AS Norske Shell has ordered the world's largest concrete gravity base platform for its Troll gas field development project in the Norwegian North Sea.
Norwegian Contractors, Stavanger, won a 3.5 billion kroner ($552 million) for detailed engineering, procurement, and construction of a four legged gravity base for the platform, which will have a total height of 1,410 ft.
The unit, with 40 well slots in two of its concrete legs, will be second in height to Shell Offshore Inc.'s Platform Bullwinkle in the Gulf of Mexico, which has a total height of 1,615 ft.
Norske Shell also let a 650 kroner ($102.5 million) contract to Norwegian Contractors for mechanical outfitting of the 600,000 ton gravity base for Troll.
TROLL PLANS
Norske Shell will install the Troll platform in the field in May 1995, with gas scheduled to start flowing Oct. 1, 1996. Capacity will be 2.3 bcfd.
The outfitting contract calls for each of two legs to be fitted with 20 drilling conductors and 26 steel frames. Another shaft will be fitted with fire and seawater pumps. The fourth shaft will house risers for gas exports from the platform.
Construction is to start this summer at Norwegian Contractors' Stavanger dry dock. The completed platform and topsides will be towed to the field in May 1995.
Partners in first phase Troll development are Shell, Den norske stats oljeselskap AS, Norsk Hydro Produksjon AS, Norske Conoco AS, Total Marine Norsk AS, and Elf Aquitaine Norge AS.
OTHER PROJECTS
Meantime, another major platform contract has been awarded in the North Sea, reflecting the high level of activity off Northwest Europe.
RGC Offshore plc, Methil, Scotland received a letter of intent from Shell U.K. Exploration & Production covering a 35 million ($62.3 million) contract for the 8,900 metric ton jacket for Nelson field in the U.K. North Sea. The contract includes 3,850 tons of piles.
Work will start in November, and the structure will be installed in the field in spring 1993.
A contract for the Nelson integrated deck earlier went to RGC's sister company, Redpath Offshore, Middlesbrough, England.
For development of Bruce gas/condensate field in the U.K. North Sea, BP Exploration let a 4.5 million ($8.01 million) contract to FMC Corp., Dunfermline, Scotland, for valves and wellhead equipment and a $1 million ($1.78 million) contract to Ferranti International for supply and installation of platform-to-shore equipment for the field.
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