Aker Solutions Cuts First Steel for Lingshui Field Subsea Project

Aker Solutions has started fabrication work on the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) Lingshui 17-2 gas development project with the first steel cutting of subsea manifold in Tianjin, China.

The cutting of the steel took place at the China Offshore Oil Engineering Company (COOEC) Special Equipment yard in Tanggu. The first suction anchors to be manufactured include the west suction anchor top frame and bottom skirt.

COOEC will also manufacture four subsea manifolds, one subsea distribution unit and two subsea umbilical termination units for this project.

The steel cutting ceremony was attended by key executives from CNOOC, Aker Solutions, COOEC and its employees at the yard.

“Lingshui 17-2 is the first major gas field discovered in China through CNOOC’s independent exploration and we are fabricating the first deepwater manifold with distribution and control functions,” said Zhou Shengjie, CNOOC’s executive deputy general manager of Lingshui 17-2 gas field development project at the steel cutting ceremony in Tianjin. “This project will further promote the ability of CNOOC in deepwater development and further strengthen our international capability. We will work with all parties to accomplish the task on time with quality and safety.”

Derek Robertson, project director of Aker Solutions, said: “This is a key milestone for the Lingshui 17-2 project and we are pleased to start fabrication in close collaboration with CNOOC. It’s a global project and we have teams in different locations working together with CNOOC to ensure the success of the project.”

At the end of last year, CNOOC awarded a contract to Aker Solutions to provide subsea production system and umbilicals for the Lingshui 17-2 gas field. The subsea production system consists of 11 horizontal subsea trees, four manifolds, topside and subsea control system and a tie-in connection system. The global project is being executed from Aker Solutions’ facilities in Malaysia, Norway and the United Kingdom.

Lingshui 17-2 is CNOOC’s first subsea deepwater project developed by the company with water depths of up to about 1,500 meters. The field is located in the South China Sea, off the Hainan Province.