Judy Maksoud • Houston
Newbuild, upgrade for Keppel
SMIT Transport & Heavy Lift BV recently exercised its option to build an offshore support vessel with Keppel Singmarine Pte. Ltd.
The option is part of the March 2004 contract in which Keppel Singmarine was selected to build two 70-tonne-bollard-pull anchor-handling tug/supply (AHTS) vessels for SMIT.
The new vessel, like the first two vessels in the contract, is based on Keppel's proprietary ship designs and will be built in accordance with SMIT's requirements.
Delivery is expected in mid 2006.
Meanwhile, Keppel FELS has secured a nine-month project to upgrade and convert the jackup Ensco 67 from a slot rig to a cantilever rig.
Rigdon Marine christens M/V Bourbon
In mid July, Rigdon Marine delivered the second vessel in its 10-vessel contract to Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co. Inc. in Mobile, Alabama.
The M/V Bourbon, like its sister vessel, the M/V Orleans, is a 210 ft x 54 ft x 19 ft, DP-2, diesel-electric platform supply vessel (PSV) designed for top speeds of 13 knots fully loaded and 15 knots in light conditions.
The M/V Bourbon is fully classed by the American Bureau of Shipping for international operation.
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"Yesterday's logic for offshore vessel design has been turned on its head," says Larry Rigdon. "Today, operations are often long distances offshore and far from dockside support facilities. The design improvements incorporated in the GPA 640 PSVs include increased payloads and speed with reduced fuel consumption. These improvements ultimately equate to reduced costs for our customers."
Guido Perla and Associates designed its GPA 640 vessels with two stern-mounted Steerprop SP 20 azimuthing Z-drive units driven by two Alconza 2,100-hp variable-frequency AC electric motors that provide the main propulsion. Further enhancements to the diesel electric drives are the dynamic positioning system and a vessel management system that provides total system redundancy. If a vessel system fails, it can be bypassed without loss of control during cargo operations or while maintaining position at an offshore facility.
The cargo capacity of these vessels has also been increased, and the diesel electric system provides a significant fuel savings, Rigdon Marine says.
The GPA 640 vessels carry 7,133 cu ft of bulk material and 5,150 bbl of liquid mud in self-cleaning oval tanks. Two Mission Magnum pumps deliver mud to a height of 196 ft above water, and two 80-psi air compressors can deliver 50 metric tons of dry cement or barite per hour to the same height.
The US Coast Guard issued the M/V Bourbon a Certificate of Documentation for trade in the US and is fully classed by the American Bureau of Shipping for international operations.
The M/V Bourbon was deployed immediately after its christening to work in the Gulf of Mexico.
Kristin hull arrives in Norway
The hull for Statoil's Kristin platform arrived at the Aker Stord yard south of Bergen, Norway, in early 3Q 2004.
Built at the Samsung Heavy Industries yard in South Korea, the hull measures 82 m x 82 m and stands 41 m high. Aker Kværner and GVA designed the 14,450-metric-ton hull.
Dockwise's Mighty Servant I moved the structure from the fabrication yard.
Work at Stord will include topside module installation, including the process and utility units also built by this yard.
The floater is due to be towed to the Kristin field on the Halten Bank next spring.
Production is scheduled to begin in October 2005.
Blue Marlin moves PDQ to Texas
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Dockwise's Blue Marlin is transporting the Thunder Horse production drilling quarters (PDQ) 16,900 mi from South Korea to Texas. According to Dockwise, the Blue Marlin is now the largest dry tow vessel in the world (with a recent width expansion to 63 m) and is carrying the largest PDQ in the world, weighing in at 61,000 metric tons. The PDQ is expected to be in Ingleside in early October for installation of three production modules and systems.
