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Friede Goldman News

30 Oct 2023

F&G and OIM Wind Introduce WTIV Designed for Next-gen Offshore Wind Turbines

Credit: F&G

Naval architecture and engineering firm Friede & Goldman (F&G) and OIM Wind Ltd on Monday announced the FO-146 Wind Turbine Installation Vessel (WTIV). "The FO-146 is based on F&G’s WindSetter Class WTIVs. It combines the industry’s latest technology and innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of the global offshore wind market," F&G said.According to F&G, the FO-146 WTIV is the result of a collaboration between Friede & Goldman and OIM Wind, with the vessel set to offer "unparalleled performance…

19 Sep 2022

Friede & Goldman WTIV Design Gets DNV Approval in Principle

DNV issues an Approval in Principle to Friede and Goldman’s Windsetter 156 Class Wind Turbine Installation Vessel with Optional BargeRack Feeder Barge System design, pictured here with and without the optional system. Image courtesy of Friede and Goldman.

An innovative wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) design from Houston-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm Friede & Goldman (F&G) has earned approval in principle from classification society DNV.The review and AIP confirms that F&G's Windsetter 156 Class WTIV with optional BargeRack feeder barge system design complies with applicable DNV classification rules and statutory requirements.The WTIV design is suitable for all offshore wind markets globally and was…

02 May 2022

ABS Grants AIP for F&G-Designed COSCO Wind Turbine Installation Vessel

Image courtesy of Friede and Goldman

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has granted Approval in Principle (AIP) for a design for a wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) for China Ocean Shipping Company Limited (COSCO) by Friede and Goldman (F&G).According to ABS, the design is suitable for all offshore wind markets and is capable of installing 15 MW and larger-sized turbines. It can be equipped with F&G’s BargeRack feeder barge system to support Jones Act-compliant operations in the U.S. that has previously received an AIP from ABS.

28 Feb 2022

Steady Lifting for Offshore Wind

(Image: Friede & Goldman)

Offshore wind in the United States is moving forward at pace, thanks in large part to a number of positive developments for the newly emerging industry over the last year or so. For one, the Biden administration at the start of 2021 revealed its aim to have 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power in development by 2030 and 110 GW by 2050. Those are some big numbers, and the industry is now getting in gear to produce.It will take a large number of vessels to help build up to reach these targets, including both U.S.- and foreign-flagged tonnage.

22 Jun 2021

VIDEO: Friede & Goldman Launches Offshore Wind Feeder Concept

Credit: F&G

Friede & Goldman Ltd. (F&G), a company known for its offshore oil drilling rig designs, has announced the BargeRack, "a revolutionary solution to the feeder concept of offshore wind turbine installation.""BargeRack is tapping F&G’s unmatched 72-year history to bring a safe and simple method of installing up to 20MW wind turbines using a self-elevating vessel," F&G, a company which has seen more than 120 offshore rigs built to its designs, said in a statement sent to Offshore Engineer.According to F&G…

13 Feb 2018

Stena Drilling Signs Contract with Nexen Petroleum

Offshore driller Stena Drilling has signed a contract with Nexen Petroleum U.K. Limited for the Stena Spey drilling rig.    Stena said  in a press release that the drilling campaign will last around 110 days with a potential additional option well on the Golden Eagle field, UK Central North Sea.   The drilling campaign will commence on completion of the current well with Repsol-Sinopec.   "Stena Drilling is very pleased to be working with Nexen Petroleum U.K. Limited and this workscope presents another exciting new opportunity for the Stena Spey and the crews," said a statement.   The Stena Spey is a Friede & Goldman L907 (enhanced Pacesetter) twin pontoon, column stabilised self propelled, semi submersible offshore drilling unit.

29 May 2014

Streamlined Service for the Offshore Sector

In a business where time is money, Signal Ship Repair’s niche ‘high blocking’ repair methods have significantly reduced repair times and increased shipyard efficiencies. If Signal Ship Repair’s (SSR) primary business can generically be described simply as ship repair and conversion, then it can also be said that its practice of ‘high blocking’ to facilitate faster, and more efficient in-house Z drive repairs is its signature service. Utilizing a simple but highly effective shipyard technique, SSR has taken a routine practice originally used to facilitate naval ship drydockings, and turned it into a signature service that helps offshore clients with drop down thrusters, z-drives, pods and keel coolers get repairs done rapidly.

22 May 2014

Sembcorp Wins US$236-Million Jack-up Rig Contract

Singapore's Sembcorp Marine says that its subsidiary Jurong Shipyard has secured a US$236 million (about S$296 million) contract to build a high specification, tailor-made jack-up rig for new customer Hercules North Sea Ltd. Scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2016, the jack-up rig will be built based on the Friede & Goldman JU 2000E design which has enhanced features suitable for UK operations. The new rig is designed to operate in waters of 400 feet and drill to depths of 30,000 feet. Itwill be equipped with 2,000,000 lbs drilling capacity, 6,000 barrels mud capacity, 28,000 kips preload capacity for the legs and 150-man accommodation capacity. Upon delivery, it will be chartered out to Maersk Oil and Gas for deployment in the UK sector of the North Sea. Mr. John T.

03 Apr 2014

Seadrill Contracts Out Multiple Jack-Up Units

Seadrill vessel: Photo courtesy of the owners

Seadrill Limited informs it has secured new contracts for the jack-up units 'West Tucana', 'West Telesto', 'West Ariel', and 'West Prospero'. Additionally, the contract for the 'West Mischief' has been extended by four months. The total revenue potential for the four new contracts and one extension is approximately US$319- million. West Tucana, a Friede & Goldman JU-2000E jack-up rig, has secured a contract offshore Angola with Cabinda Gulf Oil Company Limited (CABGOC) - Chevron's wholly owned operating unit in Angola. The contract is for a firm period of 24 months.

27 Sep 2013

Bollinger Builds

Lockport, La.-based Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. is humming with work from oil and gas companies and government agencies. Family-owned and operated, Bollinger has 10 shipyards -- nine in south Louisiana and one in Texas -- along with 28 drydocks and 3,000 employees in four administrative locations. Last month, we caught up with Ben Bordelon, Bollinger’s Executive Vice President of Repair, for his outlook on the firm and the Gulf of Mexico. Bordelon is the nephew of Boysie Bollinger, who has been at the helm as CEO since 1985.

10 Dec 2012

Chinese Shipyard Notified to Halt on Rig Jack-up System

Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Offshore has been notified by Friede & Goldman Marketing BV (F&G) to temporarily suspend construction of its rig jacking systems. Arising from the recent accident during the construction of a similar rig at the Jurong Shipyard in Singapore, Prospector Offshore Drilling S.A. which has four jack-up rigs  under construction in Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Offshore Co. Ltd. (DSIC-Offshore), has been informed that DSIC-Offshore has been notified by Friede & Goldman Marketing BV (F&G) to temporarily suspend work on the rigs’ jacking systems, pending testing. F&G is the engineering firm that has designed the jack-up and which has supplied the entire jacking system through their own sub-suppliers.

19 Nov 2012

Seadrill Buys Ultra-Deepwater Rig 'Songa Eclipse'

'Songa Eclipse' & Songa Offshore COO at Launch: Photo credit Songa Offshore

A subsidiary of Seadrill to buy the ultra-deepwater semi-submersible rig 'Songa Eclipse' for a price of US$ 590-million. The rig was delivered from the Jurong Shipyard in Singapore in 2011, and is currently operating for Total offshore Angola on a fixed contract ending in December 2013. In addition Total has three one-year options to further extend the contract. Seadrill intends to take delivery of the rig during December 2012 after which it will have an immediate impact on Seadrill's cash flow and financial results.

18 Oct 2012

McDermott: Rig Repair Contracts at Altamira Facility in Mexico

McDermott International, Inc. (NYSE: MDR) said that one of its subsidiaries has been awarded contracts to refurbish and undertake rig repair work at the McDermott Altamira fabrication facility in Tamaulipas, Mexico. The two jack-up rigs are the Friede & Goldman L-780 Mod II design and will undergo significant improvement work to re-instate them to ABS classification. This will include steel hull, piping, machinery, and electrical renewal, as well as blasting, painting and commissioning support. Work is scheduled to begin in the last quarter of 2012. McDermott’s Altamira fabrication facility has an expansive 1,640-ft. quayside, water depth of 41 ft. and less than three nautical miles tow distance to the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.

27 Apr 2012

ABS Elects New Council

At the 150th Annual Meeting of the Members of ABS, three industry leaders were elected to the ABS Council. Following the Annual Meeting, the ABS Council met and elected industry leaders to both its Marine and Offshore Technical Committees. Individuals serving on the ABS Council and the Technical Committees help guide the class society in fulfilling its mission of promoting the security of life, property and the natural environment. “Classification represents the concept of self-regulation for the marine and offshore industry,” said ABS President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki.

30 Jun 2010

Five Minutes with Richard Marler, Chairman, President & CEO, Signal International

Richard Marler

In the June 2010 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News (www.marinelink.com), we had the opportunity to meet with Richard Marler, Chairman, President and CEO of Signal International, on the sidelines of OTC to discuss his company’s rapid growth and promising future. What is the primary focus of Signal International? RM     Our principal focus is offshore drilling rig and ship overhaul, repair, upgrade and conversion. Additionally, we provide services to the general marine and heavy fabrication markets and are moving into shipbuilding. When and why did you start Signal?

17 Dec 2009

Roberts Re-Elected NSRP Panel Vice Chair

Photo courtesy ShipConstructor

Patrick Roberts, Director of Operations for ShipConstructor USA, has been re-elected Vice Chairman of the Business Process Technologies Panel for the United States National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP). The upcoming year will be Roberts’ second year in the role of Vice Chairman. The NSRP Business Process Technologies Panel advises the NSRP Executive Control Board on research projects involving technology to improve procedures and practices within the shipbuilding industry.

27 May 2009

VT Halter Marine, New CEO & COO

VT Halter Marine Inc., a company of VT Systems Inc (VT Systems), announced the appointment of William (Bill) E. Skinner as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Paul J. Albert as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Skinner, who has been with the company since inception, was appointed CEO on 21 April, 2009. Prior to this appointment Skinner was VT Halter Marine’s COO (2005- 2009) and Senior Vice President of Vessel Operations (2002-2005). Skinner had held senior positions in the shipbuilding industry including President of Friede Goldman Offshore Division of Friede Goldman Halter (1997-2002)…

05 Oct 2001

FGH Advances Construction Operations

Friede Goldman Halter, Inc., announces that its offshore subsidiary has reached an agreement with Petrodrill IV Ltd. and Petrodrill V Ltd. to advance construction of two Amethyst-class deepwater semisubmersible drilling rigs. Friede Goldman will work at the customer?s direction, and operate on a cost-reimbursable basis with contractually established rates for equipment, personnel, and labor. The agreement is expected to generate greater security and additional employment opportunities for the local workforce. Preliminary estimates place work for this phase of completion at four months for the Company?s Pascagoula, Miss., offshore projects at the east facility on Greenwood Island. The West Bank facility will undergo a restoration and upgrade during the temporary closure.

27 Sep 2001

Friede Goldman Halter Announces Plan to Retain Investment Banking Firm

Friede Goldman Halter, Inc., announced that it plans to retain, subject to Bankruptcy Court approval, the services of Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin. Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin is an international investment banking firm providing a wide range of services including mergers and acquisitions, financial restructuring, private placements of debt and equity capital, business and securities valuations, financial opinions, litigation support, and merchant banking services. In the last decade Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin's financial restructuring professionals have consummated over $30 billion in transactions. FGH will draw upon the firm's diverse industry experience, extensive talent base, and resources to coordinate and execute a successful financial restructuring.

04 Jan 2008

AOPL Wins Contract

Atwood Oceanics, Inc. announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Atwood Oceanics Pacific Limited (AOPL), has been awarded a contract by Chevron Australia Pty. Ltd. to provide a newly constructed Mobile Offshore Semisubmersible Drilling Unit for a firm three year period, with an option to extend the firm period to six years. The contract provides for an operating dayrate of approximately $470,000, if the firm commitment is three years and approximately $450,000, if the option is exercised to extend the firm commitment period to six years. Both dayrates are subject to adjustment pursuant to cost escalation provisions of the contract. To provide the drilling rig required by this contract, AOPL has executed a construction contract with Jurong Shipyard Pte. Ltd.

21 Jan 2008

RSA Invests in Shipbuilding Firm

The Retirement Systems of Alabama has become the largest investor in Signal International, with a $100m purchase of shares in the shipbuilding firm that will move its headquarters from Pascagoula, Miss., to RSA's new skyscraper in Mobile. RSA bought about $100m worth of shares in the $240mcompany, the company said. Signal builds and repairs ships and offshore oil rigs. The firm employs about 3,000 people in Mobile, Pascagoula and in the Texas cities of Houston, Port Arthur and Orange. In the next six to nine months, Signal will move its headquarters from Pascagoula to the 35-story RSA Battle House Tower. The company leased 6,000 square feet of office space. RSA was approached about the purchase by Washington, D.C.-based ACON Investments.

21 May 2008

Transocean Sets Depth Record

Transocean Inc. said that the its jackup GSF Rig 127 set a world record for the longest extended-reach well ever drilled at 40,320 ft. (12,289 m) MD (measured depth) with a 35,770-ft. (10,902-m) horizontal section. The well was drilled offshore Qatar in 36 days and incident-free. The new record of 7.6 miles is also the first well in the history of offshore drilling that exceeds 40,000 ft. (12,191 m). The well surpasses by approximately 2,000 ft. the prior extended-reach record of 38,322 ft. (11,680 m) MD set by another drilling contractor with a land rig drilling at Sakhalin Island earlier this year. The rig's crewmembers, working with the client, Maersk Oil Qatar AS, overcame many constraints, including high drilling torque throughout certain parts of the horizontal section.

03 Apr 2009

ABS to Class First Jackup Building in Mexico

ABS team (left to right) Country Manager for Mexico Paul DeLaire, Project Manager Lynnda Pekel, Project Manager for Survey Gustavo Garcia, Senior Principal Surveyor Pietro Culicetta, Principal Surveyor Roy Ingram, and Surveyor Israel Miron.

A BS has been selected to class the first self elevating drilling rig built in Mexico. The rig is a Friede & Goldman JU2000 (E) design to be built by Operadora CICSA headquartered in Mexico City. The rig design is intended for all-year Central North Sea harsh-environment operation in up to 400 feet of water. According to ABS’ Country Manager for Mexico Paul DeLaire, the rig is being built in three locations: Guadalajara, Pueblo Viejo and Tuxpan. The project is under the supervision of ABS’ newly established Veracruz Engineering office.