Phillips Petroleum Co. U.K. Ltd. by yearend will begin installing the petroleum industry's first North Sea platform built in the Middle East.
The new unit, the 48/29q quarters platform, will be installed in Phillips' Hewett gas field development project in Block 48/29, about 20 miles off England in the North Sea.
Phillips is installing the platform as a safety measure in response to a recommendation by the Cullen Report that quarters facilities be separated from production and processing units.
Platform accommodations include sleeping cabins for 44, offices, a workshop, an all weather helideck, plus a laundry, kitchen and dining room, and gymnasium and off duty recreation facilities. Personnel assigned to all four Hewett production platforms will be housed on board the installation.
Design and construction of 48/29q and transportation to the field are being provided under a $38 million contract with McDermott Engineering (Europe) Ltd. (MEEL), a subsidiary of McDermott International Inc., New Orleans.
McDermott-ETPM East Inc. under a subcontract built the platform in 14 months at McDermott's Jebel Ali fabrication yard in the United Arab Emirates. MEEL completed design of the facility in 7 months. During the final 4 months, construction at Jebel Ali proceeded simultaneously with engineering in London.
Mammoet Shipping's Sunrise ocean going transport ship is transporting the platform's four legged jacket, 1,600 ton module, and 75 m connecting bridge. Phillips let a separate contract to HeereMac, a joint venture of McDermott and Heerema, for installation of the platform.
Phillips has been producing Hewett gas for about the past 25 years. It is one of the oldest active gas fields in the North Sea.
Phillips gathers about 210 MMcfd of gas from Hewett Platforms Alpha, Beta, and Charlie on Block 48/29 and from Platform Alpha on Block 52/5 to Field Terminal Platform 48/29ftp. Production then moves to shore at Phillips' Bacton gas processing plant.
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