The first assignment for the newly delivered specialist deep-water offshore construction vessel Boa DeepC has been template installation for Statoil in the Barents Sea. It is being chartered by Aker Marine Contractors from Trondheim-based shipowner Boa Offshore on a project by project basis. ROV services are being provided by Oceaneering under a co-operation agreement with Boa.
Curious to see how the vessel performs
Torkil Jacobsen – Vice President of Marine Operations for Aker Marine Contractors explains: “Building on our extensive experience from installation of the big Gravity Base Structures (GBS) platforms, it was a natural move for us to engage in subsea installation contracting” The $100 million plus investment in the new dynamically positioned vessel is to meet the sub sea market demand in the North Sea and the deep-water needs of the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil and West Africa. The Boa DeepC already has a work load in the North Sea and West Africa and is currently being bid for work in 8,202 feet (2,500 m) water depth in the Gulf of Mexico. Jacobsen adds, however, that there is still an element of wait and see. “Customers are curious to see how the vessel performs.”
Jacobsen says that the vessel has performed flawlessly so far, meeting both Aker Marine Contractors and Statoil’s expectations. Statoil’s Snøhvit installation program, which began mid May, included four templates, one central distribution unit and one pipeline end manifold. Each structure consisted of a foundation / protection structure weighing around 200 ton apiece and an 80 ton manifold. The structures have been installed in 820 – 984 feet (320 - 350 meter) water depth in the Snøhvit and Albatross fields, 87 nauticalmiles off Hammerfest in northern Norway. This is the first Norwegian offshore installation in the Barents Sea.
Boa DeepC is then due to go to Statoil’s Kristin field for pre-installation of the suction piles and the complete 16-leg mooring system and the installation of a 185 ton template. Tow-out and installation of the Kristin platform will be performed by Aker Marine Contractors spring 2005 using vessels from Maersk Supply Services, with whom Aker Marine Contractors also has a frame agreement.
Beginning of 2005 Boa DeepC mobilizes to West Africa for floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) contractor MODEC International. The contract is for the installation of the mooring system and connection of the FPSO in a water depth of 3,280 feet (1,000 m) for Canadian Natural Resources’ deep-water Baobab project off Ivory Coast, West Africa. The scope of work includes operations planning, transport of the mooring system from Aker Marine Contractor’s base at Stavanger to the Baobab field, pre-installation of the anchors and the bottom chain. Upon delivery of the FPSO at site, connection of a polyester segment in each line will be completed during hook-up of the FPSO.
The hull for the Boa DeepC was constructed at the Jing Ling shipyard in China then brought to Spain a little over a year ago, where it was outfitted in Vigo at the Factorias Vulcano yard. It was christened in late April 2004, by Siv Irene Skadsen, project manager for Statoil’s Snøhvit project at a ceremony in Stavanger harbor attended by approximately 250 guests. The bare hull for a second vessel, known as Boa DeepC II, is being completed at Jing Ling.
Boa DeepC about to receive template from Aker Marine Contractors' crane barge, Conlift.
Boa DeepC has a 250 ton crane, capable of working down to 6,561 feet (2,000 m). The 9,000 dwt vessel is 394 feet (120 m) long with a free deck space of 12,378 square feet (1,150 square metres). Total thruster capacity is 6,900 kW. It is equipped with a 23.6 x 23.6 feet (7.2 x 7.2 m) monopoly and two Oceaneering Hydra Millennium design work class remotely operated vehicles, rated to 9.843 feet (3,000 m). The permanent marine crew complement is 15, but it has beds for up to 100. Facilities include offices for clients, hospital facilities, a sauna and gymnasium.
The new vessel’s offshore construction capabilities include subsea structures and systems, risers, tie-ins, flowlines and umbilicals. Jacobsen says it is one of only a handful of vessels worldwide with such deep-water capability. “We hope that is a good niche market for us.” He adds that it has been specifically designed for harsh water environments to give longer weather windows. “We haven’t seen those harsh environments yet, but we have good expectations. We hope to be able to extend the North Sea season and work in locations such as the west of Shetlands.”
Aker Marine Contractors, comments: “Building from the strength of our extensive GBS experience, it was a natural move for Aker Marine Contractors to engage in deep-water installation contracting. To be successful you need a special construction vessel, so that’s why we started this co-operation with Boa.”
Ole T. Bjørnevik, enthusiastic entrepreneur and owner of Boa Offshore, is also very pleased, ”The decision to embark on construction of this new generation vessel without firm long-term employment was admittedly a bold one, so I am very pleased with the way the vessel and its crew has performed, and with the close and constructive co-operation with AMC’s experienced personnel.
Printable version