Chevron lets contract for Tahiti spar

Sept. 27, 2005
Chevron Corp. has let a contract to France's Technip for the engineering, procurement, and construction of the spar hull and mooring systems for deepwater Tahiti field in the Gulf of Mexico (OGJ, Sept. 5, 2005, Newsletter).

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Sept. 27 -- Chevron Corp. has let a contract to France's Technip for the engineering, procurement, and construction of the spar hull and mooring systems for deepwater Tahiti field in the Gulf of Mexico (OGJ, Sept. 5, 2005, Newsletter). Chevron also has awarded Technip a contract for fabrication of the topsides modules.

Tahiti field lies on Green Canyon Blocks 596, 597, 640, and 641 in 4,200 ft of water about 190 miles southwest of New Orleans.

The Tahiti facility will have the capacity to produce 125,000 b/d of oil and 70 MMscfd of gas and treat 120,000 b/d of produced water. The topsides will include a 9,950-ton production module, a 6,500-ton utility module, and a 2,500-ton module support frame.

The Technip-designed deepwater spar hull will be 170 m long and 39 m in diameter and have a steel weight of 24,000 tonnes.

Technip will conduct detailed hull and moorings design, procurement, and fabrication at its yard in Pori, Finland. The fabrication of the topsides by Gulf Marine Fabricators, the group's yard near Corpus Christi, Tex., is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter.

Delivery of the spar hull to the Gulf of Mexico and fabrication of the topsides are scheduled for completion in mid-2007.

Chevron is the operator of the Tahiti project with 58% working interest. Tahiti partners are Statoil ASA 25% and Shell Exploration & Production Co. 17%.