Heerema’s offshore heavy lift vessel Aegir has completed the installation of the 4000-tonne jacket and topside for Qatargas’ North Field Bravo Living Quarters Expansion project. Both mobilisations were completed within eighteen hours.
Heerema states the project was a historic milestone for Qatar, as it was the first time for the country that the fabrication for the offshore living quarter expansion was done locally.
The Aegir firstly mobilised to Qatar’s Ras Laffan Port where both structures were constructed by Rosetti Marino at the N-Kom yard. On February 14, the Aegir picked up the jacket horizontally from the quay side. The 1000-tonne structure was then sailed to the offshore site, upended, and positioned in a process that was first tested in Heerema’s simulation centre to ensure the safest and most efficient methods were used.
In the subsequent days the main piles, consisting of a lead section and two add-ons, were installed and driven to target penetration. The Aegir then returned to the N-Kom yard to pick up the Qatar made topside on February 22, lifting the 3000-tonne structure from the quay side and setting it onto the Aegir deck. The next morning the Aegir set sail to the construction site, where the deck was successfully installed around midday.
The project was finalised on February 25.