a first of its kind vessel and will include a wide range of tailor made equipment and features.

China Oilfield Services Limited saw successful delivery of the deepwater semi-submersible drilling rig COSLProspector it invested in and commissioned to build in Yantai, Shandong today. This rig has adopted the latest marine engineering design concepts in the world and has mets the world’s most stringent regulations and requirements. It can perform operations in hectic environments. COSLProspector has adopted the world’s most advanced energy management and environment-friendly design concepts and is equipped with numerous advanced technologies including DP3 closed loop, smart inverters, escape slipways and automatic defrosting, etc.

Technip announces an investment over four years to modernize its flexible pipe manufacturing plant, Flexi France, in Le Trait, France. Further strengthening Technip’s expertise and industrial capabilities at the site will reinforce its global position in the production of flexible pipes, for the development of offshore oil and gas fields. This modernization plan focuses on the installation of new-generation machines and site optimization to fit 12 meter diameter reels, on which flexible pipes are spooled. Increasing the reel capacity from 9.6 to 12 meters in diameter will provide room for twice as much flexible pipes on each reel. Technip's investment will also create a new area dedicated to the testing of the world’s most sophisticated flexible pipes.

Kleven Maritime A/S has been contracted by Maersk Supply Service to build six anchor handling tug supply vessels, with options for four additional newbuilds. The vessels, all of Salt Ship Design’s SALT 200 AHTS design, will be built at Kleven's two shipyards in Norway, Kleven Verft and Myklebust Verft for deepwater operations for potential customers including international oil companies and construction companies worldwide. The first six vessels are to be delivered between the fourth quarter of 2016 and the third quarter of 2017, the builder said.

Harvey Gulf International Marine, LLC specializes in towing drilling rigs and providing Offshore Supply and Multi-Purpose Support Vessels for deepwater water operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Until the late 1990’s, Harvey Gulf maintained and operated a fleet of both offshore, and inland towing vessels that towed, among other things, jack-up and semi-submersible drilling rigs, bulk cargo barges, and large structures and facilities laden on barges. Harvey Gulf also regularly towed liquefied natural gas (propane) filled barges from Louisiana to ports in the Caribbean, U.S.