Keppel Offshore & Marine awarded three projects worth S$300 million

Tuesday, 31 March 2009 13:33

Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M), through Keppel Shipyard Limited (Keppel Shipyard) and Keppel FELS Brasil SA (Keppel FELS Brasil), has secured three contracts worth

The first two projects, secured by Keppel Shipyard from repeat customers, are for the construction of a derrick lay barge and the modification of a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel.

The third project is awarded by a new customer, Noble Drilling (Nederland) B.V., to Keppel FELS Brasil, through BrasFELS, for the completion of a deep drilling semisubmersible (semi).

Bumi Armada Berhad (Bumi Armada) has contracted Keppel Shipyard for the construction of a derrick lay barge for pipe laying operations in waters of up to 100m in depth. It will be built in two separate hull strips and mechanically completed in Keppel Shipyard before being transported through the narrow Volga-Don River Canal System to a shipyard in the Caspian Sea for the joining of the vessel. The hull strips are expected to cross the canal by November 2009. Bumi Armada, a long-standing customer of Keppel Shipyard is also currently converting their FPSO Armada Perdana at the yard.

The second project is from Single Buoy Moorings Inc (SBM) for the modification of FPSO Capixaba, which was a fast-track conversion carried out by Keppel Shipyard in 2006. The new work scope includes the installation of four new modules and the associated integration plus modification of the existing topsides and turret. The FPSO is currently deployed in the Golfinho field, Brazil, and is expected to arrive at Keppel Shipyard in August, 2009. FPSO Capixaba will be modified and upgraded for operation in the Cachalote field in offshore Brazil. The vessel is expected to be back in operation in Brazil in early 2010.

Keppel Shipyard’s projects with SBM currently also include the major conversion of FPSO P-57 and FPSO Okha and the construction of FPSO Skarv’s internal turret for SBM.

At present, Keppel Shipyard is carrying out ten other major conversions and upgrading projects at its yards. Over in Brazil, BrasFELS has secured a contract from Noble Drilling (Nederland) B.V. for the completion of an ultra-deepwater semi drilling rig named the Noble Dave Beard (the “Beard”), which is scheduled to arrive in Brazil at the end of the month.

The Beard is a dynamically-positioned (DP2) semi unit designed to operate in water depths up to 10,000 feet, with a drilling depth of up to 35,000 feet. The scope of work to be performed by Keppel FELS Brasil includes the mechanical completion of the Beard, as well as assisting in the commissioning and installation of customer specified equipment. Upon its expected completion in the fourth quarter of 2009, the Beard will be chartered to Petrobras for work in offshore Brazil.