by
MET Staff | Monday, March 31, 2014 |
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.