Metocean Services International (MSI) recently completed a deepwater current measurement program offshore Namibia for Repsol Exploration with 100% data return.
Repsol as operator of a partnership including Tower Resources Plc and Arcadia Expro Namibia Pty Ltd will drill its first well offshore Namibia in 2014, and as input to the design of the drilling program required detailed current profile data at the expected well location. To ensure maximum chance of a successful measurement program, Repsol contracted MSI to deploy two complete current profile moorings, in 1145m and 1240m water depth. Each mooring comprised three upward looking TRDI 75 kHz Longranger ADCPs deployed at 8m, 408m and 808m above the seabed. They also had a surface spar buoy fitted with satellite tracking beacon, to ensure that its position could be continuously monitored throughout the program for security.
One of the challenges was the short mobilization period, especially given the number of equipment required. The contract was awarded and the moorings were ready to be loaded onto the vessel in Walvis Bay in less than four weeks.
The moorings were deployed in early October 2013, using the DP Star. There were no vessels available on the spot market in Walvis Bay for recovery of the moorings, so MSI charted the PSV Taraska out of Cape Town, completing the fieldwork with no HSE incidents to report.
Data was returned to MSI’s Data Center in Cape Town, where processing and reporting was undertaken confirming another project successfully completed with 100% data return.