Pipeline and platform work is progressing on the Yacheng 13 1 project in the South China Sea (OGJ, Oct. 4,1993, p. 94) as ARCO China Inc. and the project's prime platform contractor have recently awarded more contracts.
The SEJV joint venture of Saipem SpA of Italy and European Marine Contractors Ltd., London, received contracts to lay the 14-in. condensate pipeline from ARCO China's offshore facilities to Hainan Island and to continue the 28-in. gas line across the Pearl River estuary.
Offshore Hyundai International Ltd. (OHI), joint venture between Offshore Pipelines Inc., Houston, and Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., recently received a contract from prime contractor Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. to perform the platform installation.
Values of the contracts were not revealed; the entire gas project is valued at $1.2 billion.
PLATFORM, PIPELAY
OHI's newly upgraded OHI-5000 will install the 3,000 ton, 4 pile wellhead A jacket and, with a single lift, set the 2,400 ton deck and various drilling equipment packages on the deck of the platform in 290 ft of water.
Launch of the 3,000-ton Yacheng 13-1 jacket and 2,400-ton deck will be the first completed by the OHI 5000 since it was retrofitted with a new 5,500-metric ton crane. Installation work began in April and is continuing.
EMC's Semac 1 semisubmersible lay barge will lay the 14-in., 100-km condensate pipeline from the platform to Hainan Island. Work includes shore approach, platform tie-in, and an intermediate tie-in for compression facilities and flooding, gauging, and hydrotesting.
Semac 1 is scheduled to begin work in July.
The vessel will also lay the final 70 km of the 28-in. gas trunkline to shore near Hong Kong. The main part of the trunkline is 80% completed and includes 707 km, the longest offshore pipeline ever constructed within a single lay season, said SEJV.
Completion of the main portion is set for this month.
In a separate new award, Saipem's Castoro V shallow-draft pipelay vessel will be used to install the 28-in. line in a part of the project that will involve a significant amount of dredging and backfilling across the Pearl River estuary.
The work commences at the starting point of the main trunkline, approximately 60 km southwest of Hong Kong, and continues to Black Point in the Hong Kong New Territories. Castoro V is scheduled to begin work in August.
NEARING COMPLETION
The entire ARCO China pipeline project is scheduled to be completed early next year. It will transport natural gas ashore to facilities in Hong Kong.
Copyright 1994 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
