Gallery: Heerema Completes Hod B Installation

A day after the Norwegian company Aker BP on Tuesday said it had installed the HOD B platform topsides in the North Sea, off Norway, Dutch contractor Heerema Marine Contractors shared photos of the installation process.

Heerema was responsible for the transportation and installation of the Hod B platform. The installation done was over two phases, with Sleipnir, Heerema's giant semi-submersible crane vessel, first installing the jacket in July and returning later to complete the topside.

Heerema transported both structures on Heerema's barge H-541 over two trips from the Aker Solutions yard in Verdal, Norway.

 During the project's first phase, Sleipnir installed the 3,400 metric ton jacket using an optimized lifting method. 

"This action meant that the required lift points could be optimized, saving on fabrication costs. After that, Sleipnir returned to the field and installed the 2,100 metric ton topside using hydraulic ILTs. This installation method is safer and reduces time both on and offshore for rigging installation," Heerema explained. During the Hod B installation, the Sleipnir ran on LNG, reducing carbon emissions.

The Hod B platform is a normally unmanned installation wellhead platform in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. It is part of the Valhall complex developments and will be remotely controlled from the Valhall field center, with low CO2 emissions due to power from shore. 

In addition to the Hod B installation, Heerema performed a crane exchange on a platform within the Valhall complex. 

"This additional job was completed safely and within the required time constraints to minimize the impact on production. The safe and successful installation completes around a year of a close partnership between our client Aker BP and their fabricator the Fixed Facilities Alliance with Aker Solutions, ABB and Aker BP," Heerema said.

CEO of Heerema, Koos-Jan van Brouwershaven, said: "The Hod B project is particularly special as the work was won and engineered while everyone was working from home due to the Covid-19 regulations. The team had to find creative ways to ensure this successful installation could be achieved, and we are proud of getting the work done despite these challenges.' 

Aker BP said Tuesday that several subsea campaigns would be conducted in the Hod project leading up to production start in 2022, such as installation and connection of the gas lift pipelines, production flowlines, and umbilicals. Modification work is underway at the Valhall field center, and the Maersk Invincible drilling rig will be arriving this autumn to drill production wells.

"Hod B is expected to contribute 40 million barrels of oil equivalent and will be important for Valhall to reach the ambition of a total of two billion produced barrels from the area. Production is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2022," Aker BP said.