Gulf Exporters

Lamprell expertise attracts new deals

A panoramic view of Lamprell’s Sharjah yard

High-value contract wins from international firms have reinforced Lamprell’s position as a leading provider of diversified engineering and contracting services to the onshore and offshore oil and gas and renewable energy industries.

Earlier this year, Lamprell received a new $370-million contract award from a subsidiary of Shell Drilling Ltd for the construction and delivery of two high specification LeTourneau-designed self-elevating mobile offshore drilling platforms of a Super 116E (enhanced) class.

The two jackup rigs, designed through collaboration between engineering and operations personnel from Shell Drilling, Shell Drilling’s customer and Lamprell, will be capable of operating in water depths of up to 350 ft and will be used in constructing wells with a maximum drilling depth of 30,000 ft.

The rigs will feature fit for purpose offshore drilling technology as well as accommodation for up to 160 people. Lamprell will fabricate both rigs in its Hamriyah yard and is scheduled to deliver the first rig in Q3 2016 and the second in Q2 2017. The rigs are being constructed for operations in Southeast Asia.

Stating that Shell Drilling was a new client for the Lamprell Group, Lamprell CEO James Moffat said: “This is also our second multiple rig contract award with a major international drilling contractor in the space of a month, demonstrating that the group’s strong project execution in its core markets is being recognised. It also reinforces Lamprell’s position as a leading fabricator of jackup rigs and our highly attractive proposition to clients.”

Lamprell’s Hamriyah yard

Lamprell’s Hamriyah yard

Weeks earlier, Lamprell bagged a new $390 million contract from Ensco Intercontinental GmbH, a subsidiary of Ensco Plc, for the construction and delivery of two high specification LeTourneau-designed self-elevating mobile offshore drilling platforms of a Super 116E class. The rigs are designed to operate in water depths of up to 340 ft with a rated drilling depth of 30,000 ft and will also incorporate a number of Ensco proprietary features and specifications. Lamprell will fabricate both jackup rigs in its Hamriyah yard. The first rig is scheduled to be delivered in Q2 2016 and the second in Q3, 2016. Under the contract term, Ensco has the options to build two further jackup rigs of the same design and these options are exercisable within a period of six months from the effective date of contract. The contract value of $390 million is exclusive of the options. Moffat stated that the contract win was significant as Ensco is a world leading offshore drilling company “which has trusted Lamprell with important shipyard projects in the past.” Moffat also stated: “This contract demonstrates Lamprell’s position as one of the world’s leading builders of jackup rigs and we’re confident of our ability to deliver the rigs successfully and to our usual high safety and quality standards.”

Lamprell is currently constructing for an international drilling contractor a complete outfitted LeTourneau-designed jackup rig. Work is underway at its Hamriyah facility and expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2015. The contract was signed in August 2013 and was an option that the contractor exercised when Lamprell signed up to supply a kit for a Super 116E class design mobile offshore drilling platform.

Another jackup rig that Lamprell is constructing in its Hamriyah yard was ordered by Dev Drilling Pte Ltd, a company within the Jindal Group based in Singapore. Lamprell is constructing a complete outfitted and equipped LeTourneau-designed self-elevating mobile offshore drilling platform of a Super 116E class design. The rig is to operate in waters up to 350 ft and will have a rated drilling depth of 30,000 ft. It is now close to delivery time.

 

HYDRA DELIVERED

In June of this year, Lamprell constructed the vessel Hydra and delivered it to its client Seajacks. The vessel, which will operate in the North Sea, is the fourth that Lamprell built for Seajacks, three of which were constructed to the GustoMSC NG2500X design with the fourth vessel based on the larger GustoMSC NG5500C design.

Lamprell said following collaboration between it and Seajacks, the Hydra underwent substantial redesign resulting in an enhanced jacking system, an increase in persons on board from 90 to 100, and increase in main crane capacity from 300 tonnes to 400 tonnes and improved automation and space management.

These vessels have been successfully developed to work in the harsh environment of the North Sea. “Such jackup vessels are flexible and multipurpose and capable of working both the offshore wind and the oil and gas sectors. All Seajacks vessels comply with the stringent regulations required to operate in the North Sea environment,” a Lamprell statement said.

The contract for the Hydra was signed in July 2012 and delivery of this vessel represents the sixth jackup vessel of its kind to be delivered by Lamprell in total, the company said.

“I would like to congratulate Lamprell on their delivery of the Hydra ahead of schedule. In terms of quality, she looks to be the finest with superb facilities on board for our crews and clients. Both the Lamprell and Seajacks project teams have raised the bar yet again and this shows both companies’ commitment to continuous learning,” said Blair Ainslie, CEO, Seajacks.

 

OTHER PROJECTS

Also recently Lamprell delivered on schedule and on budget to Nexen Petroleum UK a production utilities and quarters (PUQ) deck for the Golden Eagle Area Development (GEAD) in the North Sea.

This was a unique project as the Guinness World Records confirmed that Lamprell’s delivery of the offshore platform was the heaviest load moved by self-propelled modular trailers and measuring at 13,191.98 tonnes. ALE was the transport provider. This beat the previous record which was achieved by Almajdouie Logistics Company of Saudi Arabia in January 2012, the weight being 4,891 tonnes. The PUQ deck measured 98.5 m by 46 m by 58.8 m (length x width x height).

The PUQ deck departed from Lamprell’s Jebel Ali yard. This was the sixth offshore fixed topside that Lampell delivered in four years. Lamprell had delivered to Nexen Petroleum last year two decks for the GEAD project.

The company’s facilities at Jebel Ali

The company’s facilities at Jebel Ali

Also last year, Lamprell completed and delivered the jackup rig Jindal Star to its client Jindal Pipes (Singapore) Pte Ltd, a DP Jindal group company. The Jindal Star weighted 10,500 tonnes and is a LeTourneau Super 116E class with a self-elevating 477 ft design. The spud cans were redesigned and fitted with extensions to meet Jindal’s requirements with regards to the maximum ground bearing pressure which is specific to Indian waters. When Jindal was delivered in November 2013, Lamprell had completed a total of 13 newbuild jackup drilling rigs, six of the LeTourneau super 116E design and seven of the Friede & Goldman Super M2 design.

In February of the same year, Lamprell delivered the windturbine installation vessel Windcarrier 2 Bold Tern to the client, Fred Olsen. Five months earlier, its sister vessel Windcarrier 1 Brave Tern was delivered with a ceremony at the Jebel Ali facility. The vessels are operating in the North Sea.

Lamprell delivered last year the first of two Caspian Sea jackup rigs to a client. The second will be delivered later this year.

As well as fulfilling orders for export, Lamprell has taken up several projects for UAE firms engaged in the oil and gas sector. In the latest of these, Lamprell is fabricating 29 modules in a contract awarded recently by Petrofac Emirates LLC. The modules are being constructed for use in connection with the Zakum Development Company (Zadco)’s landmark Upper Zakum UZ750 (EPC-2 field) development in Abu Dhabi. Lamprell is scheduled to deliver the first shipment of modules in Q2 2015 with the final pipe rack expected to be delivered in Q1 2016.

Lamprell was awarded last year a $64 million rig refurbishment contract by the UAE’s Millennium Offshore Services. It has worked on several contracts from Abu Dhabi’s National Drilling Company.

Lamprell, based in the UAE and with operations throughout the region, has played a prominent role in the development of the offshore industry in the Arabian Gulf for over 30 years and is the regional market leader in the rig market. It employs approximately 11,000 people, including contract labour, across six facilities, with its primary facilities located in Hamriyah, Sharjah and Jebel Ali, all of which are in the UAE. In addition, the group has facilities in Saudi Arabia (through a JV agreement) and Kuwait. Combined, the group’s facilities provide a total area of over 925,000 sq m with 2.2 km of quayside.