Feature 3 | Deepwater anD Ultra Deepwater
Sarah finally delivered to Marine Subsea
Ulstein Verft AS has delivered deepwater offshore construction vessel Sarah
to her Norwegian owners Marine Subsea. The vessel had been anchored at
the yard for six months while the shipowner negotiated with its banks.
T
he Ulstein SX121 offshore
construction vessel features the
yard’s characteristic X-Bow shape,
enabling her to operate under bad weather
conditions while remaining steady and
comfortable for the crew onboard. X-Bow
design also promotes better fuel efficiency.
Sarah is oil service company Marine Subsea’s
first vessel from the Ulstein Group. Marine
Subsea provides oil and gas services mainly out
of West Africa, with three vessels in service and
five under construction. Sarah has a 10-year
service agreement with the Angolan state oil
company Sonangol beginning early 2010. Deepwater offshore construction vessel Sarah (Credit: Ulstein Verft aS).
Sarah is dynamically positioned 3 (DP3)
and therefore does not require the use of
mooring lines when stationed over the work
site – even at depths of more than 1500m. She
is also designed with a central moonpool in the
deck and with a derrick above.
Equipped for 100 persons, the 120m loa and
25m beam vessel is an impressive sight. She
has a tower, moonpool, ROV hangar, crane
and helideck as well as numerous sophisticated
technical subtleties. Ulstein SX121 offshore construction vessel with X-Bow design (Credit: Ulstein Verft aS).
Marine Subsea announced that as well as
taking delivery of Sarah it has also completed its
financial restructuring. The shipowner is now It is understood that Standard Bank PLC and intervention work. Subsea well intervention,
fully financed with a debt maturity profile that Eksportfinans ASA have underwritten a loan which is regarded as a growing market,
matches the long-term nature of its contracts. of US$222 million, of which US$111 million entails improving oil recovery from wells
was drawn down in mid-December 2009 that have been in production for some
in connection with the delivery payment of time. The operation is typically performed
Technical parTicularS Sarah. The other US$111 million is being by lowering specialised tools through the
Sarah made available for the delivery of identical moonpool of the vessel into the well. These
length, oa ............................................120m sister vessel Karianne in October 2010. tools can then perform production logging,
Beam .......................................................25m The hulls of both Karianne and Sarah are re-perforation, repairs and so forth with
Draught ..................................................7.5m constructed at Zaliv shipyard in Ukraine, a the objective of improving oil recovery.
Deck area .........................................1470m² yard that has a cooperation agreement with Traditionally, these operations have been
accommodation ......................100 persons Ulstein Group but the commissioning and carried out by exploration semisubmersibles.
(40 single and 30 double cabins) completion is undertaken at Ulstein’s yard in However, with the current high market price
Deck crane ..................................150tonnes west Norway. of semisubmersibles, subsea well intervention
heave compensated down to 2500m Ulstein Group chief executive officer, operations can be performed faster and more
rOV system ............................2 x work class Gunvor Ulstein said: “The dialogue between economically from purpose built vessels,
to 3000m from Oceaneering Ulstein Group and the shipowner has such as Sarah.
Deadweight ...............................8700tonnes been good during the process. We are very Sarah will return to Ulstein Verft in January
Speed .................................................14.5kts pleased that the vessel now is delivered to our 2010 to perform outfitting acceptance tests
Well intervention depth ....................2500m customer Marine Subsea.” (OAT) of the crane and tower, before going
Sarah will be involved in subsea well into operations. OMT
28 Offshore Marine Technology 1st Quarter 2010
Sarah finally delivered.indd 28 27/01/2010 14:19:46
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