UK-based engineering firm Sheffield Forgemasters has secured a contract from Shell to provide offshore castings for use on the Vito semisubmersible platform in the Gulf of Mexico.
Under the contract, Sheffield Forgemasters’ offshore oil and gas specialist, Vulcan SFM will deliver ten riser basket components that each weigh 11.5t.
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Vulcan SFM will cast the riser baskets, which will be attached to the platform at Sheffield Forgemasters’ Brightside Lane foundry.
Vulcan SFM design director Paul Mockford was quoted by media sources as saying: “These two contracts are the first signs of any return to offshore work after a complete cessation of new oil and gas developments worldwide when the price of oil plummeted in 2015.
“We have been fortunate that our expertise in the field of supply to offshore projects, coupled with our long-term relationships with the major oil companies including Shell, helped us into a prime position to secure contracts on the first two projects commissioned requiring offshore platforms in more than two years.
“Although it is far too early to speculate that the offshore oil and gas market is making any kind of quantitative return, the commencement of operations in the Gulf of Mexico is very encouraging developments, as is the increase in oil prices as they approach $60 per barrel.”
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By GlobalDataEarlier this year, the company secured a contract with Samsung Heavy Industries to supply castings.
Having started manufacture of the components for Shell in August, Sheffield Forgemasters expects the complete the task by June next year.
Discovered in 2009, Vito is expected to have reserves in excess of 300 million barrels of oil.
