Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V., has been awarded a contract by Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. for the installation of an offshore Depletion Compression Platform for the Malampaya Project off the coast of Palawan Island, in the Republic of the Philippines. The contract includes seabed preparation, rock installation, platform transportation andinstallation work and has a contract value of approximately USD 60 million.
The project relates to the expansion of the Malampaya Gas Field by means of an additional compressor platform next to the existing gas production platform. The work, executed by Boskalis Offshore, comprises a number of different offshore activities. To prepare the seabed for the installation of the platform soils will be excavated to a level of sufficient bearing capacity and deposited at a designated area. Gravel pads will be installed as foundation for the platform footing. The rock involved will be sourced from local Philippine quarries. Once this preparatory work has been concluded the Depletion Compression Platform will be towed to the site, positioned and installed by four heavy anchor-handling tugs (AHTs). To provide stability to the platform iron ore gravel ballast will be placed in each of its four footings immediately after the installation. The existing gas production platform and the newly installed compression platform will be connected via a permanent bridge. This bridge will also be placed by Boskalis Offshore and marks the conclusion of the project.
For this project, which commences early 2014 and ends in late 2014, Boskalis Offshore will deploy its new multi-purpose construction vessel Ndeavor, two 200 ton bollard pull AHTs and two 100 ton bollard pull AHTs. The Ndeavor, which will be commissioned in the second half of 2013, plays a pivotal role in this project by executing the seabed excavation and rock installation work, by providing support during the installation of the platform as well as by ballasting the footings of the platform and installing the permanent bridge between the two platforms.
The Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power Project is a joint venture of the Philippine National Oil Company, Chevron and Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX, operator of the gas project). The gas from the field is transported onshore by pipeline where it is being used as feedstock by a number of power plants.
Boskalis' strategy is aimed at benefitting from key macro-economic factors which drive worldwide demand in our markets: expansion of the global economy, increase in energy consumption, global population growth and the challenges that go hand in hand with climate change. This project closely relates to the increasing energy consumption.