China yards busy
It’s no secret that yard activity has been phenomenal over the last two years. The newbuild backlog stretches years into the future, and the constricted rig market points toward increasing yard activity.
The well-kept secret, according to an American Bureau of Shipping report, is that Chinese yards are seeing unprecedented growth in activity in offshore construction.
ABS China Country Manager Wing Kee Ho says the demand for deepwater ships and rigs has spurred the Chinese government to embark upon a series of yard expansions.
The China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) has expanded with yards in Penglai and Qingdao, with the Qingdao yard outfitted to build FPSOs, TLPs, spars, and other deepwater drilling facilities. At 269 acres, the yard doubles the production capacity for CNOOC, according to ABS.
Cosco Shipyard is selecting a location in southern China to build a new yard, and Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC) began adding a 300,000 dwt drydock last year. Dalian has a joint venture, Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Offshore Engineering Co., that specializes in jackup construction.
China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC), which traditionally has been an onshore operator, is looking at a new yard for building offshore facilities in the Bohai Bay area.
Ho says other major yards such as Shanghai Waigaoqiao, Yantai Raffles, and Chiwan Sembawang are building offshore rigs as well.
This spike in activity has been a good opportunity for ABS to work with yards in the construction of offshore newbuilds. According to an ABS Energy Development Department, Houston, report in mid 4Q 2006, current highlights include three semisubmersibles on order at Yantai Raffles, one drillship order pending at a major China yard, and six jackups on order at Dalian
In early December, the jackup number jumped up with an announcement by Yantai Raffles that it would build a new rig for Abu Dhabi-based Uni-Arab Holdings at its Shandong, China, yard.
The jackup will be built to a new Friede & Goldman Super M2 jackup design and will be able to operate in 91 m (300 ft) water depth and to drill to 6,096 m (20,000 ft). The design provides accommodation for 110.
Yantai expects to start rig construction in 1Q 2007, with delivery scheduled for early 2009.
At the end of 2006, Yantai said it had five submersible rigs, one semisubmersible decommissioning rig, and one drilling production semisubmersible under contract.
Aker builds supply vessel
Aker Yards has signed a contract with Island Offshore in Ulsteinvik, Norway, to deliver a UT 776 CD platform supply vessel at a cost of $48.9 million.
The vessel, built to a Rolls Royce Marine design, is 93 m (305 ft) long and 20 m (66 ft) wide. The hull will be built in Romania and outfitted at Aker Yards, Brevik.
This is the 23rd contract between ship owner Island Offshore and Aker Yards.
Vessel delivery is scheduled for July 2009.
BP Atlantis on station
ABS provided classification and certification services for BP’sAtlantis semisubmersible, which will produce the deepwater Atlantis field, 201 km (125 mi) south of New Orleans in the southern Green Canyon.
The unit is now moored on location and is being readied for its production start date in 2007.
Offshore ASA completes upgrades
Offshore ASA is preparing to put its semis to work. TheSonga Venus is under wet tow to its first assignment offshore Western Australia, following client acceptance in Singapore in late October. And the Songa Mercur, which is undergoing an upgrade in Singapore, is scheduled to leave the yard in mid-January.
The company’sSonga Saturn drillship underwent an upgrade in Tuzla, Turkey, and is expected to begin working in 1Q 2007.
Pride acquires deepwater semis
Pride International Inc. has acquired interest in thePride Rio de Janeiro and Pride Portland deepwater semisubmersibles from its joint venture partners.
The transaction increases the company’s interest in these two units from 30% to 100%.
Constructed in 2004, thePride Rio de Janeiro and the Pride Portland are both dynamically positioned and can operate in water depths to 1,707 m (5,600 ft).
Both units are working offshore Brazil under contracts that expire in 2010.
Agbami FPSO leaves drydock
TheAgbami FPSO has left the newbuilding drydock at South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) Shipyard for topside installation and testing.
TheAgbami FPSO is towed out of the DSME newbuilding drydock in South Korea.
When completed, the FPSO will work on ChevronTexaco’s Agbami field offshore Nigeria, with first oil targeted in early 2008 at a production rate of 250,000 b/d.
Judy Maksoud, Houston
