Mideast demand growing for well servicing vessels

Side view of Trident Bibby One, currently under construction in Ajman.

Over recent years, the influx of western oil companies into the Middle East has inspired colossal gasfield developments, particularly off the Emirates and Qatar, and re-development in some of the older fields in the region. Natural gas reports offer an additional source of revenue for most Mideast nations and most are keen to move into production or boosting production for revenue enhancement. For most Mideast countries, oil production has plateaued.

One interesting aspect of the push for gas development is the expansion in the number of well workover and servicing vessels in the Persian/Arabian Gulf. A complete count of servicing vessels is not available, but most are reporting a growing demand for well servicing vessels with wider capabilities than in the past and ability to remain on location for extended periods. One example of this expansion is Bibby Line, a Liverpool contractor, which is adding to its fleet of jackup servicing vessels.

The new generation

Four new-generation units, designed by Searex of Covington, Louisiana, are being built for Bibby. The four are under construction in Ajman by shipbuilder Arab Heavy Industries. Singapore's Keppel Group is overseeing the project. Bibby has been operating in the Mideast only five years, beginning initially with the Bibby Marinia jackup support vessel. a second vessel, DMS Venture, was added following a partnership with Doha Marine Services. Both vessels are currently on long-term fixed contracts locally, crewed by a mix of Qataris and UK ex-pats.

"The supply (of vessels) in the region is heading to the point where it will be outstripped by demand," points out claims Bibby Line managing director Michael Bibby. The company opened technical support offices this past January in Dubai and Doha, Qatar, the latter in association with DMS. Trident Bibby One, the first of the newbuild vessels, should be delivered early in 1999. All four are being specified by Searex to comply with international safety rules, with Pacific Rim and Western Australian operators also viewed as potential takers.

Drilling support

In the Middle East, targeted projects for the newbuilds include heavy lift and hookup, well workovers using wireline, coiled tubing and snubbing services and diving support. These are examples of the work in demand. Bibby says many of the workover tasks are managed by specialist drilling support companies, leaving it to concentrate on crewing and operating the vessels.

The Trident series is an example of the new servicing vessel that is finding wide functionality at the well and field site. The vessels are self-propelled and self-elevating, moving between offshore well sites at speeds up to 5 knots, with jacking speeds of up to 5 ft/min. The maximum working mode is 180-ft water depth, assuming a 30-ft air gap and lift penetration. Once in place, the vessels can sustain forces from waves up to 18 ft high, wind speeds up to 40 kts and currents of 1 kt. In jacking mode, the corresponding figures are 11 ft, 20 kts and 1 kt. The hull's main dimensions are a length of 165 ft, 140 ft breadth, 15 ft depth and 12 ft draft. The working deck area is 13,600 sq ft, with two gangways of 50 ft by 6 ft. There are berths for 60 people in 19 cabins, but with provision to accommodate more through class-approved, deck-mounted modules.

Lift capability

One of the key equipment items is the Searex Omnilift crane encircling the starboard forward leg, which provides 360 degree radius and 210-ton lift capacity at a 45-ft working radius. In addition, there are two 70-ton general service, pedestal-mounted hydraulic cranes.

Positioning is governed by an SJS O1 Simrad joystick control system, interfacing with two 2,000 HP main propulsion units, two fixed pitch propellers with single plate rudders, and electrically-driven Holland Roerpropeller bow and stern thrusters (340kW). In general working mode, 3.2MW, 60V AC power is available via three Caterpillar 3512 DITA generating sets.

Other equipment onboard includes compressed air and welding facilities, sewage treatment and two reverse osmosis-type fresh water makers, each handling up to 20 cu meters/day.

With the western oil companies allegedly driving improved safety standards in Mideast operations, the vessels will be classed with DNV and Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit certification. Their maneuverability should render even short-term wellhead maintenance assignments profitable, Bibby claims.

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