BHP Billiton, Damus build largest local offshore platform

LOCAL engineering expertise was showcased last week when multinational energy giant, BHP Billiton, and local contractor Damus Limited, took time to show off their  local oil platform. A site visit to the La Brea Industrial Development Company Limited (LABIDCO), showed the completed fabrication work on the Kairi-1 (K-1) Wellhead Protection Platform. The K-1 platform will be used in the Greater Angostura Development Field located in block 2 (c), 40 km from Galera Point, off the northeast coast of Trinidad. It is the largest offshore platform built in local history and will serve as one of the key components in the energy company’s oil exploration thrust.

The platform is expected to support drilling and production of up to 15 oil and gas wells for the next 20 years and will support an exploration and production crew during the day. At night the platform will be completely automated. Total value of the fabrication contract is US$4.5 million, of which 54 percent will be fulfilled by Damus, with the remaining work being completed by Gulf Island Fabricators (GIF). According to Sheldon Gomez, project engineer, BHP Billiton, construction work on the platform, which began in October 2003, was almost four days ahead of schedule and was 51 percent complete. The 550 tonne platform comprises a cellar, production, mezzanine and main decks, as well as a helideck. With fabrication work on the helideck almost 90 percent complete, Gomez said work still to be done on the platform include “floating” the helideck and installation of piping and electrical and instrumentation work.

“We are extremely pleased with the high quality of work being done on the platform,” he said, adding that approximately 60,000 man-hours had already been completed with no “loss time injuries.” Manpower for the project was drawn from the La Brea and La Romain districts, and peaked at some 80 men at the height of construction. Gomez said the platform would be transported to the field by a barge and production is expected to begin in December. BHP Billiton is the designated operator of the Angostura Field and holds a 45 percent interest. Peak production is expected to be in the vicinity of 80,000 barrels of oil a day. Government, through the Ministry of Energy, will receive a minimum of 50 percent of the profit generated from the project.