Heerema’s barge hauls topside and jacket from Dutch yard for installation at North Sea gas field (Video)

August 5, 2024, by Melisa Čavčić

The Netherlands-based engineering services player Heerema Marine Contractors (HMC) is in the process of transporting the topside and jacket to their designated site in the North Sea, where the installation activities will take place at a gas field, operated by One-Dyas, a compatriot exploration and production company.

Load out and sail away of the N05-A topside and jacket; Source: HSM Offshore

After being tasked with building One-Dyas’ N05-A gas production platform at its yard in Schiedam, HSM Offshore Energy completed the rollout of the topside in April 2024 two days after the upper part of the jacket was lifted on its lower counterpart. Allseas, N-Sea, and Heerema Marine Contractors are among the companies hired to work on this project.

Since the 3,200-ton topside and 2,800-ton six-legged non-battered jacket have been positioned onto Heerema’s H-406 barge utilizing self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) operated by Mammoet and managed by HSM Offshore Energy, these will now be transported for installation in the North Sea to meet ONE-Dyas’ timeline for first gas production by the end of 2024.

Hans Leerdam, Commercial Director of HSM Offshore Energy, commented: “This achievement marks a significant milestone for HSM Offshore Energy and underscores our dedication to pioneering innovative solutions in the offshore energy sector. The successful load out and sail away of the N05-A topside and jacket is a proof to our team’s expertise and commitment to perfection. We are excited to contribute to the energy transition and a sustainable energy-mix with this groundbreaking project.”

The N05-A platform, designed as a permanent manned installation, will operate as a not normally manned installation (NNMI), making it an autonomous production location (APL). The export route is set to utilize a pipeline connected to the existing Noordgastransport (NGT) pipeline network, facilitating delivery to customers in the Netherlands and Germany.

This is expected to be the first electrified gas production platform in the North Sea, once up and running, as it is envisioned to be powered entirely by renewable energy from the nearby Riffgat offshore wind farm.

Following a court-ordered temporary halt of operations due to opposition to the project from climate activists, a provisional ruling enabled One-Dyas to move forward with its planned activities for the project, with Heerema’s Sleipnir crane vessel set to start the installation of the N05-A platform mid-August 2024.