Feature 4 | FPSO/FSO CONVERSIONS Dubai completes FPSO projects
Drydocks World-Dubai continues to strengthen its position in the FPSO and FSO conversion market.
T
he first quarter of 2010 saw the completion of two notable FSO projects in Dubai. Work on the FSO
Prem Pride included the fabrication and installation of a new heli-deck and outfit, bow loading frames and related piping, while the Drydocks World-Dubai yard’s technicians also upgraded the accommodation structure on the tanker and fixed a new fresh water generator for the unit. A ULCC conversion, FSO Africa was
another vessel delivered to its joint owners Euronav and Overseas Shipholding Group earlier this year. Tis followed on from the late-2009 completion of FSO Asia, which has now been deployed at the Al Shaheen oil filed in Qatar. Extensive work on FSO Africa included
the grit-blasting and painting of the cargo tanks to cover an area of around 275,000m2
,
while approximately 15,000m of new cargo pipelines were laid in the tanks and on the deck. Te conversion further involved fitting 1200 valves to the cargo pipes as well as adding 31,000m of pipes and 800 new valves in the engine room and accommodation areas. In addition, new structures were
fabricated at the yard’s steel shop; a three level accommodation structure was built and fixed onboard; a new pipe rack was fabricated using 700tonnes of steel and installed on deck; the vessel’s existing hydraulic line was renewed and approximately 75,000m of new line was added. Work is now underway in Dubai to
convert the tanker Betatank II into a FPSO unit for Italy-based Saipem Energy Services. Te project, which commenced in July 2009, is scheduled for completion in 2011 when the 110,371dwt vessel, renamed FPSO Aquila, will be handed over to Saipem to be located at the Aquila oil and gas field in the Adriatic Sea, offshore Italy. A wide range of enhancements and
installations are needed on Betatank II and Drydocks World-Dubai will install an external turret, build new steel structures such as module supports and pipe racks, install production and power generation
40 The converted FSO Asia is now working offshore Qatar.
modules using the yard’s 2000tonnes capacity floating crane, and will fit a helicopter deck and flare stack. Te yard will also refurbish the accommodation block and install new crude oil lines on deck. Other works that will be carried out at the Dubai yard include the modification of the tanker’s boilers and cargo systems, as well as the upgrading of its power and communication systems. For Drydocks World Dubai, 2009 was
something of a landmark year as far as FPSO and FSO work was concerned. Te largest FPSO conversion yet in terms of volume of work – FPSO Frade - was delivered in January 2009, and the yard also completed two FSO conversions – FSO Asia and FSO Falcon Spirit - during the year. Looking forward Drydocks World-Dubai
is cautiously optimistic about market prospects. Managing director Nawal Saigal says, “Fluctuating oil prices over the last year did see companies putting off projects and refraining from floating new tenders, but as the global financial crisis is easing, we see more frequent announcements of new projects. Since FPSOs are the only viable means of procuring oil from remote ocean depths, demand will persist and we do
expect some of the projects to materialize during the course of the year.” The yard has made some significant
investment in new conversion quays over the past two years, targeted at the offshore sector. Drydocks World-Dubai hopes these improvements will position the yard so that it can secure a significant number of new FPSO and FSO contracts in the foreseeable future. Dubai has also been successful in picking
up other offshore related conversion projects and is now working on converting the pipe laying vessel CSO Apache to a Diving Support Vessel. The key aspects of the project include installing a moon pool area at the centre of the vessel; the fabrication and installation of the heli-deck; the replacement of an existing crane on deck with one with a a higher capacity; the fabrication of the crane pedestal and relocation of portside life boat davits. In addition, the engine room vent fan housing on the deck will be re-located and the vent ducts modified and diving related equipment will be installed. Approximately 600tonnes of new steel will be added as part of this project, the yard reveals. SRCT
Shiprepair and Conversion Technology 2nd Quarter 2010
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