POSTPIPELAY TRENCHING JOBS FINISHED OFF INDIA

Sept. 10, 1990
Rockwater Offshore Contractors, Aberdeen, has completed three postpipelay trenching contracts in four satellite fields off India. The contracts, in Bombay High offshore area, were performed for Micoperi India, Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., and National Petroleum Construction Co. of Abu Dhabi (NPCC). Those companies are contractors for India's Oil & Natural Gas Commission (ONGC). Rockwater, an equal partnership of Halliburton Co. unit 2W Taylor and Smith International Group, used its

Rockwater Offshore Contractors, Aberdeen, has completed three postpipelay trenching contracts in four satellite fields off India.

The contracts, in Bombay High offshore area, were performed for Micoperi India, Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., and National Petroleum Construction Co. of Abu Dhabi (NPCC). Those companies are contractors for India's Oil & Natural Gas Commission (ONGC).

Rockwater, an equal partnership of Halliburton Co. unit 2W Taylor and Smith International Group, used its 130 metric ton seabed plow working out of Rockwater's Sharjah, U.A.E., base.

The Micoperi contract involved trenching 18 km for a 14 in. line from B131 platform in Neelam field to HRA platform in Heera field. Also for Micoperi, Rockwater dug 22 km of trenches for a 14 in. line from PA platform in Panna field to B-57 platform in Mukta field.

In its contract with Hyundai, it trenched 8 km of 12 and 10 in. lines in Heera field. After that job, NPCC awarded Rockwater the contract to dig six other Heera trenches over a total 30 km for 6, 10, and 12 in. lines.

FLEET PERFORMANCE

Rockwater's offshore spread for all three contracts was made up of the 16,000 bhp, 120 metric ton Smit New York bollard pull tug for plow towing and the DSV Pacific Constructor for dynamic positioned diving support, plow deployment, and monitoring.

The Nico Glad survey ship conducted postlay trenching surveys to ensure minimum burial depth of 1.2 m as specified by ONGC.

Rockwater claimed a time record for trenching in Heera field: about 15 km in less than 12 hr in heavy sand overlayed clay. The firm also claimed a plow performance record in Ranna field. It cut a 1 m deep V-section trench through soft clays with a water content of 150%.

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