Houston-based BPZ Energy and Shanghai-based Wison Offshore & Marine Ltd., a subsidiary of the Wison Group, announced the successful load out and sail away of the world’s first Buoyant Tower drilling and production platform destined for installation at BPZ Energy’s Corvina field located offshore Peru.
The CX-15 platform was safely completed and successfully delivered to BPZ Energy at Wison Offshore & Marine’s Nantong, China, fabrication facility in a record 11 months from contract signature and without a single lost time incident. Wison’s scope included the engineering, procurement and construction of the facility’s 2,500 ton Buoyant Tower hull and 1,500 ton topsides facility. This project represents not only the first use of the design, but also the first implementation of Wison’s integrated international delivery model including members from the company’s three operation centers Inc. located in Shanghai and Nantong, China, and Houston, Texas, USA.
The Buoyant Tower hull for the facility was designed and engineered through a joint venture between Wison affiliate, Horton Wison Deepwater, and GMC Limited and consists of four, ring-stiffened connected cylindrical tubes or “cells” with one central suction pile. Each cell measures 8.4 meters in diameter and 60.1 meters long, with a total hull length, including suction pile, of 69.9 meters. This design, which is similar to proven cell spar technology, was a key enabler for the project due to the fact that it will not require a derrick barge for installation as it is located in a region with minimal resident offshore construction vessels.
When installed, the Buoyant Tower will support the three-level topsides facility designed by Audubon Engineering and GMC Limited and equipped to produce 12,200 barrels per day of oil, 12.8 million standard cubic feet per day of gas and inject 3,500 barrels per day of water. Additionally, the facility will be capable of supporting a drilling rig with 24 well slots.
“The completion of the BPZ Energy Corvina CX-15 project without a single lost-time incident is a notable accomplishment for Wison Offshore & Marine and its business partners as it affirms our collective commitment to safety,” said Daniel Chang, Executive Vice President of Operations for Wison Offshore & Marine . “Delivering this state-of-the-art prototype project in a record time of 11 months and within budget clearly reaffirms Wison’s position as a preferred quality and reliable provider of choice in the offshore and marine industry, especially in this part of the world. On behalf of Wison Offshore & Marine, I would like to thank BPZ Energy for having confidence in us.”
Richard Spies, Chief Operating Officer of BPZ Energy, also commented, “We are very pleased with the customized design of the new CX-15 platform and hull which will be installed shortly at our Corvina field in Block Z-1. We were impressed with the quality and efficiency of the fabrication work performed by Wison and their subcontractors in China. As we have previously stated, the importance of this design is that it allows us the ability to develop other future discoveries that are located between 200 feet and 700 feet of water.”
Both hull and topsides were loaded onboard a single heavy lift transport vessel, the Osprey, which is sailing to Peru for the installation operation.
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Press Release, August 07, 2012