Floating Production Facility Delivered by Crowley Maritime Corporation

by | Monday, March 31, 2014 | 0 comment(s)

Crowley Maritime Corporation’s tugs have successfully delivered overweight, oversized equipment to the U.S. Gulf, part of a huge, semi-submersible floating production facility nearly 300 miles south of New Orleans.

The equipment, which includes tendons, topsides, piles, etc., was transported by Crowley’s ocean class tugs, alongside their 455 series high-deck-strength barges, which carried the load as it was towed offshore. The facility, called “Jack/St. Malo”, was made storm safe and moored at 7,000 feet between the St. Malo and the Jack offshore natural gas and oil fields, which are 25 miles apart. The company’s Solutions project management team, based out of Houston, made the delivery in three stages in both offshore and nearshore waters.

In the nearshore phase, topsides were moved onto the 455 series barge, Julie B, in Ingleside, Texas, where they were then lifted and installed onto Jack/St. Malo’s hull. Once in place, the Ocean Wave and Ocean Wind helped to push the whole facility through the Port of Aransas in Texas, and out to deep water. The Ocean Sun was on hand to provide any needed assistance.

Once moved to deeper waters, the second phase commenced (the offshore stage). In this phase, the Ocean Sun and Ocean Wind towed the facility to its destination, alongside the Harvey War Horse II tug. Additionally, the Solutions team ordered Crowley’s 455 series barge (towed by the Warrior tug), and a third-party barge, Marmac 400 (towed by the Pilot tug), to deliver long, pipe-like structures to serve as anchors for the facility, to the project site. Then, the Marty J, which was also towed by the Pilot, conducted three trips to the final site, delivering any additional equipment to be used in mooring the floating facility.

The last stage was the positioning phase, in which the Ocean Wave, Ocean Sky, Ocean Wind, and Ocean Sun, along with the Harvey War Horse II, worked simultaneously to hold the facility in its final position, and remained at the site in a star pattern, lending support as the spar was connected to its moorings and made storm safe in over 7,000 feet of water.

Said Crowley Vice President, Solutions, John Ara, “This was another successful pairing of Crowley’s new ocean class tugboats and high-deck strength barges. Not only was the project completed safely and on time, but it also helps to illustrate the increasing competence and capability of our crew and vessels. We look forward to utilizing these specialized teams and assets in projects in the future.”

The facility is scheduled to begin producing natural gas and oil later this year, and it will have a capacity of 170,000 barrels per day of oil and 42.5 million cubic feet per day of natural gas. The facility will serve as the hub for 43 subsea wells, including equipment on the ocean floor.

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