Feature 2 | SUPPORT VESSELS
Second emergency support vessel for Topaz
Topaz Energy and Marine has taken delivery of its newest vessel, an emergency recovery and response vessel (ERRV) from Malaysian yard, Berjaya Dockyard Sdn Bhd. Te vessel is bound for Azerbaijan in support of a 10-year contract with BP.
operations. She is the first vessel in the Caspian region to be equipped with three daughter craft and two fast rescue craft. Caspian Protector is equipped with dynamic positioning capabilities (DP1) and will assist in the safekeeping of workers on various oil production platforms in the Azeri sector of the Caspian Sea for BP. The contract was won by BP in 2008 and was valued at US$225million at the time. Another ERRV in Topaz’s Azeri field,
C
Baki, was involved in one of the largest offshore evacuations when a gas leak at one of the Azeri platforms prompted a rig evacuation of 211 personnel. The evacuation was safely executed by the crew of Baki in less than two hours and resulted in BP awarding the captain and crew the BP President’s Award. This demonstrated the importance of ERRVs in oilfield safety. BP is the operator of the Azerbaijan
International Oil Company (AIOC) and is one of Topaz’s largest clients worldwide. Topaz enjoys a market-leading position in the Caspian Sea and has been awarded consistent contract extensions with BP. Late in 2008 Topaz won a 10-year BP contract for the supply of three offshore support vessels (OSVs) to support BP’s Azerbaijan operations. In addition to Caspian Protector the other vessels deployed against the contract are platform supply vessel (PSV) Caspian Server, which is already in service, and the anchor handling tug supply vessel Caspian Power, due for delivery later in 2010. Topaz Marine chief operating
officer, Roy Donaldson, said: “Caspian Protector is the result of a collaborative process between Topaz and our client
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aspian Protector is a 61m vessel designed for ERRV, standby duties and fire-fighting
Caspian Protector, the latest support vessel to enter Topaz Marine’s diverse fleet (Credit: Topaz Energy and Marine).
technical specifications of a vessel that’s uniquely equipped to meet the challenges of the operating realities of the Caspian Sea.” Caspian Protector is financed by DVB
Bank of Germany as part of a US$84 million term loan facility, including three other vessels on time-charter to BP. Built by Malaysian shipyard Berjaya
Dockyard, the vessel was scheduled to be mobilised from Malaysia via the Volga-Don canal to Baku in Azerbaijan, as of the second week in April 2010. Topaz Marine, the OSV-owning and
Roy Donaldson, chief operating officer of Topaz Marine (Credit: Topaz Energy and Marine).
BP to understand the client’s exact requirements and jointly develop the
operating division of Topaz currently operates a fleet of more than 100 vessels. Topaz Marine’s diverse fleet comprises anchor handling tug supply vessels (AHTSs), PSVs, DP2 cable-laying vessels, ERRVs, workboats, floating hotels, icebreaking vessels, survey vessels and a variety of specialised
barges. OMT
Offshore Marine Technology 2nd Quarter 2010
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