By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 27 -- BP PLC has awarded a $15 million contract to a subsidiary of J. Ray McDermott Inc. to install facilities associated with the Aspen subsea development on Green Canyon Block 243 in the Gulf of Mexico 150 miles south of New Orleans. Nexen Petroleum USA Inc., which earlier this year increased its interest in Aspen to 60% from 20%, is operator BP's partner on the block (OGJ Online, Feb. 21, 2002).
Mentor Subsea Technology Services Inc. will install and commission 36 miles of dual 7-in. insulated flowlines and an 18 mile subsea control umbilical, linking the Aspen development to Shell Offshore Inc.'s Bullwinkle platform on Green Canyon Block 65. Water depths range from 3,100 ft at Aspen to 1,350 ft at the Bullwinkle platform.
Pipelaying work is getting under way this week, with McDermott's Derrick Barge 16 utilizing its S-Lay method to lay the pipelines and Derrick Barge 50 installing the umbilical line.
McDermott also will perform the engineering design, fabrication, installation, and commissioning of two pipeline end manifolds, which will provide tie-ins for the multiple Aspen wells. Production of Aspen reserves is expected to begin in the fourth quarter.