Gene Kliewer • Houston
$100-million FDPSO conversion awarded
Keppel Shipyard has been awarded a $100-millon contract by Prosafe Production to convert a tanker into an FDPSO. This will be the world’s first converted FDPSO, according to Keppel.
Keppel Shipyard will convert a VLCC-size tanker into an FDPSO built with a moonpool and derrick for drilling. The drilling modules and derrick will be integrated into the converted vessel, which will have capacity to store 1.3 MMbbl of oil and process 18 MMcf/d of gas and 40,000 b/d of oil.
Conversion is expected to be completed by late 2008.
“We are excited at the prospect of building the world’s first FDPSO for our long-time customer Prosafe,” says Nelson Yeo, executive director of Keppel Shipyard. “The FDPSO concept represents a cost-efficient solution for drilling and producing in deepwater fields.”
Murphy West Africa Ltd. had contracted Prosafe to convert an FPSO to a floating drilling, production, storage, and offloading unit (FDPSO) and to operate on the deepwater Azurite development in the Mer Profonde Sud block offshore the Republic of the Congo.
The contract will begin in 1Q 2009 and has a firm period of seven years followed by four 2-year options with an estimated contract value of $400 million.
Prosafe says that the FDPSO technology is a cost-efficient solution for drilling and producing deepwater fields and will be the first time an FPSO is developed to include a mobile drilling rig.
The company will use the VLCCMT Europe and after conversion the vessel will have a storage capacity of 1.4 MMbbl of oil and a process capacity of 60,000 b/d of total fluids which includes 40,000 b/d of oil. The vessel will be spread-moored at a water depth of 1,400 m (4,593 ft).
Geophysical vessel developments
Fugro has contracted BMV (Bergen Yards) in Norway to build a seismic vessel and an ROV/offshore construction support vessel.
The seismic vessel will be 108 m (354 ft) long, 28 m (92 ft) in breadth, and have 16 tow points. Delivery is scheduled for August 2010.
The second is a DP-2 ROV/construction support vessel 111 m (361 ft) by 24 m (79 ft) for delivery in December 2010.
The contract also includes an option for a third vessel for delivery in 2011. The vessels are of the same design as the recently launchedGeo Celtic seismic vessel. The two vessels under construction for Fugro at the Bergen Yards are the Fugro Saltire for ROV support and the Geo Caribbean seismic vessel.
Eastern Echo Holding Plc has signed the shipbuilding contracts with Dubai Drydocks and the design and equipment contracts with Ulstein Design AS, for two seismic vessels, each capable of towing up to 12 streamers. The shipbuilding contracts conclude and replace the original letter of intent (LOI) announced on the Sept. 20, 2007.
The Ulstein SX 124 (X-Bow) design is being used by Eastern Echo for newbuild seismic vessels under construction in Dubai.
The two seismic vessels are both of the same innovative Ulstein SX 124 (X-Bow) design as the previously announced shipbuilding contracts in Spain for four newbuilds. All six vessels will set a new environmental standard for marine seismic vessels operations and will operate worldwide in the premium 3D/4D seismic market.
Deepwater development ship possible
Saipem plans to build a $547-million deepwater field development ship,Saipem FDS 2. The construction order will be placed with a shipyard in 2Q 2008, after completion of the engineering phase. Fabrication will last 36 months.
The new ship will have a maximum length of 175 m (574 ft), molded breadth of 32 m (105 ft), and molded depth of 14.5 m (48 ft). It will be equipped with a DP-3 system, maximum transit speed of 13 knots, and accommodation for 280 people.
The vessel also will be fitted with a vertical J-lay tower with a maximum capacity of 1,500 metric tons (1,653 tons) designed for installation of up to 36-in. (91-cm) diameter pipe in up to 3,000 m (9,843 ft) water depth.
Drillship chartered: Saipem also has a contract from Total for the charter of the deepwater drillship Saipem 12000 for five years plus a two-year option. The vessel is under construction by Samsung in Korea with delivery set at 1Q 2010. Upon completion, the drillship is scheduled for work offshore Angola in Pazflor field development.
Rigdon takes delivery
Lockport, Louisiana-based Bollinger Shipyards has delivered the PSVGrand Slam to Rigdon Marine, the fourth in the series of ten 4000-class PSVs on order.
TheGrand Slam is a 190-ft (58-m) x 46-ft (14-m) x 18-ft (5-m), diesel electric, DP-2 PSV, which features a capacity of 4,000 bbl of liquid mud in an oval, self-cleaning segregated tank system. The vessel also has three x Z-Drives and two extra-large forward tunnel thrusters.
The six remaining Rigdon 4000-class PSVs will be delivered in approximate 45-day intervals through 3Q 2008.
Anadarko contracts Discoverer Spirit
Anadarko has awarded Transocean a $569-million contract for use of the drillshipDiscoverer Spirit for three years in the Gulf of Mexico.
The three-year contract is expected to begin in December 2010, following the completion of the rig’s existing contract commitments in the region.
The vessel is a double hulled, DP drillship (Astano FPSO design), capable of operating in moderate environments and water depths up to 3,049 m (10,000 ft) using a 18 ¾-in. (47.6-cm) 15,000-psi BOP and a 21-in. (53-cm) OD marine riser.
Second Bully rig scheduled
Shell EP Wells Equipment Services BV and Frontier Drillships Ltd. have committed to contract a second deepwater/arctic drillship of the Bully class. Rig delivery is expected in 2010.
The Bully rig is a smaller vessel suited for deepwater or arctic drilling capable of 10,000 ft of water with a subsea tree and 12,000 ft with a surface blowout preventer. It also has an ice class hull.
Solstad orders dive/construction vessel
Solstad Offshore has contracted Bergen Group for a newbuild diving/offshore construction vessel for delivery in September 2010.
Skipsteknisk in Aalesund designed the 120 m long (394 ft), 23 m (75.5 ft) beam ST 256 L CD vessel. Features will include a 200 ton (181 metric ton) offshore crane, a diesel electric propulsion system, a DP-3 dynamic positioning system, a 24-man diving system, and ROV handling capability.
A yard in Poland will build the hull, followed by outfitting at Bergen Group’s facility in Bergen. The contract value is around $134 million.
