The newest and latest state-of-the-art Saudi Aramco Repair Barge (ARB-3) recently arrived in the Kingdom after construction in Singapore’s Jurong Shipyard.
The barge joins the Safaniya Offshore Producing Department. At 110 meters long, 42.5 meters wide and 9 meters deep, the barge is designed to operate in depths from 5 to 60 meters in the Arabian Gulf.
The ARB-3 provides offshore accommodation for 124 people in a five-tier superstructure on the main deck. Its helideck is situated above those accommodations.
The barge is built for a 30-year lifespan, and its heavy-lift crane can load as much as 550 metric tons.
ARB-3 will provide support to companywide offshore facilities and especially Northern Area Oil Operations in the Eastern Region.
Among the ARB-3’s functions are repair of subsea pipelines, terminal support, plant test and inspections, diving support, structure repairs, abrasive blasting and painting, heavy lifts and platform installations, and recovery and repair of subsea power and fiber-optic cables.
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Source: Saudi Aramco, March 24, 2011;