Company says oilfield barge first of its kind in 40 years

Tucked amid sugar-cane fields along the Houma Navigation Canal, the Manson Gulf construction company doesn’t call attention to itself.

But its newest 380-foot barge, the $80 million E.P. Paup, is anything but low-profile.

The derrick barge, which will be used to install or dismantle offshore oil-and-gas platforms, boasts a 265-foot-tall crane that can lift up to 1,000 tons in water 1,000 feet deep. It’s longer than a football field and 26 stories tall.