South Africa: DCD MARINE Contracted by SBM Offshore for PetroSA’s Project Ikhwezi

The ability to ensure timeous delivery of services is critical to the sustainability of any repair facility. In a first for the company, the DCD MARINE team was awarded a contract by SBM Offshore to undertake the fabrication of subsea structures for PetroSA’s Project Ikhwezi. This work will be executed in the company’s steel fabrication workshops, machine shop, as well as its blasting and coating facilities in the Port of Cape Town.

“DCD MARINE has built its reputation in the market by providing an uncompromising attitude towards specified project turnaround expectations in terms of both quality and timing,” says DCD MARINE Key Accounts Manager, Jehann Railoun

“The contract award was based on DCD MARINE’s track record of successfully completing a number of high-profile repair and upgrade projects for major blue chip global and local companies,” says Gerry Klos, General Manager at DCD MARINE.

Klos explains that the Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (PetroSA) is developing Project Ikhwezi (the Nguni word for “morning star”). This project will comprise a new field development of Block 9 in the central Bredasdorp Basin, approximately 100 km off the Southern Coast of the Western Cape of South Africa. The new development is a high-pressure high temperature gas field located approximately 39 km south east of the F-A Platform.

“Project Ikhwezi comprises a 39 km subsea tieback of the F-O gas field to the existing F-A Platform. This platform will be used for processing and onward transportation of the produced hydrocarbons to PetroSA’s gas to liquids (GTL) manufacturing plant in Mossel Bay” says Klos. “Project Ikhwezi involves five production wells; three in the South Area and two in the North Area. Produced gas, condensate and water will be transported to the F-A Platform via new subsea flowlines,” Klos adds.

Prior to the award of the contract, DCD MARINE underwent stringent safety, health, environmental and quality (SHEQ) audits. The company was also required to qualify welders in accordance with outlined SBM Offshore quality control procedures.

DCD MARINE has been tasked with the procurement of 450 tons of steel and the fabrication of the following subsea structures: two 87 ton structures, two 33 ton structures and one structure of 16 tons. All blasting and coating of the fabricated items is to Jotun paint specifications. DCD MARINE will provide storage of the fabricated components until the required delivery date. “An essential part of this project is to implement careful planning and scheduling to accomplish the scheduled delivery date of November 2012. We are able to leverage our extensive experience and expertise to provide the client with the assurance of a superbly executed project,” says Railoun.

“One of the biggest challenges for DCD MARINE is the fact that materials have to be imported, since the specifications could not be met locally, which results in a much longer lead time. We have mitigated against delivery issues by organising that the welding coupons be air freighted. Although this mode of transport is at a higher cost than standard methods of shipping, we will be able to guarantee timeous delivery for SBM Offshore,” says Railoun

The DCD MARINE team will work seven days a week during the project. “In addition, a small SBM Offshore Project Team will be based at the DCD MARINE offices, to monitor the progress and work hand in hand, together with DCD MARINE, and to ensure that all milestones are met,” says Klos.

DCD MARINE has a dedicated project team comprising a Project Manager, Estimator, Project Planner, Document Controller, HSE and Site Coordinators as well as Fabrication Superintendents looking after steel, pipe mechanical, blasting and coating respectively. “This contract has allowed the DCD MARINE team to expand its portfolio offering, while at the same time providing SBM Offshore with a proven formula in terms of internationally benchmarked marine repair and upgrade offerings,” DCD MARINE’s Klos concludes.

During March this year, DCD MARINE was awarded with carrying out dry dock repairs to SBM Offshore’s dive support vessel, Dynamic Installer. The scope of work included repairs to the windlass anchor, refurbishment to the port alternator, alignment of shafts and tank cleaning.

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Source: DCD MARINE, June 21, 2012