Netherlands-based maritime infrastructure company Royal BoskalisWestminster has secured an offshore depletion compression platform installation contract for Shell Philippines Exploration’s Malampaya Project, offshore of the Philippines.
Under the $60m contract, Boskalis will perform seabed preparation, rock installation, platform transportation and installation work on the Malampaya gas field, which is situated off the coast of Palawan Island, in the Republic of the Philippines.
As part of the project, the gas field will be expanded, with the installation of an additional compressor platform adjacent to the existing gas production platform.
In the initial stage, Boskalis will prepare the seabed for the installation of the platform soils, which will be excavated to a level of sufficient bearing capacity and deposited at a designated area.
The company will also install gravel pads as a foundation for the platform footing, while the rock involved will be sourced from local Philippine quarries.
Upon the completion of preparatory work, Boskalis will use four heavy anchor-handling tugs (AHTs) to tow the Depletion Compression Platform to the site, and for positioning and installation. During the process, iron ore gravel ballast will be placed in each of its four footings to provide stability to the platform post installation.
In the final stage of the project, the existing gas production platform and the newly installed compression platform will be joined through a permanent bridge by Boskalis Offshore.
Boskalis Offshore will use its new multipurpose construction vessel Ndeavor, which features two 200 tonne bollard pull AHTs and two 100 tonne bollard pull AHTs, for the project, which will begin in early 2014 and end in late 2014.
To be commissioned in the second half of 2013, the Ndeavor will perform seabed excavation and rock installation work, provide support during the installation, ballast the footings of the platform, and install the permanent bridge between the two platforms.
Shell Philippines Exploration is the operator of the Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power Project with 45% interest, while other partners Chevron Malampaya and PNOC Exploration hold 45% and ten percent interest, respectively. The gas produced from the field will be transported onshore by a pipeline, where it will be used as feedstock by several power plants.
Image: Diagram of the Malampaya field development in the Philippines.
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