Dutch Offshore Contractors Active Wordewide

Just as in previous years, once again in 2017, the worldwide-operating Dutch offshore contractors upheld their excellent reputation. Whether for the laying of pipelines or the installation of jackets and topsides on platforms, special systems are increasingly being deployed combined with new innovative solutions. Below is a summary of the most important activities.

As was the case when carrying out platform dismantling work Allseas attracted huge attention with its singlelift installation/decommissioning and pipelaying vessel Pioneering Spirit for her pipelaying activities. The Pioneering Spirit was set to work as a pipelayer for the first time last year in the Black Sea, as part of Gazprom’s TurkStream project. In the framework of this project, two gas export pipelines, each measuring 930 kilometres long, have to be laid between Anapa in Russia and Kikoy in Turkey. These 32 inch-diameter pipelines will each have a transport capacity of 15,75 billion m 3 of gas a year. As well as the Pioneering Spirit, Allseas also deployed their pipelaying vessel

Audacia on this project, which was launched on 7 May 2017. The maximum water depth on location is 2,200 metres. The Pioneering Spirit is responsible for laying the sections of pipeline in deep water, while the Audacia will lay the shallow water sections.

In April 2017 Allseas signed a contract with Nord Stream 2 AG for the laying of gas export pipelines in the Baltic, as part of the Nord Stream 2 project. This project, to be undertaken in 2018 and 2019, will involve the laying of two gas pipelines, each with a length of 1,200 kilometres, between Russia and Northern Germany. On this project, Allseas will be deploying the Pioneering

Spirit, the Audacia and the Solitaire. Based on the successful deployment of the Pioneering Spirit, Allseas is already preparing to launch an even larger version of the vessel. The new vessel will be named the Amazing Grace and will have a lifting capacity of 72,000 tonnes.

Crane vessels The crane vessels operated by Heerema Marine Contractors also received much publicity in 2017. In the British sector of the North Sea, for example, the semisubmersible crane vessel Thialf was deployed for the installation of the two jackets for the Maersk Oil Culzean project. The topsides for these two platforms are due to be installed in 2018. Later in the year, Thialf will be installing four jackets in the Norwegian section of the North Sea, as part of Statoil’s Johan Sverdrup project. For its part, the Balder saw service in 2017 off the coast of Angola, as part of Total’s Kaombo Deepwater project.

In her last year of active service the Hermod carried out installation work for both the wind energy sector and the offshore oil and gas sector. In the offshore oil and gas sector the Hermod saw action in the Norwegian section of the North Sea, installing a jacket and topsides in the framework of the Oseberg Vestflanken 2 project. The work involved an unmanned wellhead platform, fabricated by the Heerema Fabrication Group. Shortly after completing this project HMC sold its semi-submersible crane vessel for scrap, after forty years of loyal service.

HMC’s successful crane vessel Aegir saw service in 2017 in the Gulf of Mexico for the installation of the Stampede TLP operated by Hess, in the Green Canyon Block 468. HMC is keenly awaiting the arrival of its brand new semi-submersible crane vessel Sleipnir, that is due to be equipped with two enormous Huisman cranes, each with a lifting capacity of 10,000 tonnes. The Sleipnir is currently under construction at the Sembcorp Marine yard in Singapore. A number of installation contracts has already been signed for the Sleipnir, that, when completed, will be the largest semi-submersible crane vessel in the world. Immediately following handover the Sleipnir will be deployed to install the massive Leviathan production platform with vent boom in the Mediterranean, on behalf of Noble Energy.

Another contract to be undertaken by the Sleipnir involves transport and installation work for the Tyra Future project planned by Maersk Oil in the Danish sector of

the North Sea. This project involves the installation of a new production and living quarters platform and HMC expects to be able to deploy the 220 metre-long and 102 metre-wide Sleipnir at the start of 2019. Finally, HMC has signed a long-term framework agreement with Aker BP for the transport and installation of the facilities for the Norwegian Valhall Flank West project.

Seaway Heavy Lifting (SHL), active with the monohull crane vessels Stanislav Yudin and Oleg Strashnov, was mainly involved in installation work for the offshore wind energy sector in 2017. It was also announced on 10 March 2017 that Subsea 7, already fifty percent shareholder in SHL, had acquired the remaining fifty percent of the shares in the company from K&S Baltic Offshore. As a result, Subsea 7 is now full owner of this Dutch offshore contractor.

Remarkable projects In April 2017 SPT Offshore completed a remarkable offshore installation project. The project in question involved the installation off the coast of Malaysia of the jacket and topsides of the Ophir wellhead platform in waters with a depth of 73 metres. The remarkable feature was the installation of the tri-legged jacket with an integrated suction pile foundation. The floating sheerlegs Asian Hercules II operated by Boskalis subsidiary Asian Lift based in Singapore, was also involved in this project.On behalf of ENAP Sipetrol Argentina, the Seatrucks Group deployed its pipelayer Jascon 34 in South America to lay various pipelines in the Magellanes Field.

In addition to Allseas, Van Oord and Boskalis will also be heavily involved in the Nord Stream 2 project in the Baltic. In a 50/50 joint venture, Van Oord and Boskalis will be carrying out rock installation work as part of this project. The work will involve levelling and stabilising the pipeline route and covering over the pipelines, following laying. In 2018 Van Oord will be taking delivery of the brand new flexible fallpipe vessel Bravenes. The same

two operators Van Oord and Boskalis have signed a joint contract for the laying of the 70-hectare Offshore Centre at the Maasvlakte 2 in the Port of Rotterdam. This project will involve the suppletion of 7 million m 3 of sand.

Other news for 2017 included the acquisition by Boskalis of the subsea survey specialist Gardline from the British Gardline Group. This company is active in the provision of maritime geophysical survey services, environment-related survey services and offshore geotechnical services. Boskalis further expanded its subsea services with the purchase of the diving support vessels Constructor and Atlantis. For the deployment of the sister vessel to the Atlantis, the diving support vessel Da Vinci, a three-year bareboat charter contract was signed, with a subsequent option to buy.

Deploying its vessel Rollingstone, Tideway undertook rock installation work in 2017 in the L10 block in the Dutch sector of the North Sea. This Breda-based company is soon to take delivery of a new rock installation vessel capable of carrying out cablelaying work. For this vessel, to be christened the Living Stone, a number of cablelaying contracts has already been signed n

The monohull crane vessel Oleg Strashnov was mainly involved in 2017 in intallation work for the offshore win energy sector . (Photograph: SHL)

The large monohull pipelaying vessel Solitaire will be deployed on the Nord Stream 2 project. (Photograph: Nord Stream AG)

The diving support vessel Nor Atlantis was purchased by Boskalis and rechristened Atlantis. (Photograph: PPAS Publicaties/L. v.d. Meijden)

The Aegir was involved in the installation of the Stampede TLP in the Gulf of Mexico. (Photograph: PAS Publicaties)