Kiewit Offshore Services experience and no surprises approach results in quality services for the offshore oil and gas industry

KOS’ extensive experience in fabricating large, complex topsides enabled the company to meet the challenges associated with the multi-discipline Perdido Project. KOS’ topsides scope required the installation of 82,000 linear ft of piping, and over 800,000 linear ft of electrical cable. In addition, KOS fabricated 1,500 tons of skidshoes to support the structure during the construction, loadout and transportation phases. The 10,000 ton structure was completed in 24 months.

The fabrication sequence for constructing the topsides was designed to permit all craft disciplines to start work as early as possible, optimizing the number of craft on each component of the Perdido Project. The topsides were fabricated in three major sub-assemblies, or deck levels, and lifted into position using heavy lift cranes. The largest of these sub-assemblies weighed over 1,300 short tons and was lifted into place using twelve crawler cranes.

Perdido topside lift and spar hull at the KOS fabrication facility.

In addition to the Perdido topside fabrication, KOS facilitated the outfitting of the 22,000 ton spar hull for offshore installation. Utilizing KOS’ deep hole, the spar was offloaded from the heavy lift transport vessel, grillage and supports removed, motion dampening strakes installed and a dead weight survey conducted.

KOS’ third scope in the Perdido Project was the drill rig refurbishment, where the company focused on upgrading an existing rig’s capacity and equipment, as well as updating its hurricane tie down requirements. After pieces of the drill rig arrived at KOS, they were further dismantled and reconditioned. These components were assembled into modules and the drill rig was stacked, commissioned and function tested. Once testing was complete, the drill rig was dismantled, loaded out and shipped offshore to the spar hull.

The Perdido topside loadout at KOS’ facility.

KOS and its subcontractors worked over 2 million manhours on the Perdido Project, completing the job with only two incidents. As an OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) site, KOS is recognized as having one of the safest yards in the industry. It’s not just the company’s safety practices that make KOS stand alone, but the facility itself is truly impressive. Accessible by highway, rail and water, the KOS fabrication facility boasts more than 2,900 linear ft of high-capacity bulkhead. Water depths along the bulkhead range from 25-55 ft with the entire length supported by a continuous-pile-founded relieving platform. This allows for the docking of several large scale projects at the same time. For heavy lift vessel projects such as Perdido, KOS has a deep hole with water depths up to 78 ft. The facility also has unimpeded access to the Gulf of Mexico through the Corpus Christi and La Quinta shipping channels, and boasts the world’s only Heavy Lifting Device capable of lifting up to 13,000 tons. Projects like Perdido are executed successfully due to the extensive resources available at KOS and the talented people building them.

No job is too large or too complex for this leading fabricator for the oil and gas industry. KOS takes a “no surprises” approach to every project, enabling the company to plan ahead and mitigate risks. This mentality, coupled with their state-of-the-art facility, has enabled KOS to help its clients build the industry’s most well known projects such as Perdido.