SPARROWS Offshore, the crane service arm of Aberdeen-based Energy Cranes International, has landed crane-modification and upgrade contracts in Norway worth more than £1million for completion this spring.
The larger of the contracts is for an upgrade to a crane on board Transocean’s Polar Pioneer semisubmersible rig along with the implementation of a five-yearly survey.
Sparrows contract-support engineer Alan Smiles has already been seconded for seven months to work for Transocean in Norway on the specification and scope of work for the project, leading to an open tender which Sparrows won against competition from other Norwegian and European bidders.
“Client confidence was the key to our winning this work,” said Phil Owens, engineering manager for Sparrows Offshore.
In a simultaneous contract running with Songa Offshore and Stena Drilling in Stavanger, another Sparrows team will complete five-yearly inspection and repairs on a Liebherr crane on board the Songa Dee rig, including the refurbishment and re-installation of gearboxes.
The total value of the two projects is more than £1.2million and both are for completion by the end of June, marking the firm’s best start so far to a year’s business in Norway.
Sparrows Offshore is attending the 14th North Sea Lifting Conference and Exhibition in Stavanger from April 28-30 and will present a paper on temporary cranes in the offshore environment.