Offshore Group Newcastle (OGN) one of the UK’s leading EPC service providers to the offshore oil & gas and wind energy sectors has informed of the safe and successful departure of the Apache FASP jacket structure.
The Apache FASP jacket, the largest to ever be designed and fabricated on the River Tyne set sail on Wednesday, August 22, from the 75 acre OGN facility in Wallsend bound for the Forties field, some 180km off the coast of Aberdeen in water depths of circa 110metres.
In September 2010, Apache North Sea Ltd awarded a multi-million pound contract to OGN to provide conceptual and detailed engineering design, materials and equipment procurement, fabrication and construction, commissioning and hook-up services for a new oil production platform for its Forties field. The 126 metre high jacket, which weighs 5,500 tonnes forms the first section of this new oil production platform which will be bridge-linked to the existing Forties Alpha installation. The iconic Forties field, the first of the UK’s large oil fields and originally developed by BP, is still going strong after more than 35 years of production, with at least another 20 years’ life remaining which this project will help sustain.
Craig Melville, Chief Commercial Officer at OGN , said: “Today is a proud moment in OGN’s short history as we have seen the largest jacket structure ever designed and fabricated on the famous River Tyne safely depart for the Forties field. All of this could not have been possible without the collaboration and support of our client Apache North Sea Limited, our supply chain partners and workforce. We now look forward to delivering FASP Topside in the coming months and thereafter securing more multi-million pound contracts in Tyneside.”
Mark Richardson, Project Director for Apache North Sea Limited , added: “The strong relationship developed between Apache and OGN has enabled; a safe, fast and cost effective fabrication, allowing Apache to further develop the Forties Field and maximise the oil reserve recovery. The work force should feel proud of their achievements and we look forward to the completion of the topsides processing facilities next year.”
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Press Release, August 24, 2012