N-KOM, GIS Seal USD 110Mln Offshore Deal

Gulf Drilling International Limited (GDI), a subsidiary of Gulf International Services (GIS),  has awarded two contracts worth USD 110 million to Nakilat-Keppel Offshore & Marine (N- KOM), a joint venture shipyard between Nakilat and Singapore’s Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M).

The first contract is for the construction of a self-propelled and self-elevating liftboat, which is customised for field transit operations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in water depths of up to 65 metres.

When completed at the end of 2015, the liftboat will provide accommodation and platform support services for a customer with operations in Qatar.

N-KOM has also been awarded a six-year repair and maintenance contract for GDI’s existing fleet of jack-up rigs operating in the Middle East.

Designed by Bennett Offshore, a naval architecture and marine engineering arm of Keppel O&M, in collaboration with N-KOM, the LB310- design liftboat can undertake a wide range of services such as well servicing, commissioning, maintenance and decommissioning of offshore platforms.

The customised liftboat is equipped with two deck cranes, a large open deck space of around 800 square metres, a helideck, and accommodation capacity for 130 persons.

The liftboat also allows for a specially designed gangway bridge to link it to the customer’s platform for emergency escape and other safety purposes.

Liftboats are a more efficient and cost-effective alternative to traditional offshore service vessels, as they can be mobilised without requiring third party assistance.

Apart from accommodating a large number of offshore crew, the liftboat is able to enhance overall operational safety by providing a more stable work environment with its self-elevating feature.

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Press Release; July 24, 2014