Gradually . . . little bit by little bit . . . Asia-Pac companies are seeking and gaining control of the subsea construction market though, for now at least, the larger part remains under the control of Western companies, primarily European.
Energy expressed concern about the shift a number of years ago, predicting that what was at the time an almost imperceptible build-up of subsea capacity would accelerate, as it indeed has.
While most of the tonnage has been/is being built in Asia-Pac yards, some units have been constructed in Europe, notably a series of vessels placed at Royal IHC in the Netherlands by the SapuraKencana & Seadrill JV, Sapura Navegação Marítima.
There are of course also East-West JV’s such as SapuraAcergy between Subsea 7 and Sapura Kencana of Malaysia.
The latest evidence of the shift under way comes in the shape of two but, with options, four new multi-purpose dive support vessels designed in Norway, which will be built in China and then owned out of Singapore.
The designer is Marin Teknikk, the yard is China Merchants Heavy Industry and the client is UDS.
The first is an “ultra-deep installer – multi-purpose diving support construction vessel”.
The ship is based on the proprietary MT “Red Class 6027” DSCV. The 142m vessel is due for delivery in Q1 2018.
According to UDS, the ship will be equipped with a Flash Tekk 24-man twin bell saturation dive system.
The vessel is also specified to carry a pair of 250bhp work-class ROV’s with a 3,000m depth capability.
It will feature a 400-ton crane capable of working to 5,200m single fall and 3,200m dual-fall. The vessel’s 1,500sq.m main working deck will have a load bearing capacity of 10 tons per sq.m
The second ship is also classed as a large multi-purpose dive support & construction vessel, but to the MT6023 DSCV design, with an 18-man single bell saturation system, for operations down to 300m water depth.
Length overall will be 111.58m and it will carry two cranes . . . a 150-ton offshore crane with depth capability to 3,000m, and a 10-ton unit capable to 300m.
In addition, it will be kitted out to carry two WROV’s (unmanned remote operated submarines/robots) for operations down to 3,000m.
Delivery is scheduled for mid-2017. There are options for two further sisters, with pencilled in deliveries of late 2017 and mid 2018.
Marin Teknikk, sales director Richard Gjerde, said of the new ships: “We have been working closely with UDS for the last one-and-a-half years to develop one of the largest and most advanced DP3 diving vessels, MT6027, in the offshore industry.
“This contract, with the medium size MT6023 design that we have worked on for a few months, shows again MT’s strong position in the OSV market and that we are among the world’s leading designers of advanced diving & construction vessels”.
Shel Hutton, chairman of UDS, said: “I am pleased by the positive response by oil majors and major diving companies to the design of our diving support vessels, and it affirms our company is heading in the right direction to build quality and size-appropriate vessels catered for the market.
“The current slowdown in the market allows us time to ensure our designs are optimised and customised for the oil and gas industry.”
Various European mainstream brands, including DNV, Rolls-Royce and Wartsila are closely involved.
Back in Europe, Royal IHC has launched another pipelay support vessel (PLSV) to be deployed in Brazil.
The 146m Sapura Rubi, is fifth and last in the series of vessels ordered by Sapura Navegação Marítima.
All five vessels are scheduled to work in Brazilian waters to develop deep-sea oilfields on behalf of Petrobras.
Finally, Ocean Yield of Norway has taken delivery of the 111M diving support and offshore construction vessel SBM Installer, which was also designed by Marin Teknikk.
In a complex arrangement, Dutch company SBM Offshore has entered into an agreement to sell the SBM Installer to OS Installer AS for $150million in cash.
OS Installer AS is a newly established joint venture between Ocean Yield ASA (75%) and SBM Offshore (25%).
According to Ocean Yield, the vessel immediately entered into a 12-year bareboat charter guaranteed by SBM Holding.